Matomo alternative
OpenPanel is a modern, open-source alternative to Matomo. Get powerful web and product analytics with a cleaner interface, truly cookie-free tracking by default, and no premium plugins required for essential features.
- Open-source
- Cookie-free
- EU-only hosting
- Self-hostable
OpenPanel vs Matomo: Which is right for you?
Both platforms are open-source and privacy-focused. The key differences are modern UI, true cookie-free tracking, SDK size, and feature bundling vs premium plugins.
Choose OpenPanel if...
Teams that want modern UI/UX without legacy complexity
Developers who need truly cookie-free tracking without configuration
Companies that want funnels, cohorts, and retention without extra costs
Choose Matomo if...
Organizations already invested in the Matomo ecosystem
Enterprises needing CNIL-approved consent-exempt analytics
Teams requiring heatmaps and session recordings
Key differences at a glance
Here's how OpenPanel and Matomo compare on the factors that matter most.
| Feature | OpenPanel | Matomo |
|---|---|---|
| Price | From $2.50/month (or free self-hosted) | Free self-hosted, Cloud from $19/month |
| Cookies required | No (cookie-free by default) | Yes by default (cookieless requires config) |
| Consent banner needed | Yes (unless configured for CNIL exemption) | |
| Data location | EU-only (or your own servers) | Frankfurt (Cloud) or self-hosted |
| Open source | Yes (AGPL-3.0) | Yes (GPL-3.0) |
| Page views & visitors | Both offer unsampled data | |
| Traffic sources | ||
| Geographic data | Matomo offers city-level geolocation | |
| Device & browser stats | ||
| UTM/campaign tracking | ||
| Real-time dashboard | ||
| Custom event tracking | ||
| Funnels | premium Matomo Funnels is a paid plugin | |
| Retention analysis | ||
| User profiles | Matomo has Visitor Log | |
| Cohorts | Via segmentation | |
| E-commerce tracking | Both have e-commerce analytics | |
| A/B testing | premium Matomo A/B Testing is a paid plugin | |
| Heatmaps | premium Matomo plugin costs extra | |
| Session recordings | premium Matomo plugin costs extra | |
| Custom dashboards | ||
| Form analytics | premium Matomo Form Analytics is paid | |
| Tag Manager | Matomo Tag Manager is free | |
| Cookie-free by default | Matomo uses cookies unless configured otherwise | |
| No consent banner needed | Matomo can achieve CNIL exemption with config | |
| IP anonymization | ||
| GDPR compliance | Both are GDPR compliant | |
| Self-hosting option | Both can be self-hosted | |
| EU data hosting | Matomo Cloud in Frankfurt, Germany | |
| REST API | Matomo has extensive API | |
| Data export | Both support data export | |
| WordPress plugin | Matomo has dedicated WordPress version | |
| E-commerce platforms | Matomo: WooCommerce, Shopify, Magento, PrestaShop |
Feature comparison
OpenPanel includes all analytics features in one package. Matomo's advanced features require purchasing premium plugins separately.
Page views & visitors
Traffic sources
Geographic data
Device & browser stats
UTM/campaign tracking
Real-time dashboard
Custom event tracking
Funnels
Technical comparison
For developers evaluating analytics tools, here's how the SDKs and technical implementations compare.
| Feature | OpenPanel | Matomo |
|---|---|---|
| SDK size (JS) | ~2.3 KB gzipped | ~20 KB gzipped (60 KB uncompressed)OpenPanel's SDK is significantly lighter |
| Supported platforms |
|
|
| Open source | Yes (AGPL-3.0) | Yes (GPL-3.0), premium plugins are proprietaryMatomo core is open, premium features are paid |
| Self-hosted deployment | Docker, simple setup script | PHP/MySQL stack, more complex setupOpenPanel has simpler Docker-based deployment |
| Database | ClickHouse + PostgreSQL | MySQL/MariaDBClickHouse offers better performance for analytics queries |
| Data retention | Unlimited (self-hosted) or plan-based | Unlimited (configurable), Cloud has plan-based raw data limitsBoth offer flexible retention policies |
Pricing comparison
Both offer free self-hosted options. Cloud pricing differs, and Matomo's premium plugins add significant costs.
OpenPanel
Event-based, transparent
Simple pricing starting at $2.50/month for 5,000 events. 100,000 events costs $20/month.
Self-host for free with unlimited events.
All features included in every plan.
Matomo
Hit-based (Cloud) plus premium plugins
On-Premise: Free (core features), but premium plugins like Heatmaps ($229/year), A/B Testing ($229/year), Funnels ($229/year) add up.
Cloud: Starts at $19/month for 50,000 hits, scaling to $16,900/month for 100M hits.
Premium Bundle saves up to 45% on plugins.
Migrating from Matomo to OpenPanel
Switching from Matomo to OpenPanel is straightforward. Both use event-based tracking, and you can run both tools in parallel during transition.
Install the OpenPanel SDK
Add the lightweight OpenPanel SDK to your app. At 2.3 KB, it's much smaller than Matomo's 20 KB tracker.
Map your tracked events
Review your Matomo tracking and map events to OpenPanel. Event tracking syntax is similar: _paq.push(['trackEvent', ...]) becomes op.track('event', ...).
Configure user identification
Set up user identification in OpenPanel. Replace Matomo's setUserId with OpenPanel's identify method.
Set up your dashboards
Create key reports in OpenPanel. You'll get funnels and cohorts included without needing premium plugins.
Remove Matomo consent banner
Since OpenPanel is cookie-free, you can remove the cookie consent banner you needed for Matomo (unless required for other tools).
SDK Compatibility
Both use event-based tracking. Matomo's _paq.push(['trackEvent', 'category', 'action']) becomes op.track('action', {category: 'category'}).
Historical Data Import
Matomo data can be exported but there's no direct import path. Most teams start fresh with OpenPanel.
Where OpenPanel is a better fit than Matomo
OpenPanel shines for teams that want modern analytics without managing PHP infrastructure or paying for premium plugins.
Modern product teams
Get a clean, modern interface designed for today's workflows. No legacy UI quirks or PHP-era design patterns.
All features without extra costs
Funnels, cohorts, and A/B testing are included. With Matomo, these are premium plugins costing $229/year each.
True cookie-free tracking
OpenPanel is cookie-free by default. Matomo requires configuration changes and still needs consent in some jurisdictions.
Simpler self-hosting
Deploy with Docker in minutes. No PHP/MySQL stack to manage, no plugin compatibility issues to debug.
Faster websites
OpenPanel's 2.3 KB SDK vs Matomo's 20 KB tracker means better performance and improved Core Web Vitals.
Frequently asked questions
Common questions about switching from Matomo to OpenPanel.
Related resources
Explore more comparisons and guides to help you choose the right analytics tool
Ready to make the switch?
Test OpenPanel free for 30 days, you'll not be charged anything unless you upgrade to a paid plan.
Start with OpenPanel