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Marketing · head to head

Attribution vs Matomo

A

Attribution

Marketing

First-party data marketing attribution platform

From
$2000/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Matomo logo

Matomo

Marketing

Privacy-focused web analytics

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Matomo has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • They diverge on capability: Attribution covers First-party data attribution, Matomo covers Web analytics.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Attribution and Matomo actually diverge.

Attributes where Attribution and Matomo differ
AttributeAttributionMatomo
Starting price$2000/monthFree
Pricing modelsubscriptionfreemium
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWeb, Mobile, ApiWeb, On-premise
Founded20202007

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Marketing).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Attribution

  • First-party data attribution
  • Multi-touch attribution
  • Privacy-compliant tracking
  • Real-time insights
  • Conversion tracking
  • Channel attribution
  • Custom reporting
  • API access

Only in Matomo

  • Web analytics
  • Real-time reports
  • Custom dimensions
  • Goal tracking
  • E-commerce tracking
  • Google Search Console
  • Privacy-focused
  • Cloud deployment

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Attribution

  • Marketing attributionnot Matomo
  • ROI trackingnot Matomo
  • Privacy-compliant trackingnot Matomo
  • First-party datanot Matomo

Matomo

  • Privacy focused web analytics as an alternative to Google Analyticsnot Attribution
  • Self hosting analytics so visitor data stays on owned infrastructurenot Attribution

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Attribution

Nothing recorded yet. See the Attribution review.

Matomo

  • The self hosted Community Edition is free but excludes A/B testing, heatmaps, session recording, cohorts, crash analytics and multi channel attribution, all of which are paid plugins
  • Premium plugin bundles for self hosted installs run from 275 EUR a month for 4 users to 3,400 EUR for 50
  • Cloud pricing is banded by monthly hits, and anything above 10 million requires contacting sales
  • Self hosting places all operation and upgrades on the operator while still needing paid plugins for the advanced features

Pricing, plan by plan

Attribution

$2000/month
  • Starter$2000/month
    • Up to 5 channels
    • Basic attribution
    • Monthly reports
  • Professional$5000/month
    • Unlimited channels
    • Advanced attribution
    • Weekly reports
  • Enterprise$undefined/month
    • Custom implementation
    • Real-time attribution
    • Dedicated support

Matomo

Free
  • Self-hostedFree
    • Open-source
    • Full analytics
    • Privacy-focused

Which should you pick?

Choose Attribution if

  • You need first-party data attribution.
  • You work on Web, Mobile, Api.
  • You also want multi-touch attribution.
Attribution review

Choose Matomo if

  • You need web analytics.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, On-premise.
  • You also want real-time reports.
Matomo review

Questions people ask

Is Attribution or Matomo better?
Neither clearly leads. Attribution starts at $2000/month and Matomo at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Attribution or Matomo?
Matomo has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $2000/month for Attribution and Free for Matomo.
Does Attribution or Matomo run on more platforms?
Attribution runs on Web, Mobile, Api. Matomo runs on Web, On-premise.
Can I use Matomo for free?
Yes. Matomo has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Attribution starts at $2000/month.
What is Attribution best used for?
Attribution is most often used for marketing attribution, roi tracking, privacy-compliant tracking, first-party data. Of those, marketing attribution and roi tracking are not what Matomo is typically brought in for.
What can Attribution do that Matomo cannot?
Attribution covers First-party data attribution, Multi-touch attribution, Privacy-compliant tracking, Real-time insights. Matomo covers Web analytics, Real-time reports, Custom dimensions, Goal tracking.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Matomo: How much does Matomo cost?

Matomo Cloud starts at EUR 29 per month for the Starter plan, which covers 50,000 hits per month. Matomo On-Premise has a free Community edition, with paid bundles from EUR 275 per month for up to 5M hits and 4 users.

Source
Matomo: Is Matomo free?

The On-Premise Community edition is free forever with unlimited users and hits, supported through the forum only. Matomo Cloud is a paid service, though a free trial with access to all core features is offered.

Source
Matomo: What is the difference between Matomo Cloud and On-Premise?

Cloud plans include hosting, maintenance, automatic updates and daily backups, priced by monthly hits from EUR 29. On-Premise is self-hosted, free in its Community edition, with paid bundles adding support and higher user counts.

Source
Matomo: How many hits do the Matomo On-Premise bundles cover?

The Team bundle covers up to 5M hits per month and 4 users at EUR 275 per month. Business covers up to 30M hits and 20 users at EUR 1,450. Enterprise covers up to 100M hits and 50 users at EUR 3,400.

Source
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