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Marketing · head to head

Fathom Analytics vs Matomo

Fathom Analytics logo

Fathom Analytics

Marketing

Website analytics made simple

From
$14/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.
  • Each has a real cost: Fathom Analytics there is no free tier, only a 7 day trial; 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
  • They diverge on capability: Fathom Analytics covers Page view tracking, Matomo covers Web analytics.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Fathom Analytics and Matomo actually diverge.

Attributes where Fathom Analytics and Matomo differ
AttributeFathom AnalyticsMatomo
Starting price$14/monthFree
Pricing modelsubscriptionfreemium
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWebWeb, On-premise
Founded20142007

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 Fathom Analytics

  • Page view tracking
  • Real-time analytics
  • Referrer tracking
  • GDPR compliant
  • 20+ languages language support

Only in Matomo

  • Web analytics
  • Real-time reports
  • Custom dimensions
  • E-commerce tracking
  • Google Search Console
  • On-premise deployment
  • On-premise support
  • 50+ languages language support

Both cover

  • Goal tracking
  • Privacy-focused
  • Cloud deployment
  • Web support

What people use each for

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

Fathom Analytics

  • Privacy-focused web analytics without cookie bannersnot Matomo
  • A lightweight Google Analytics replacementnot Matomo
  • Tracking many sites from one accountnot Matomo
  • Long-term historical reporting while subscribednot Matomo

Matomo

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

Where each one falls short

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

Fathom Analytics

  • There is no free tier, only a 7 day trial
  • Priced on pageviews, from $45 a month at the 500,000 pageview level
  • Custom events count against the pageview allowance rather than being tracked separately
  • Site allowances come in packs, with additional 50-site packs at $10 a month
  • Data is retained forever only while the subscription is active

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

Fathom Analytics

$14/month
  • Starter$14/month
    • Unlimited page views
    • 1 site
    • Real-time analytics

Matomo

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

Which should you pick?

Choose Fathom Analytics if

  • You need page view tracking.
  • You also want real-time analytics.
Fathom Analytics 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 Fathom Analytics or Matomo better?
Neither clearly leads. Fathom Analytics starts at $14/month and Matomo at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Fathom Analytics or Matomo?
Matomo has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $14/month for Fathom Analytics and Free for Matomo.
Does Fathom Analytics or Matomo run on more platforms?
Fathom Analytics runs on Web. 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. Fathom Analytics starts at $14/month.
What is Fathom Analytics best used for?
Fathom Analytics is most often used for privacy-focused web analytics without cookie banners, a lightweight google analytics replacement, tracking many sites from one account, long-term historical reporting while subscribed. Of those, privacy-focused web analytics without cookie banners and a lightweight google analytics replacement are not what Matomo is typically brought in for.
What can Fathom Analytics do that Matomo cannot?
Fathom Analytics covers Page view tracking, Real-time analytics, Referrer tracking, GDPR compliant. Matomo covers Web analytics, Real-time reports, Custom dimensions, E-commerce tracking. Both handle Goal tracking, Privacy-focused, Cloud deployment, Web support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Fathom Analytics: How much does Fathom Analytics cost?

Fathom's entry-level plan costs $45/month for up to 500,000 pageviews. Higher volume tiers exist (1M, 2M, 10M, 25M+ pageviews) with custom pricing. Yearly billing provides 2 months free.

Source
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
Fathom Analytics: Is there a free trial for Fathom Analytics?

Yes, Fathom offers a 7-day free trial. There is no free tier after the trial ends.

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
Fathom Analytics: What happens if my pageviews exceed my plan limit?

Fathom handles usage overage graciously, only upgrading your plan after two consecutive months over your limit. There are no immediate overage charges.

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
Fathom Analytics: Can I add extra sites to my Fathom plan?

Yes, extra sites cost $10/month per 50-site pack, or $100/year (which includes two months free). All plans include a minimum of 50 included sites.

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
Fathom Analytics: Can I cancel Fathom without a long contract?

Yes, there are no contracts and cancellation is flexible. Fathom does not lock customers into agreements.

Source
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