Software · head to head
Matomo vs Google Optimize
The short version
- Each has a real cost: 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; Google Optimize google Optimize and Optimize 360 were sunset and are no longer available as of September 30, 2023
- They diverge on capability: Matomo covers Web analytics, Google Optimize covers A/B testing.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Matomo and Google Optimize actually diverge.
| Attribute | Matomo | Google Optimize |
|---|---|---|
| Platforms | Web, On-premise | Web |
| Founded | 2007 | 1998 |
Identical on both: starting price (Free), pricing model (freemium), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).
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 Matomo
- Web analytics
- Real-time reports
- Custom dimensions
- Goal tracking
- E-commerce tracking
- Google Search Console
- Privacy-focused
- On-premise deployment
Only in Google Optimize
- A/B testing
- Google Analytics integration
- Visual editor
- Real-time analytics
- Google Analytics
- Google Tag Manager
- Google's security
- 40+ languages language support
Both cover
- Cloud deployment
- Web support
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Matomo
- Privacy focused web analytics as an alternative to Google Analyticsnot Google Optimize
- Self hosting analytics so visitor data stays on owned infrastructurenot Google Optimize
Google Optimize
- A/B and multivariate testing of web pages tied to Google Analytics goalsnot Matomo
- Personalising page content for defined audience segmentsnot Matomo
- Redirect tests between alternative landing page URLsnot Matomo
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
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
Google Optimize
- Google Optimize and Optimize 360 were sunset and are no longer available as of September 30, 2023
- Any experiments and personalizations still running on that date were ended by Google
- Google directs former users to third-party A/B testing tools, naming AB Tasty, Optimizely and VWO, rather than a replacement Google product
Pricing, plan by plan
Matomo
Free- Self-hostedFree
- Open-source
- Full analytics
- Privacy-focused
Google Optimize
Free- FreeFree
- A/B testing
- Google Analytics integration
- Visual editor
Which should you pick?
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.
Choose Google Optimize if
- You need a/b testing.
- You want to start without paying.
- You also want google analytics integration.
Questions people ask
- Is Matomo or Google Optimize better?
- Neither clearly leads. Matomo starts at Free and Google Optimize at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Matomo or Google Optimize?
- Matomo starts at Free and Google Optimize at Free.
- Does Matomo or Google Optimize run on more platforms?
- Matomo runs on Web, On-premise. Google Optimize runs on Web.
- Can I use Matomo for free?
- Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
- What is Matomo best used for?
- Matomo is most often used for privacy focused web analytics as an alternative to google analytics, self hosting analytics so visitor data stays on owned infrastructure. Of those, privacy focused web analytics as an alternative to google analytics and self hosting analytics so visitor data stays on owned infrastructure are not what Google Optimize is typically brought in for.
- What can Matomo do that Google Optimize cannot?
- Matomo covers Web analytics, Real-time reports, Custom dimensions, Goal tracking. Google Optimize covers A/B testing, Google Analytics integration, Visual editor, Real-time analytics. Both handle Cloud deployment, Web support.