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Marketing · head to head

Matomo vs NetNewsWire

Matomo logo

Matomo

Marketing

Privacy-focused web analytics

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
NetNewsWire logo

NetNewsWire

News

Free open source RSS reader for Mac and iOS, with no subscription, no ads and no feed limit

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

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; NetNewsWire it has no built in YouTube, Reddit or Mastodon integration, so a user wanting social feeds alongside RSS needs Reeder instead.
  • They diverge on capability: Matomo covers Web analytics, NetNewsWire covers RSS and Atom parsing.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Matomo and NetNewsWire actually diverge.

Attributes where Matomo and NetNewsWire differ
AttributeMatomoNetNewsWire
Pricing modelfreemiumOpen source, no licence fee
PlatformsWeb, On-premiseMac, iOS
CategoryMarketingNews
Founded2007Unknown

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated).

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
  • Cloud deployment

Only in NetNewsWire

  • RSS and Atom parsing
  • Third party sync
  • Unlimited feeds
  • Smart feeds
  • Local search
  • Open source

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 NetNewsWire
  • Self hosting analytics so visitor data stays on owned infrastructurenot NetNewsWire

NetNewsWire

  • A reader who only wants traditional RSS and Atom feeds with no cap and no costnot Matomo
  • Someone who tried Reeder free tier, hit the ten feed limit, and wants an unlimited free alternative insteadnot Matomo
  • A developer who wants an open source reader they can inspect or contribute to on GitHubnot Matomo
  • A user who wants feed sync through an existing Feedbin or Feedly account without paying for a separate reader subscriptionnot 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

NetNewsWire

  • It has no built in YouTube, Reddit or Mastodon integration, so a user wanting social feeds alongside RSS needs Reeder instead.
  • Cross-device sync requires a third party account such as Feedbin or Feedly for full functionality, which may itself carry its own cost.
  • As a volunteer-maintained project, new feature development and release cadence are slower than a funded commercial app.
  • It is Apple platforms only, with no Windows, Android or web client.
  • Its reading interface is more traditional and less gesture-driven than Reeder, which some users used to modern touch interactions find plainer.

Pricing, plan by plan

Matomo

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

NetNewsWire

Free
  • NetNewsWireFree
    • Free and open source, no account required
    • No feed limit
    • Optional third party sync services

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.
Matomo review

Choose NetNewsWire if

  • You need rss and atom parsing.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Mac, iOS.
  • You also want third party sync.
NetNewsWire review

Questions people ask

Is Matomo or NetNewsWire better?
Neither clearly leads. Matomo starts at Free and NetNewsWire at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Matomo or NetNewsWire?
Matomo starts at Free and NetNewsWire at Free.
Does Matomo or NetNewsWire run on more platforms?
Matomo runs on Web, On-premise. NetNewsWire runs on Mac, iOS.
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 NetNewsWire is typically brought in for.
What can Matomo do that NetNewsWire cannot?
Matomo covers Web analytics, Real-time reports, Custom dimensions, Goal tracking. NetNewsWire covers RSS and Atom parsing, Third party sync, Unlimited feeds, Smart feeds.

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
NetNewsWire: Is NetNewsWire free?

Yes, entirely, and it is open source with no paid tier or ads.

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
NetNewsWire: Does NetNewsWire sync across devices?

Yes, through third party sync services such as Feedbin, Feedly or iCloud, rather than a proprietary sync system of its own.

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
NetNewsWire: Does it support YouTube or Reddit like the new Reeder?

No. It is focused purely on RSS and Atom feeds with no social feed integration.

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.

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