Software · head to head
Matomo vs Northbeam
The short version
- Only Matomo has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
- 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; Northbeam limited creative-level reporting focused on campaign and ad set rather than individual ad performance
- They diverge on capability: Matomo covers Web analytics, Northbeam covers Cross-platform attribution.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Matomo and Northbeam actually diverge.
Identical on both: 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 Northbeam
- Cross-platform attribution
- Media mix modeling
- Creative analytics
- Real-time dashboards
- Incrementality testing
- Customer journey
- Cohort analysis
- LTV predictions
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 Northbeam
- Self hosting analytics so visitor data stays on owned infrastructurenot Northbeam
Northbeam
- Marketing attributionnot Matomo
- Media optimizationnot Matomo
- Creative testingnot Matomo
- Budget allocationnot 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
Northbeam
- Limited creative-level reporting focused on campaign and ad set rather than individual ad performance
- Lack of transparency in attribution modeling methodology and how credit is assigned
- Pageview-based pricing that can scale faster than perceived value for high-traffic, lower-conversion brands
- Slower reporting cadence limits real-time feedback for teams requiring immediate performance data
Pricing, plan by plan
Matomo
Free- Self-hostedFree
- Open-source
- Full analytics
- Privacy-focused
Northbeam
$1500/month- Starter$1500/month
- Multi-touch attribution
- Media mix modeling
- Up to 1M monthly pageviews
- Professional$2500/month
- All Starter features
- Creative analytics
- Export API access
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 Northbeam if
- You need cross-platform attribution.
- You work on Web, API.
- You also want media mix modeling.
Questions people ask
- Is Matomo or Northbeam better?
- Neither clearly leads. Matomo starts at Free and Northbeam at $1500/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Matomo or Northbeam?
- Matomo has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Matomo and $1500/month for Northbeam.
- Does Matomo or Northbeam run on more platforms?
- Matomo runs on Web, On-premise. Northbeam runs on Web, API.
- Can I use Matomo for free?
- Yes. Matomo has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Northbeam starts at $1500/month.
- 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 Northbeam is typically brought in for.
- What can Matomo do that Northbeam cannot?
- Matomo covers Web analytics, Real-time reports, Custom dimensions, Goal tracking. Northbeam covers Cross-platform attribution, Media mix modeling, Creative analytics, Real-time dashboards. Both handle Cloud deployment, Web support.
Answered from the vendors’ own pages
Northbeam: How is Northbeam priced?
Northbeam offers three tiers: Starter ($1,500/month), Professional ($2,500/month), and Enterprise (custom quote). Pricing is based on monthly pageviews and refreshed data frequency. There are no setup fees, free plan, or free trial.
SourceNorthbeam: What platforms does Northbeam integrate with?
Northbeam integrates with Shopify, Meta Ads, Google Ads, TikTok, Pinterest, Snapchat, YouTube, Klaviyo, Recharge, and others. It pushes attribution data to Meta CAPI, Google Conversion API, GA4, and TikTok Events API.
SourceNorthbeam: What does Northbeam measure?
Northbeam uses multi-touch attribution (MTA), media mix modeling (MMM), and Northbeam Apex to measure how paid media spend translates to revenue. Apex sends attribution data directly back to ad platforms for algorithm optimization.
SourceNorthbeam: Who should use Northbeam?
Northbeam is ideal for intermediate to advanced ecommerce operators at Shopify-based DTC brands generating $1M+ annual revenue and spending at least $1.5M yearly on paid media across multiple channels.
SourceNorthbeam: What are Northbeam's main limitations?
Key limitations include a steep learning curve and complex interface, shallow creative-level reporting, lack of model transparency, pricing that can scale faster than value for high-traffic brands, and slower reporting cadence compared to real-time dashboards.
Source