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Marketing · head to head

Matomo vs SimilarWeb

Matomo logo

Matomo

Marketing

Privacy-focused web analytics

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
SimilarWeb logo

SimilarWeb

Browser Extensions

Website traffic and competitive analysis

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; SimilarWeb browser extension data accuracy is lower than full platform
  • They diverge on capability: Matomo covers Web analytics, SimilarWeb covers Traffic analytics.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Matomo and SimilarWeb actually diverge.

Attributes where Matomo and SimilarWeb differ
AttributeMatomoSimilarWeb
PlatformsWeb, On-premiseWeb, Browser Extension
CategoryMarketingBrowser Extensions

Identical on both: starting price (Free), pricing model (freemium), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), founded (2007).

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 SimilarWeb

  • Traffic analytics
  • Audience insights
  • Competitor research
  • Industry analysis
  • Chrome support
  • Firefox support
  • Edge 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 SimilarWeb
  • Self hosting analytics so visitor data stays on owned infrastructurenot SimilarWeb

SimilarWeb

  • Analyzing competitor advertising across display, search, socialnot Matomo
  • Understanding traffic loss to search and AI recommendationsnot Matomo
  • Tracking brand visibility across ChatGPT and AI chatbotsnot Matomo
  • Optimizing Amazon product placement with marketplace analyticsnot Matomo
  • Identifying high-intent prospects at optimal buying momentsnot 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

SimilarWeb

  • Browser extension data accuracy is lower than full platform
  • Full platform pricing is not transparent and requires quote-based inquiry

Pricing, plan by plan

Matomo

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

SimilarWeb

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Traffic overview
    • Engagement metrics
    • Similar sites

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 SimilarWeb if

  • You need traffic analytics.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Browser Extension.
  • You also want audience insights.
SimilarWeb review

Questions people ask

Is Matomo or SimilarWeb better?
Neither clearly leads. Matomo starts at Free and SimilarWeb at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Matomo or SimilarWeb?
Matomo starts at Free and SimilarWeb at Free.
Does Matomo or SimilarWeb run on more platforms?
Matomo runs on Web, On-premise. SimilarWeb runs on Web, Browser Extension.
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 SimilarWeb is typically brought in for.
What can Matomo do that SimilarWeb cannot?
Matomo covers Web analytics, Real-time reports, Custom dimensions, Goal tracking. SimilarWeb covers Traffic analytics, Audience insights, Competitor research, Industry analysis.

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
SimilarWeb: How much does Similarweb cost?

Similarweb does not publish pricing. Custom packages are available for businesses and enterprises. Self-service options are available for entrepreneurs and small teams. Customers must start a free trial or contact sales to receive a quote.

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
SimilarWeb: Does Similarweb offer a free trial?

Yes. Similarweb offers free trials for its various products. Users can start a free trial through their registration page or contact support to switch between different product trials.

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
SimilarWeb: What products does Similarweb offer?

Similarweb offers the Competitive Intelligence Suite, Strategic SEO Suite, Ads Intelligence Suite, Gen AI Intelligence Suite, AI Studio with natural language queries, custom data feeds, API access, and managed services with custom dashboards.

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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