Simplytics vs Matomo
Matomo is the heavyweight open-source alternative to Google Analytics: heatmaps, session recordings, A/B testing, tag manager — a full suite. Matomo Cloud starts at €29/month for 50,000 hits. Simplytics tracks the same 50,000 hits for $1/month, with a deliberately smaller feature set and nothing to maintain.
| Simplytics | Matomo | |
|---|---|---|
| Price (hosted) | $1/month for 50k hits | €29/month for 50k hits |
| Self-hosted option | No | Free core (your server, premium plugins cost extra) |
| Free trial | 30 days, no card | 21 days, no card |
| Cookies | None, ever | Yes by default; cookieless needs configuration |
| EU consent banner | Not needed | Usually needed (limited exemptions, e.g. CNIL France) |
| Script size (compressed) | ~1.9 KB | ~20 KB |
| Maintenance | None | None on Cloud; updates/server/database if self-hosted |
| Heatmaps & session recordings | Views heatmap only | Yes (paid add-ons when self-hosted) |
| A/B testing, tag manager | No | Yes |
| Data location | EU (Warsaw) | EU (Frankfurt) on Cloud, or your server |
Prices and features verified from official Matomo pages, June 2026. Script sizes are compressed transfer sizes.
Where Matomo is better
- A genuine Google Analytics replacement: session recordings, A/B tests, tag manager, custom reports.
- Self-hosting with 100% data ownership on your own infrastructure.
- Unlimited data and no sampling, with full raw-data export.
Where Simplytics is better
- Hosted analytics for the same 50k hits at roughly 1/30th of Matomo Cloud’s entry price.
- Cookie-less by default — no consent banner, no configuration trade-offs.
- A ~1.9 KB script versus ~20 KB.
- Nothing to install, update, back up, or secure.
Which should you pick?
If you need the full suite or must self-host, Matomo is the serious choice — budget for the server and the time. If you want visitor numbers that just work for a dollar, that is exactly what Simplytics is for.
Frequently asked questions
Matomo self-hosted is free. Why pay $1/month?
The software is free; running it is not. You provide and maintain a PHP/MySQL server (Matomo recommends 2 CPU / 2 GB RAM for 100k pageviews), apply updates, and many flagship features are paid plugins when self-hosted. $1/month is usually cheaper than the server alone.
Does Matomo need a cookie banner?
By default Matomo sets cookies, which requires consent in the EU. It can be configured cookieless, but even then consent is required in most EU jurisdictions, with limited exemptions such as France’s CNIL. Simplytics sets no cookies and stores no personal data, so no banner is needed.
Compare Simplytics with others: vs Google Analytics · vs Plausible · vs Fathom · vs Simple Analytics