Counter.dev Selfhost vs Matomo
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted web analytics options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
Matomo
Powerful, privacy-respecting web analytics platform
| Feature | Counter.dev Selfhost | Matomo |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 78 · Good | 96 · Excellent |
| Category | Web Analytics | Web Analytics |
| License | MIT | GPL-3.0 |
| Language | JavaScript | PHP |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 128 MB | 1,024 MB |
| Deployment | docker | docker, bare-metal |
| GitHub stars | ★ 1,009 | ★ 21,893 |
| First released | 2020 | 2007 |
| Replaces | Google Analytics | Google Analytics |
What are Counter.dev Selfhost and Matomo?
Counter.dev Selfhost
Counter.dev is a minimalist, privacy-respecting web analytics service that can be self-hosted. It records page visits without cookies and shows a compact stats view.
- Cookie-free analytics
- Minimal dashboard
- Easy embed
- Privacy respecting
Matomo
Matomo is a powerful, open-source web analytics platform that gives full ownership of data as a privacy-friendly alternative to Google Analytics. It targets organizations that need detailed analytics with data control. It is deployed via Docker or a PHP stack.
- Full-featured analytics suite
- 100% data ownership
- Heatmaps and funnels via plugins
- GDPR-friendly configuration
Counter.dev Selfhost vs Matomo: key differences
Counter.dev Selfhost is written in JavaScript, while Matomo is built with PHP. Licensing differs — MIT for Counter.dev Selfhost versus GPL-3.0 for Matomo. Counter.dev Selfhost is the lighter option, starting around 128 MB of RAM against 1,024 MB for Matomo. Matomo is the more established project (first released 2007), while Counter.dev Selfhost arrived in 2020. Matomo has the considerably larger community, at 21,893 GitHub stars versus 1,009.
Why pick each one
Choose Counter.dev Selfhost if…
- Released under the MIT license
- Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Active community (1k GitHub stars)
Choose Matomo if…
- Comprehensive analytics
- Privacy-respecting
- Mature and extensible
Watch out for
- Heavier to self-host
- Some features in paid plugins
Frequently asked questions
Is Counter.dev Selfhost or Matomo better?
Neither is universally better. Matomo has the larger community, while Counter.dev Selfhost is simpler to set up (easy difficulty). Choose based on the comparison table above and your own setup.
Are Counter.dev Selfhost and Matomo free and open-source?
Yes. Counter.dev Selfhost is licensed under MIT and Matomo under GPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Counter.dev Selfhost and Matomo with Docker?
Counter.dev Selfhost: yes. Matomo: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, Counter.dev Selfhost or Matomo?
Counter.dev Selfhost has the smaller minimum footprint at 128 MB of RAM, compared to about 1,024 MB for Matomo. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.