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.
Not the right match-up?
Counter.dev Selfhost
Minimalist privacy-respecting web analytics
VS
Matomo
Powerful, privacy-respecting web analytics platform
| Feature | Counter.dev Selfhost | Matomo |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | ★ 1,007 | ★ 21,749 |
| First released | 2020 | 2007 |
| Replaces | Google Analytics | Google Analytics |
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)
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.