Matomo vs OpenPanel
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
VS
OpenPanel
Open-source web and product analytics in one tool
| Feature | Matomo | OpenPanel |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 96 · Excellent | 89 · Excellent |
| Category | Web Analytics | Web Analytics |
| License | GPL-3.0 | AGPL-3.0 |
| Language | PHP | TypeScript |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 1,024 MB | 512 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal | docker |
| GitHub stars | ★ 21,893 | ★ 7,042 |
| First released | 2007 | 2024 |
| Replaces | Google Analytics | Mixpanel, Google Analytics |
What are Matomo and OpenPanel?
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
OpenPanel
OpenPanel is an open-source analytics platform that combines web analytics with product analytics, positioned as a mix of Mixpanel and Plausible. It tracks events, funnels, and user retention.
- Web and product analytics
- Funnels and retention
- Real-time event tracking
- Privacy-friendly design
Matomo vs OpenPanel: key differences
Matomo is written in PHP, while OpenPanel is built with TypeScript. Licensing differs — GPL-3.0 for Matomo versus AGPL-3.0 for OpenPanel. OpenPanel is the lighter option, starting around 512 MB of RAM against 1,024 MB for Matomo. Matomo is the more established project (first released 2007), while OpenPanel arrived in 2024. Matomo has the considerably larger community, at 21,893 GitHub stars versus 7,042.
Why pick each one
Choose Matomo if…
- Comprehensive analytics
- Privacy-respecting
- Mature and extensible
Watch out for
- Heavier to self-host
- Some features in paid plugins
Choose OpenPanel if…
- Mixpanel-style features open-source
- Modern dashboard
Watch out for
- Newer project
- Multi-service deployment
Frequently asked questions
Is Matomo or OpenPanel better?
Neither is universally better. Matomo has the larger community; both share a medium setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are Matomo and OpenPanel free and open-source?
Yes. Matomo is licensed under GPL-3.0 and OpenPanel under AGPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Matomo and OpenPanel with Docker?
Matomo: yes. OpenPanel: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, Matomo or OpenPanel?
OpenPanel has the smaller minimum footprint at 512 MB of RAM, compared to about 1,024 MB for Matomo. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.