Matomo vs Umami
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
Umami
Simple, fast, privacy-focused web analytics
| Feature | Matomo | Umami |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 96 · Excellent | 99 · Excellent |
| Category | Web Analytics | Web Analytics |
| License | GPL-3.0 | MIT |
| Language | PHP | TypeScript |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 1,024 MB | 512 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal | docker |
| GitHub stars | ★ 21,893 | ★ 38,981 |
| First released | 2007 | 2020 |
| Replaces | Google Analytics | Google Analytics |
What are Matomo and Umami?
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
Umami
Umami is a simple, fast, privacy-focused alternative to Google Analytics that collects no personal data and uses no cookies. It targets developers and site owners wanting easy, ethical analytics. It is deployed via Docker.
- Cookie-free privacy analytics
- Clean modern dashboard
- Multi-site and multi-user
- Tiny tracking script
Matomo vs Umami: key differences
Matomo is written in PHP, while Umami is built with TypeScript. Licensing differs — GPL-3.0 for Matomo versus MIT for Umami. Umami 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 Umami arrived in 2020.
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 Umami if…
- Very easy to self-host
- Privacy-friendly
- Clean interface
Watch out for
- Fewer features than Matomo
- Requires a database
Frequently asked questions
Is Matomo or Umami better?
Umami is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler easy setup. Consider Matomo if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are Matomo and Umami free and open-source?
Yes. Matomo is licensed under GPL-3.0 and Umami under MIT. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Matomo and Umami with Docker?
Matomo: yes. Umami: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, Matomo or Umami?
Umami 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.