Google Analytics vs. Piwik
If you have a website, you probably already know the importance of tracking your website’s performance. The best way to do that is by using a web analytics tool. However, choosing the right tool is not an easy task, especially when two big names like Google Analytics and Piwik are in the competition. In this post, we’ll compare the two and help you choose the one that fits your website's needs.
Basic Information
Google Analytics is by far the most widely used web analytics tool in the market, with a whopping 84.3% market share, according to StatCounter. It was launched in 2005 and acquired by Google shortly after. Piwik, on the other hand, is more like an underdog, but still, it has a decent market share of 3.6%. It was launched in 2007 by Matthieu Aubry and has since been renamed Matomo.
User Interface
When it comes to the user interface, both Google Analytics and Piwik offer intuitive and user-friendly interfaces. However, Google Analytics has a more polished and organized look. It also has more customization options than Piwik.
Features
Google Analytics and Piwik both offer a wide range of features, such as tracking website traffic, page views, bounce rates, user engagement, demographics, and more. However, Google Analytics offers more tools that are designed for enterprise-level businesses, such as advanced predictive analytics and audience insights. On the other hand, Piwik offers more flexibility in terms of data privacy, third-party integration, and customization.
Performance
Both Google Analytics and Piwik have good performance in terms of speed and accuracy. However, Google Analytics has the advantage of being backed by Google's massive infrastructure that ensures reliability and uptime. Piwik, on the other hand, can be installed on your own server, which gives you complete control over your data and reduces the risk of data breaches.
Pricing
Google Analytics offers a free plan for websites with up to 10 million hits per month. For higher traffic websites, a paid plan is required, which can cost up to thousands of dollars per year depending on the features needed. Piwik, on the other hand, offers open-source and self-hosted versions for free. However, if you choose to use their cloud-hosted version, the price starts at $29 per month.
Conclusion
Both Google Analytics and Piwik have their own strengths and weaknesses, and the one you choose largely depends on your website's needs. If you are looking for a robust and feature-rich analytics tool, Google Analytics is the way to go. On the other hand, if you prioritize data privacy and have specific customization requirements, Piwik is the right choice.
Whichever tool you choose, remember that web analytics is an important part of optimizing your website’s performance, and investing in a good tool will pay off in the long run.
References
- StatCounter Global Stats. Available at https://gs.statcounter.com/
- Google Analytics. Available at https://analytics.google.com/
- Piwik (Matomo), Available at https://matomo.org/