Grafana vs Matomo: Complete Comparison (2026)

Updated: March 12, 20268 min read

Choosing between Grafana and Matomo is a common decision for analytics & bi buyers in 2026. Matomo has been in the market since 2007, giving it a 7-year head start over Grafana (founded 2014). Grafana serves 3M+ users while Matomo has 1.4M+ websites users globally. Grafana differentiates with time-series dashboards and alerting, while Matomo leads with web analytics and heatmaps. In this head-to-head comparison, Grafana earns a higher hiltonsoftware.co score of 92/100 — but the right choice depends on your specific needs, budget, and team size.

📊
Grafana
Analytics & BI
92
hiltonsoftware.co Score
RECOMMENDED
VS
📈
Matomo
Analytics & BI
88
hiltonsoftware.co Score

Quick Comparison

Grafana
Matomo
Starting Price
$8/user/mo (cloud)
$23/mo (cloud)
Free Plan
Yes
Yes
Users
3M+
1.4M+ websites
Founded
2014
2007
Rating
4.6/5
4.4/5
Best For
DevOps and SRE teams visualizing infrastructure an...
Organizations needing full-featured, GDPR-complian...

Feature-by-Feature Comparison

GrafanaMatomo
94Ease of Use84
99Features89
95Value for Money94
92Customer Support90
89Integrations90
96Scalability93
90Learning Curve95

Pros & Cons at a Glance

Grafana
+Best open-source for DevOps metrics
+Huge plugin ecosystem
-Not for business analytics
-Requires technical setup
Matomo
+Full data ownership and privacy
+Feature-rich GA alternative
-Self-hosting requires maintenance
-Cloud version is expensive
AI Verdict

After comparing Grafana and Matomo across features, pricing, and user satisfaction, Grafana takes the lead with a score of 92/100 versus Matomo's 88/100. Grafana's key advantages include "best open-source for devops metrics" and "huge plugin ecosystem". That said, Matomo has its own strengths — particularly "full data ownership and privacy" — making it a viable alternative for specific use cases.

Both Grafana and Matomo offer free plans, lowering the barrier to entry. Grafana's paid plans start at $8/user/mo (cloud) while Matomo begins at $23/mo (cloud). Evaluate which paid features — Plugin ecosystem, Multi-datasource (Grafana) vs Session recordings, Self-hosting (Matomo) — justify upgrading for your team.

Bottom line: Choose Grafana if you need devops and sre teams visualizing infrastructure and application metrics. Go with Matomo if your priority is organizations needing full-featured, gdpr-compliant web analytics they own. Both are strong analytics & bi tools — we recommend trying the free plan of each before committing.

CHOOSE GRAFANA IF:

DevOps and SRE teams visualizing infrastructure and application metrics.

CHOOSE MATOMO IF:

Organizations needing full-featured, GDPR-compliant web analytics they own.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Grafana better than Matomo in 2026?
Grafana scores 92/100 on hiltonsoftware.co compared to Matomo's 88/100. Grafana stands out for "best open-source for devops metrics" and is best for DevOps and SRE teams visualizing infrastructure and application metrics. Matomo is known for "full data ownership and privacy" and suits Organizations needing full-featured, GDPR-compliant web analytics they own. Your specific workflow and team size should guide the decision.
What is the pricing difference between Grafana and Matomo?
Both offer free plans. Grafana starts at $8/user/mo (cloud) and Matomo at $23/mo (cloud). When comparing value, consider that Grafana (founded 2014, 3M+ users) includes features like Time-series dashboards, Alerting, Plugin ecosystem. Matomo (founded 2007, 1.4M+ websites users) offers Web analytics, Heatmaps, Session recordings. The right choice depends on which features matter most to your team.
What are the main differences between Grafana and Matomo?
The key differences come down to focus and approach. Grafana excels at Time-series dashboards, Alerting, Plugin ecosystem, while Matomo focuses on Web analytics, Heatmaps, Session recordings. Grafana's main advantage is "best open-source for devops metrics", though some users note "not for business analytics". Matomo's strength is "full data ownership and privacy", but "self-hosting requires maintenance" can be a drawback. Both serve the Analytics & BI market but target different user profiles.
Can I switch from Grafana to Matomo?
Switching between Grafana and Matomo is possible since both operate in the Analytics & BI space. Before migrating, export your data from Grafana and check Matomo's import capabilities. Key features to verify compatibility: Time-series dashboards, Alerting, Plugin ecosystem (Grafana) vs Web analytics, Heatmaps, Session recordings (Matomo). Consider running both tools in parallel during a trial period to ensure a smooth transition.
Which is better for small teams: Grafana or Matomo?
Both tools offer free plans, so evaluate based on features. Grafana is ideal for DevOps and SRE teams visualizing infrastructure and application metrics, while Matomo fits Organizations needing full-featured, GDPR-compliant web analytics they own. Try both during their trial periods to see which fits your team's workflow.

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