Argusmetrics vs

Self-hosted analytics,
without the ops burden

Both are free, open source and self-hosted. But Matomo means a PHP/MySQL stack, cron jobs and constant patching. Argusmetrics is a single Docker stack you bring up in minutes — so you spend your time on your actual work.

Self-host with Docker Privacy approach

Time you get back

Self-hosting Matomo's PHP/MySQL stack is a commitment. Argusmetrics ships as a single Docker stack. Here's the difference.

Matomo (self-hosted)

  • 1 Provision a server — Choose a VPS, configure firewall, set up SSH. (1–2 hours)
  • 2 Install the stack — PHP, MySQL/MariaDB, web server (Nginx or Apache), Matomo itself. (2–4 hours)
  • 3 Configure cron jobs — Archive reports, process queues. Debug when they fail silently. (1–3 hours)
  • 4 Apply security updates — Regularly patch PHP, the OS, Matomo core, and plugins. (~2 hours/month ongoing)
  • 5 Handle database bloat — Matomo stores granular log data. At scale the database grows aggressively and needs manual archiving. (ongoing)
  • 6 Set up backups — Database backups, config backups, off-site replication. (2–4 hours to do properly)
Initial setup: 6–13 hours. Ongoing: 2+ hours/month.
Argusmetrics

Argusmetrics (Docker self-host)

  • 1 Clone & run — git clone the repo and docker compose up -d. One self-contained stack, no separate PHP/MySQL install. (a few minutes)
  • 2 Add your site — Open your dashboard and enter your domain name. (30 seconds)
  • 3 Add the script tag — One <script> line in your <head>, pointing at your instance. (2 minutes)
  • Done — Data starts flowing immediately. Updates are a single docker compose pull — no cron jobs, no archiving rituals.
Initial setup: minutes with Docker. Ongoing maintenance: minimal.

Feature comparison

How the two products stack up across setup, privacy, and features.

Feature
Argusmetrics Argusmetrics
Matomo
Setup time Minutes (Docker) Hours to days
Deployment ✓Single Docker stack ~PHP/MySQL stack to manage
Ongoing maintenance docker compose pull Cron jobs & patching
No cookies by default ✓ ✗Cookies on by default
No consent banner required ✓ ✗Required with default config
GDPR compliant by default ✓ ~Requires manual configuration
Data location under your control ✓Your server ✓Your server
Lightweight tracking script ✓< 4KB ✗~50KB+
Simple dashboard ✓ ✗Complex, plugin-heavy UI
AI analytics assistant ✓ ✗
Open source ✓AGPL-3.0 ✓
Full data ownership ✓Your server, your data ✓Your server, your data

When Matomo makes sense

We're being honest here. Matomo is the right choice if:

  • You're already comfortable running and tuning a PHP/MySQL application and don't mind the maintenance.
  • You have a dedicated DevOps team who can maintain the stack and are comfortable doing so.
  • You need advanced features like heatmaps, session recordings, A/B testing, and funnel visualizations — Matomo has a broad plugin ecosystem.
  • You rely on Matomo's large, established community and long-standing plugin marketplace.

When Argusmetrics makes sense

Argusmetrics is the better choice if:

  • You want self-hosting to be a single Docker stack, not a PHP/MySQL setup with cron jobs to babysit.
  • You want GDPR compliance by default — no additional configuration, no cookie consent popup, no legal grey area.
  • You want a clear dashboard that answers real questions fast, without navigating a maze of plugins and reports.
  • You want free, AGPL-3.0 open-source software you can read, fork and contribute back to.

Self-host in minutes, not hours

One Docker stack. No cron jobs. No consent banners. Just your data, clean and private, on your own server.

Free & open source · Self-hosted · No signup

View on GitHub