Data protection is an important issue that needs to be considered in connection with Google Analytics. Switching from previous Google Analytics products to Google Analytics 4 (GA4) can also be a challenge. Matomo and Piwik PRO are two popular alternatives to Google Analytics. We have analysed these two and other software solutions and show you what you should look out for!
Why it's time to find an alternative to GA4
The switch from Universal Analytics to GA4
Previous versions of Google Analytics (Universal Analytics or GA3) will be replaced by Google Analytics 4. From 1 July 2023, users will only be able to view historical reports on previously processed data in Universal Analytics for up to six months.
GA4 is based on a completely new architecture, so the changeover may cause problems for those who have previously analysed their data using the UA interface.
The EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)
The main reason against using GA4 is how it deals with the GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation). The GDPR is the European Union's legal framework that defines how personal data may be collected and processed.
Until July 2020, the Privacy Shield agreement regulated the transfer options and their requirements with regard to personal data from the EU to the USA. As the level of data protection in the EU is not complied with in the USA, this was declared invalid by the European Court of Justice (ECJ) with immediate effect and could not yet be replaced by a follow-up agreement.
Despite additional data protection-friendly functions of GA4, there is therefore still no contractual protection with the European supervisory authorities. This is because Google currently does not adequately protect the data of EU citizens and residents from US surveillance laws. For example, there is no mechanism to ensure data storage within the EU or to select a specific regional storage location, and no information about data storage locations or data transfers outside the EU. This constitutes a direct violation of the GDPR.
Software check: Matomo and Piwik PRO
Matomo and Piwik PRO are two popular alternatives to Google Analytics. Both are data protection-compliant versions that offer similar functionality to GA4.
Matomo is a free, open-source web analytics tool developed by the New Zealand company InnoCraft. With currently more than 1 million website users, it is one of the world's leading open source web analytics platforms and offers the following functionalities:
-Complete anonymisation of the data
-Dedicated data usage
-Easy consent and an opt-out mechanism
-Standard use of first-party cookies
-Easy access to data collection
-Quick data deletion
-EU-based data storage for Matomo Cloud (or storage in a country of your choice with Matomo On-Premise)
Piwik PRO Core is a free web analytics tool that includes many of the functions of the paid Enterprise version. Both versions retain control over the data.
Piwik PRO also has its origins in the open source solution Matomo, but is now being professionally developed by the Polish company Piwik.
Some advantages of the web analytics tool compared to other analytics providers are
-Web & Mobile Analytics, Tag & Consent Manager
-User-defined reports and creation of dashboards in seconds
-secure EU cloud hosting
-Up to 100,000 actions per month
-Full access to raw data via API
-14-month data storage
-Integration with Google Ads & Search Console
-Compliance with data protection regulations: GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation), LGPD (Lei Geral de Proteção de Dados) and CCPA (California Consumer Privacy Act)
-Full data ownership
Matomo vs. Piwik PRO
Die Produkte der beiden Webanalyse-Tools unterscheiden sich in folgenden Punkten wesentlich:
Die Anzahl der Anwendungsbeispiele, die von jedem Produkt unterstützt werden
Skalierbarkeit der Plattformen und die Geschwindigkeit, mit der sie Berichte für Websites mit mittlerem und hohem Datenverkehr erstellen
Anzahl der Optionen zur Visualisierung, Manipulation und zum Vergleich von Daten
Verfügbarkeit von SLAs, Onboarding und Benutzerfreundlichkeit der User-Oberfläche
Ansatz für Datensicherheit und Datenschutz, einschließlich GDPR-Anforderungen
Konkret bietet Matomo Cloud im Gegensatz zu Piwik PRO eine Reihe von nützlichen Features wie A/B-Testing oder die Integration mit Wordpress und Drupal an.
Im Gegenzug ist Piwik PRO in der Lage, Daten aus BigQuery zu importieren, was für Matomo Cloud noch nicht möglich ist.
Other marketing tracking tools
In addition to the tools mentioned above, there are other strong privacy-compliant alternatives for website tracking, such as Econda, eTracker and Adobe Analytics. These are commercial tracking tools that use a tag to collect data about your website, which is then displayed in a user-friendly interface.
One of the main features of Econda is its support for multi-site tracking. This means that you can track several websites at the same time with Econda. Econda also offers some advanced features such as A/B testing and conversion tracking. In addition, you can expect direct support from the tool provider and many personalisation options.
In contrast to Econda, eTracker does not offer a multi-site tracking function. Instead, the tool is aimed more at companies that want to optimise their website. For example, eTracker offers functions such as A/B testing, heatmap tracking and UX analysis directly in the tool. In addition, eTracker supports cookieless tracking out-of-the-box and the automatic recording of standard events.
Adobe Analytics is an all-in-one solution and very comprehensive. It can be expanded to include many models (CDP etc.) and also supports machine learning and advanced statistical methods. However, in contrast to the other tracking tools, Adobe Analytics is somewhat more expensive and does not offer a free version.
Conclusion
Compliance with the General Data Protection Regulation is achieved by maintaining 100 per cent data ownership.
All in all, Matomo is well suited for smaller analysis projects in companies that have a high level of analytical and programming knowledge. Piwik PRO, on the other hand, is better suited for projects that require higher performance and better stability due to its advanced functionalities and efficiency.
Both tools, as well as Econda, eTracker and Adobe Analytics, are excellent alternatives to Google Analytics 4, but which one is right for you ultimately depends entirely on your needs.