AddonPulse vs. Matomo
Compare the key features of AddonPulse and Matomo.
Why choose AddonPulse over Matomo?
 AddonPulse | Matomo | |
|---|---|---|
| Platform Focus | ||
| Dedicated Chrome Extension SDK | ||
| Cross-platform tracking (Web + Extension) | ||
| Manifest V3 compliant | ||
| Offline event queuing | ||
| Ease of Use | ||
| Simple, intuitive interface | ||
| No training required | ||
| Zero infrastructure maintenance | ||
| Core Analytics Features | ||
| Real-time data | ||
| Custom events tracking | ||
| Conversion goals | ||
| Cross-platform Funnels | ||
| User journeys (Sankey) | ||
| Unified User profiles | ||
| Privacy & Compliance | ||
| Extension Store privacy compliant | ||
| Cookie-free tracking by default | ||
| No consent banner needed | ||
| Data stored in EU | Varies | |
| Architecture & Deployment | ||
| Background script size | < 10KB | 20-50KB+ |
| Hosted SaaS platform | Limited Cloud / Mostly Self-Hosted | |
| Open-source & Self-hostable | ||
| Data export | ||
| Support & Pricing | ||
| Free trial | 10,000 events | Self-host only |
| Cloud pricing | $9/mo | €19-€450+/mo |
| Human customer support | Paid only | |
Understanding the Key Differences
Built for Extensions vs Built for Web
Matomo is a traditional web analytics platform built in 2007 using PHP. It expects a standard browser DOM, always-on internet connections, and standard page navigation. When you try to force Matomo into a Manifest V3 browser extension, it falls apart. AddonPulse is built from the ground up for extension developers. We provide a dedicated SDK that safely isolates logic between your background Service Workers and your UI scripts, ensuring smooth performance and perfect compliance with Chrome's modern architecture.
The Offline Reality
Browser extensions are ephemeral. Background scripts are aggressively put to sleep by the browser, and users frequently disconnect from the internet. If you use a standard web script like Matomo, you will lose data every time the network drops or the service worker suspends. AddonPulse's Extension SDK features an IndexedDB-powered offline queue. We securely cache user events locally and automatically flush them to our servers the moment connectivity is restored.
Unifying the User Journey
Matomo is great at telling you who visited your marketing website. But once that user clicks "Install Extension", Matomo loses track of them. AddonPulse bridges this critical gap. With our cross-platform funnels and unified user profiles, you can track a user's exact journey from their first landing page visit to becoming an active, daily user of your Chrome extension. You finally get to see which marketing channels actually drive extension usage.
Privacy by Default, Not by Configuration
While Matomo claims to be privacy-focused, it uses cookies and collects heavy web telemetry by default. If you put this in a Chrome Extension, you risk failing the Chrome Web Store privacy review. AddonPulse is privacy-compliant from the moment you install it. We strip sensitive URLs from the extension payload, use zero cookies on your marketing site, and require no consent banners. We've built privacy into our core architecture to keep your extension safe from store rejections.
Zero Maintenance vs Constant Updates
Running Matomo usually means self-hosting a PHP application. You become a system administrator responsible for server management, database optimization, and regular security patches. With AddonPulse's hosted cloud service, we handle everything. No servers to manage, no updates to install, no security patches to worry about. You can focus entirely on building a better Chrome extension while we handle the analytics infrastructure.
Simplicity Wins Over Complexity
Matomo inherits the same overwhelming complexity that makes legacy analytics tools so difficult to use, with over 70 individual reports spread across 12 main sections. AddonPulse takes the opposite approach. We provide powerful analytics through a beautifully simple interface tailored for software developers. All your essential extension metrics—installs, active users, custom events, and funnels—are visible at a glance.