Hotjar vs Matomo: Which Prioritizes Visitor Privacy?
Discover how Hotjar from the US and Matomo from the EU protect your visitors' data. Choose the right web analytics tool for privacy-conscious businesses today.
Should You Switch to Matomo?
Gain full GDPR compliance and avoid Cloud Act exposure
Lose some advanced features and integrations of Hotjar
Switch if privacy is priority; stay if you need advanced features
At a Glance
US data laws
GDPR protected
Hotjar
Contact
Matomo
free
Privacy & Compliance Comparison
Critical data sovereignty factors at a glance
| Criteria | Hotjar | Matomo |
|---|---|---|
Server Location | US (AWS), EU (optional) | EU |
GDPR Compliance | Partial (SCCs) | Full |
Open Source | ||
E2E Encryption | Optional | Optional |
Data Portability | Partial | Full export |
CLOUD Act Notice
Hotjar is a US company and must comply with CLOUD Act data requests, even for data stored in EU data centers. Matomo is not subject to US jurisdiction.
Hotjar
🇺🇸Contentsquare
Matomo
🇪🇺US Data Storage
Data subject to US CLOUD Act and may be accessed by US authorities
EU Data Protection
Data protected under GDPR with EU-only data residency
Certifications & Compliance
No certifications listed
Reasons to Switch
- ✓Matomo is fully GDPR compliant, ensuring EU data protection.
- ✓Open source allows for customization and transparency.
- ✓Self-hosting option offers full data control and privacy.
- ✓ISO 27001 certification ensures high security standards.
Things to Consider
- !Migration from Hotjar to Matomo can be time-consuming.
- !Matomo lacks built-in session recordings like Hotjar.
- !Learning curve for Matomo's self-hosted setup.
Migration Overview
Depends on data size and complexity
Quick Steps
Create Matomo account and configure settings
Export and prepare data from Hotjar
Import data, test integrations, and migrate users
Other alternatives to Hotjar
Ready to make the switch?
Start using Matomo today and take control of your data privacy.