Matomo
A Swift SDK for sending app analytics from iOS, tvOS, and macOS apps to a Matomo server.
What is Matomo?
MatomoTracker is an open-source SDK written in Swift that enables iOS, tvOS, and macOS app developers to send analytics data to a Matomo server. It solves the problem of relying on third-party analytics services by providing a self-hosted, privacy-focused alternative where developers retain full control over their data.
iOS, tvOS, and macOS app developers who need to integrate analytics into their applications while prioritizing data privacy and ownership. It is particularly suited for teams using or planning to use the Matomo analytics platform.
Developers choose MatomoTracker because it offers a comprehensive, native Swift SDK for the Matomo ecosystem, ensuring data stays in their control. It provides extensive tracking capabilities comparable to commercial services while being open-source and fully customizable.
Overview
Matomo iOS, tvOS and macOS SDK: a Matomo tracker written in Swift
Use Cases
Best For
- Adding privacy-focused analytics to iOS apps
- Self-hosting app analytics data on a Matomo server
- Tracking custom events and user interactions in Swift applications
- Implementing campaign and conversion tracking for mobile apps
- Building analytics for tvOS or macOS applications
- Migrating from Google Analytics for Firebase to an open-source alternative
Not Ideal For
- Apps requiring instant, cloud-hosted analytics dashboards without server management
- Teams with limited DevOps resources to maintain a self-hosted Matomo server
- Projects needing guaranteed offline event persistence, as events are lost on app termination
- Developers seeking out-of-the-box integration with other Firebase services like crash reporting
Pros & Cons
Pros
Supports user opt-out via the isOptedOut property and manual event dispatching, giving developers full control over data transmission and aligning with GDPR and other privacy regulations.
Tracks page views, custom events, internal searches, goals, orders, and content interactions, matching the feature set of commercial analytics platforms as detailed in the README.
Works across iOS, tvOS, and macOS with a single SDK, enabling consistent analytics collection for Apple ecosystem apps without platform-specific workarounds.
Installable via CocoaPods, Carthage, or Swift Package Manager, accommodating various project setups and dependency management preferences in Swift and Objective-C.
Cons
Events are only stored in memory and lost if the app terminates before dispatch, as acknowledged in issue #137, requiring an experimental UserDefaultsQueue for persistence.
Requires setting up and maintaining a Matomo server instance, adding significant setup complexity and ongoing costs compared to turnkey cloud analytics services.
Default 30-second automatic dispatching intervals and manual control may delay analytics updates, making it less suitable for applications needing instant data visibility.
Open Source Alternative To
Matomo is an open-source alternative to the following products:
Mixpanel is an analytics platform that helps companies track user interactions with their digital products, providing insights into user behavior through event-based data collection.
A mobile analytics solution for Firebase that provides insights into app usage and user engagement for iOS and Android apps.
Amplitude is a product analytics platform that helps companies understand user behavior, track product metrics, and make data-driven decisions to improve digital products.
Frequently Asked Questions
Related Projects
SegmentThe hassle-free way to integrate analytics into any iOS application.
BugsnagError tracking with a free tier. Error reports include data on device, release, user, and allows arbitrary data
MixpanelProduct analytics and dashboards
AptabaseOpen Source, Privacy-First and Simple Analytics for Swift Apps
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