Comparing traditional VPS solutions with Digitalists Matomo Saas

Tomas Persson
2023-06-26

When it comes to web analytics, selecting the right hosting solution can make all the difference. With a range of options available, making a choice can be overwhelming. Here, we highlight why our Matomo SaaS solution, enhanced with superior add-ons, stands out from traditional VPS options.

Eliminating Complexity with SaaS

Managing Matomo on a VPS brings the challenge of handling multiple layers of IT infrastructure. This task involves regular updating, patching, and maintenance across various aspects, from the operating system to Matomo itself.

By contrast, our Matomo SaaS solution simplifies these complexities. Leveraging Kubernetes for deployment, scaling, and management, we allow your team to focus on harnessing valuable web data, while we handle the infrastructure management.

Matomo-specific factors to consider as well when choosing a hosting provider.

Below are additional factors related to Matomo's functionalities.

  1. Premium plugins: Check whether the vendor includes premium plugins with their hosting or if they are available for an additional fee. This will be crucial if you require additional functionality that these plugins provide.
  2. Archiving process: Matomo's performance can greatly depend on how often the data archiving process is run. Some hosts might run it too often, leading to performance issues, while others might not run it often enough, causing your reports to be out-of-date.
  3. Data row limits in reports: Matomo settings often include limits on how many rows are stored for each report. Some hosting vendors might alter this limit, affecting the completeness of your analytics data.
  4. Configuring Matomo for performance. There are some basic considerations every one can and should know mentioned at Matomo.org around larger installations, but in the end you need to optimize MySQL PHP and all the components you use to Make Matomo perform. Experience is key!
  5. Global configuration: Understanding and having the flexibility to configure the settings in the global.ini.php file is important for tailoring Matomo to your specific needs. This includes settings like trusted Matomo hostnames, session save handlers, and database settings among others.
  6. Matomo updates: Regular updates to the Matomo application are necessary for maintaining security, fixing bugs, and adding features. Check if the host will provide automatic updates or if you need to manually update Matomo yourself.
  7. Data processing power: For larger sites or for sites with heavy traffic, you might need more processing power to handle Matomo's data tracking, archiving, and reporting. (Is it scalable and what are the costs.)

When you ask about this, there should be clear and precise answers.

Leveraging Unmatched Expertise

The value of practical experience is immense, especially when it comes to hosting Matomo on high-traffic websites. Our team's substantial experience ensures high-performance and reliability. More than just a hosting provider, we also offer strategic advice on utilizing Matomo effectively.

Managing PII incidents

A common problem in web analytics in general is that organizations collect PII by mistake. This will happen in you Matomo environment too.

The question to ask: Can your Hosting provider help you out when you end up having personal data in Matomo?

At Digitalist we help clients all the time with both identifying PII and cleaning it out of Matomos database if there is an incident. We have even developed our own tools to identify and clean out PII in Matomo in a safe and efficient way, which can be a rather complicated and time consuming task.

Contributing to the Matomo Community

Our active participation in the Matomo community demonstrates our commitment to the platform. Whether it's contributing code, developing plugins, or engaging with other users, we are consistently at the forefront of Matomo's latest developments, and we bring this knowledge to our service delivery.

Considering the Real Costs

While the initial cost of a VPS may seem lower, the total expenses associated with self-hosting Matomo can quickly add up. This includes the constant updates, security measures, incident response, and compliance costs.

Our SaaS solution offers a predictable pricing model that includes all these aspects. This transparency provides a cost-effective and stress-free alternative to traditional VPS hosting.

Last but not least we have services that will make you shine!

Our SaaS solution also boasts exclusive add-ons that empower your analytics capabilities:

  1. World class Matomo Support: Our support team are contributors to Matomo, this means we are not just answering tickets, we can even patch Matomo core and understand the depth of the platform very few other vendors can match.
  2. Access to Web analytics team: Our team of web analysts are not only senior in the role of being a web analyst, we actually know how to implement a mesurment plan into Matomo
  3. DigiTracking: A set of tools within you Matomo Tag Manager that will save you time when you set up a new site in Matomo and also gives you some very advanced tools to get data out of you sites that normally requires some very advanced javascript coding.
  4. Apache Superset: This add-on transforms your analytics approach. It enables exploratory research, the creation of visually appealing dashboards, and the generation of calculated fields and metrics, providing your analytics team with powerful, flexible tools for data analysis.

These add-ons, combined with our hosting services, provide a comprehensive analytics solution that goes beyond what a traditional VPS could offer.

Questions to ask when you look for vendors

Do you contribute to Matomo?

How often does you Matomo data update?

How often do you update you stack? (not just Matomo). We do this every week and more often if there is a need.

Do you offer suppor and how well does you support know Matomo?

Can you help us with tracking and web analytics in relation to Matomo?

Conclusion

The choice of a Matomo hosting solution isn't just about cost or features—it's about finding a comprehensive, robust solution that aligns with your business needs. Our Matomo SaaS solution, complemented with our exclusive add-ons, not only offers superior hosting but also empowers your analytics, making your business thrive in a data-driven world.

Read more about our Matomo SaaS here.

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