# Umami vs. Piwik PRO: Privacy-first analytics without the enterprise contract

> Piwik PRO dropped its free plan and locks self-hosting behind Enterprise. Umami is open source, free to self-host, and includes replay and heatmaps.

Feature table last verified: August 2026  
Source: https://umami.is/compare/piwik-pro

## Feature comparison

### Privacy & Compliance

| Feature | Umami | Piwik PRO |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Cookie-free tracking | Yes | Optional mode |
| No consent banner required | Yes | Depends on config |
| GDPR compliant | Yes | Yes |
| Open source | MIT license | No |
| Self-hosting option | Yes | Top Enterprise tier only |
| Data ownership | Full ownership | Vendor cloud (residency options) |

### Analytics Features

| Feature | Umami | Piwik PRO |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Custom events | Yes | Yes |
| Funnel analysis | Yes | Yes |
| User journeys | Yes | Yes |
| Cohorts & retention | Yes | Via custom reports |
| Segments | Yes | Yes |
| Session replay | Yes | Third-party integration |
| Heatmaps | Yes | Third-party integration |
| Custom dashboards | Yes | Yes (capped per plan) |
| Revenue tracking | Yes | Yes |
| A/B testing | Via tags | Integrations only |
| Tag manager | No | Yes |

### Setup & Usability

| Feature | Umami | Piwik PRO |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Setup complexity | Single script tag | Enterprise onboarding |
| Learning curve | Minutes | Days to weeks |
| Unlimited websites | Business & self-hosted | Domain caps per plan |
| Raw data export | Yes | Enterprise tiers |

### Hosting & Pricing

| Feature | Umami | Piwik PRO |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Free tier | Yes | Discontinued in 2026 |
| Cloud starting price | Free / $20 mo | From €35/mo |
| Enterprise pricing | Custom | From €366/mo |
| Self-hosting cost | Free | Enterprise contract only |
| Module licensing | One platform | Caps & modules by tier |

## The free plan that disappeared

Piwik PRO discontinued its free Core plan — existing users were required to upgrade or migrate by early 2026, and new signups get only a 30-day trial before paying from €35/month. Umami's commitment runs the other way: the MIT-licensed software is free to self-host forever, and Umami Cloud keeps a genuinely free tier.

## Open source versus enterprise suite

Despite sharing ancestry with Matomo, Piwik PRO is closed-source, and true self-hosting is reserved for its top Enterprise tier. Umami is fully open source: inspect the code, run it on your own infrastructure with Docker and PostgreSQL, and keep complete control of your data without an enterprise contract.

## Analytics without the implementation project

Piwik PRO is a four-module enterprise suite — analytics, tag manager, consent manager, and CDP — with the onboarding, learning curve, and per-tier caps that implies. Umami delivers the complete analytics picture with a single script tag: funnels, journeys, cohorts, session replay, and heatmaps built into one platform, no modules to license.

## Frequently asked questions

### Is Umami a good alternative to Piwik PRO?

For most websites, yes. Umami covers events, funnels, journeys, cohorts, segments, session replay, and heatmaps — with a free tier and free self-hosting. Piwik PRO makes sense mainly for enterprises that need its consent manager, CDP, and compliance certifications like HIPAA.

### Does Piwik PRO still have a free plan?

No. Piwik PRO discontinued its free Core plan, with existing accounts required to upgrade or migrate by early 2026. Paid plans start around €35/month. Umami Cloud has a free tier, and self-hosting Umami is free forever.

### Can I self-host Piwik PRO like Umami?

Only on its top Enterprise tier, via private cloud or on-premises deployment. Umami is open source (MIT) and self-hosts with Docker and PostgreSQL on any server, at no cost.

### Does Piwik PRO include session replay and heatmaps?

Not natively — both require third-party integrations. Umami has session replay and heatmaps built in — on Umami Cloud Business plans and free when self-hosting.

## Further reading

- [A mega list of Google Analytics alternatives](https://umami.is/blog/a-mega-list-of-google-analytics-alternatives.md): How Umami, Piwik PRO, and others compare across the landscape.
- [Website traffic analysis guide](https://umami.is/guides/website-traffic-analysis.md): Get more out of your analytics once you switch.