Read the full version of this article on the Offen blog.

Despite the widespread use, there are some issues with Matomo's decisions regarding privacy. By default, the application only offers an opt out function for website users. In this way, the consent is practically a default setting. Furthermore, user access to data is not automated and can be very complex and tedious.

Installing Matomo can be a bit of a pain as there are many dependencies that must be pre-installed on the system. This also applies to the requirement to use a dedicated MySQL database, which makes installation even more complex.

To address these issues, we are developing a fair and lightweight web analytics tool that deals with operators and users as equal parties. It is called Offen and available as a beta version.

Offen's default is to NOT collect any data. Usage data is only collected after opt in. If users choose to opt in, they have full access to their data. They can delete it any time or opt out completly.

At the same time, we offer operators the possibility to gain useful insights in an ethical manner. And all this without violating the privacy of their users.

Offen is open source and will always be available free and without any hidden costs. The operators host the app themselves and can be sure not to share data with third parties.

The installation is relatively simple and supports the use of SQLite files as well. Offen's tracking script is reduced to a bare minimum and allows pages to load much faster.

The app allows you to manage several websites with one login. All website accounts can be shared within teams. A detailed documentation assists with the installation and daily operation.

If you are passionate about ethical software and are looking for a truly lightweight and privacy friendly alternative to Matomo, you should try Offen. Why not let both run parallel for a while and then see how it feels? We are looking forward to your feedback.

Find more information on offen.dev or head to our get started section.