How to Switch from Ahrefs to Matomo
The migration, step by step
- 1Prepare
Audit how you actually use it
List the Ahrefs features your team touches weekly. Most teams use 20% of features for 80% of the work — those are the only ones the free alternative must cover.
- 2Prepare
Export your data first
Before anything else, export everything from Ahrefs. Keep the export in its original format plus any open standard offered (CSV, JSON, SVG, Markdown). Do not cancel yet.
- 3Pilot
Set up the free alternative
Install or open Matomo and recreate one small, real project from scratch — not a toy file. This surfaces gaps while switching is still cheap.
- 4Pilot
Run a two-week pilot in parallel
Do live work in Matomo while keeping Ahrefs read-only. Note every friction point; most disappear after the first week as muscle memory adjusts.
- 5Migrate
Migrate your assets
Move your exported files into Matomo. Where direct import is unsupported, use the open-standard export (CSV/SVG/Markdown) or a one-time conversion — then keep the originals archived.
- 6Cut the cost
Cut the subscription
Cancel Ahrefs at the end of the billing cycle (avoid losing access mid-cycle). Check the cancellation date against your renewal to dodge the next price increase.
Your destination: Matomo
Matomo
An open-source web analytics platform for tracking website traffic and behavior — actively maintained by an open-source community and free for both personal and commercial use Positioned as a popular alternative to Ahrefs, offering comparable core features at zero cost.
| Capability | Matomo |
|---|---|
| Free / open source | An open-source web analytics platform for tracking website traffic and behavior — actively maintained by an open-source community and free for both personal and commercial use Positioned as a popular alternative to Ahrefs, offering comparable core features at zero cost. |
| Real-time collaboration | Not mentioned in the verified description — check the project docs. |
| AI-assisted features | Not mentioned in the verified description — check the project docs. |
| Works offline / desktop app | Not mentioned in the verified description — check the project docs. |
| Self-hosted option | Not mentioned in the verified description — check the project docs. |
| Plugin / extension ecosystem | Not mentioned in the verified description — check the project docs. |
| No watermarks or limits | Not mentioned in the verified description — check the project docs. |
| Team permissions & admin | Not mentioned in the verified description — check the project docs. |
Feature rows are derived from the verified project description — treat ✓ as confirmed and check the project docs before you commit.
Not the right fit? 2 more free alternatives
A free tool for monitoring and improving website search engine rankings and traffic
A free, limited version of a web crawling and SEO auditing tool — actively maintained by an open-source community and free for both personal and commercial use Positioned as a popular alternative to Ahrefs, offering comparable core features at zero cost.