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Self-hosted Matomo runs on a VPS you control, using a web server, PHP and MySQL or MariaDB. For a small site, start with Matomo’s published baseline of 2 CPUs, 2 GB RAM and 50 GB SSD, then install Matomo under an HTTPS subdomain, create a dedicated database, add its tracking tag and schedule cron-based report archiving. You retain the analytics database, but privacy, patching, backups and uptime remain your responsibility.

What self-hosting Matomo involves

Matomo On-Premise is the downloadable edition of Matomo Analytics. Instead of sending visitor data to a vendor-managed property, your VPS stores the Matomo application, its database and (unless configured otherwise) its raw visitor logs. Matomo’s On-Premise documentation describes this as keeping the data in your hands.

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A production installation has four practical parts:

  • Web server: receives HTTPS requests and serves Matomo.
  • PHP runtime: executes Matomo and its plugins.
  • MySQL or MariaDB: stores configuration, visits and reports.
  • Scheduled archiving: a cron or systemd job that prepares reports before users request them.

You normally publish the dashboard at a dedicated hostname such as analytics.example.com. Your tracked websites load a JavaScript tag that sends measurements to that hostname. The same VPS can host other applications, but isolating Matomo on its own server or account makes resource limits, upgrades and incident recovery easier.

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“Self-host Matomo Analytics on your own servers to ensure data remains in your hands!” — Matomo, On-Premise User Guide.

Choose VPS capacity before installing

Matomo’s 2026 guidance is a starting point, not a guarantee for every workload. Page views, data-retention length, enabled plugins, geolocation processing, report-archiving frequency and the number of people opening dashboards all affect the required capacity.

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Workload Application and database layout Matomo’s published starting point How to interpret it
Small installation One VPS can run the web application, database and scheduled jobs 2 CPUs, 2 GB RAM, 50 GB SSD Baseline for a small site; leave room for the operating system, backups and database growth.
About 1 million page views per month Single-server deployment is listed as suitable 4 CPUs, 8 GB RAM, 250 GB SSD Matomo’s 2026 recommendation; actual needs depend on retention, plugins and concurrent reports.
About 10 million page views per month Separate application and database capacity Not stated as one fixed size Plan for independent scaling, monitoring and a migration path from the single-server design.

Runtime versions

Use a supported Linux distribution and Matomo’s current compatibility list. Matomo recommends the latest PHP 8.x release for efficiency and speed, together with MySQL 8 or newer or a current MariaDB release. Confirm the exact PHP extensions and database versions required by the Matomo release you download; package names differ between distributions.

Disk planning

SSD space holds the operating system, Matomo files, database tables, temporary archives, plugins and backup copies. Raw logs and long retention periods can outgrow the application itself. Keep backups on separate storage rather than consuming the only copy of the VPS disk, and alert before free space becomes critically low.

Pre-installation checklist

Have these items ready before opening the installer:

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  • A VPS with SSH access, a supported Linux distribution and a routable public address.
  • A domain name or subdomain, for example analytics.example.com, whose DNS record points to the VPS.
  • Administrative access to configure the web server, TLS certificate, firewall and scheduled jobs.
  • A new database and a dedicated database user with only the permissions Matomo needs.
  • A backup destination outside the VPS and a restore procedure you have actually tested.
  • The Matomo On-Premise package or the official Docker image, depending on your deployment choice.

Do not reuse an application’s database credentials. A separate database and least-privilege account limit the damage if another site on the server is compromised.

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Install Matomo on a conventional VPS

The exact package commands vary by Linux distribution and web server, so follow your distribution’s supported installation method while keeping the sequence below. Do not expose an unconfigured installer to the public internet for longer than necessary.

  1. Prepare the host. Apply operating-system updates, set the server hostname and time zone, create an administrative SSH account, disable unnecessary services and configure a firewall that permits SSH only from trusted networks where practical, plus HTTP and HTTPS for the public endpoint.
  2. Install the web stack. Install a supported web server, the recommended PHP 8.x release and every PHP extension listed by the Matomo version you selected. Enable the PHP settings required for uploads, memory and timeouts, using Matomo’s system-check screen to catch omissions.
  3. Create the database. Create a dedicated MySQL 8+ or MariaDB database and user, choose a strong password, and allow that user to connect only as required by your local database policy. Record the database name, username, password and host in your password manager.
  4. Download and place Matomo. Obtain Matomo from its official distribution channel, verify the download according to the release instructions, extract it into the document root for the analytics subdomain and assign file ownership to the account used by the web server. Keep configuration and writable directories protected from direct downloads.
  5. Point DNS and the virtual host. Configure the subdomain’s virtual host or server block to serve the Matomo directory. Test that the hostname resolves to the VPS before starting the browser installer.
  6. Run the web installer. Open the HTTPS subdomain. Matomo performs system checks, asks for database details, creates its tables, lets you create the super-user and prompts you to add your first website. Complete every check rather than ignoring warnings.
  7. Finish the first-site setup. Enter the site name and URL, select the requested time zone and generate the JavaScript tracking tag. Save the super-user recovery details securely.
  8. Lock down the installation. Remove or protect installer access after setup, prevent search engines from indexing the administration area, restrict administrative routes where your network permits, and confirm that configuration files cannot be downloaded as plain text.

Enable HTTPS and administrative protection

Serve both the dashboard and tracking endpoint over HTTPS. A certificate also prevents browsers from blocking tracking requests when your websites are HTTPS. Redirect HTTP to HTTPS, renew the certificate automatically, and test renewal before its expiration window.

Use a unique, long administrator password and enable two-factor authentication where available in your Matomo release. Keep the operating system, web server, PHP, database and Matomo security updates current. Limit SSH by key authentication and network rules, and review administrator accounts periodically.

Add the tracking tag and verify data

  1. In Matomo, open the site’s administration area and the tracking-code section.
  2. Copy the generated JavaScript snippet exactly as shown.
  3. Place it in the HTML template used by every page you want to measure, normally immediately before the closing </head> tag. If a content-management system injects scripts, use its documented header or analytics field.
  4. Publish the change and visit the site in a private browser window that is not excluded by your consent settings.
  5. Open Matomo’s real-time visitor view and confirm that a visit, page title and URL arrive. Check the browser’s network panel if no request appears, and inspect the server access and PHP error logs for blocked or failing requests.

Validate one site end to end before adding the same tag to additional properties. Keep a record of which domain maps to each Matomo site ID so consent and retention settings remain understandable.

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Configure cron auto-archiving

Scheduled archiving is a production requirement. Matomo’s installation documentation warns: “If you do not setup the cron, Matomo will recalculate your statistics every time you visit a Matomo report, which will slow Matomo down and increase the load on your database.” Without a scheduler, report pages can become slow precisely when several users open them.

Choose a scheduler

Use a system cron entry or a systemd timer that runs under the account and PHP binary used by Matomo. Follow the Matomo release documentation for the exact archiving command and recommended interval; the correct path depends on where you installed Matomo and which PHP executable your distribution provides.

Confirm that it works

  • Run the archiving command manually once and watch for PHP errors, permission failures or database timeouts.
  • Check the scheduler’s log or journal for successful recurring runs.
  • Open a report after a run and confirm that its processing time is substantially lower than an unarchived report.
  • Alert when jobs have not completed within the expected interval; a silent scheduler failure can leave reports stale for days.

Deploy with Docker instead

Matomo publishes an official Docker image and documents a Compose-style arrangement containing application, database and cron services. Containers simplify repeatable deployment, but they do not remove operational duties.

Persistent storage

Bind or attach persistent volumes for the Matomo configuration, plugins and database. Do not keep these only in a container’s writable layer: recreating a container would otherwise remove the installation or its data. Store database backups outside the Docker host as well.

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Network and image hygiene

  • Pin image versions instead of deploying an unchanging latest tag.
  • Expose only the reverse proxy publicly; keep the database and internal cron service on a private Docker network.
  • Apply image and host security updates on a planned schedule, testing upgrades against a backup or staging copy.
  • Back up volumes before changing image versions and document the rollback process.

The browser installer and post-install checks are the same in principle as a non-container deployment: configure the database, create the super-user and site, enable HTTPS at the proxy, add the tag and verify scheduled archiving.

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Configure privacy for GDPR and similar laws

Self-hosting controls where the analytics database is stored; it does not make data collection automatically lawful. Matomo states that IP addresses can be personal data under the GDPR, so make privacy choices before production traffic arrives.

Minimize what is collected

  • Enable IP masking or full anonymisation before collecting live visits.
  • Collect cookies, User IDs, geolocation and detailed referrer information only when your measurement plan needs them.
  • Do not add custom dimensions or identifiers merely because Matomo supports them; each field increases privacy and retention obligations.

Consent and lawful basis

Determine the lawful basis for analytics in every jurisdiction where visitors are located. Matomo’s consent guidance notes that consent may be required in some circumstances. Configure an opt-out or consent mechanism that matches your legal advice, and publish a privacy notice that names the purposes, data categories, retention period and user choices.

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Retention and server logs

Matomo recommends retaining detailed raw visitor logs for only three to six months for privacy reasons, subject to operational requirements. Set an automatic deletion schedule and document any longer retention. IP masking can occur before data is stored in Matomo while the full address may still appear in web-server access logs; rotate, restrict and delete those logs separately.

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Backups, updates and routine operations

Back up what is needed to restore service

  • Database dumps or snapshots taken on a schedule appropriate to your reporting requirements.
  • The Matomo configuration, installed plugins and any custom themes or files.
  • Docker volumes and Compose definitions if you use containers.
  • Encryption keys or secrets required to restore the application, stored separately from the backup archive.

Keep at least one copy off the VPS, restrict access to backups and perform a test restore. A backup that has never been restored is an assumption, not a recovery plan.

Monitor the failure points

Alert on disk usage, memory pressure, database errors, certificate expiry, failed cron runs, HTTP error rates and unusual login activity. Review Matomo’s system-check page after PHP or database upgrades. If report pages suddenly become slow, first inspect whether archiving is running, then check database load, available disk and recent plugin changes.

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Know when one VPS is no longer enough

A single VPS is appropriate while application requests, database writes and scheduled archives remain modest. At higher traffic, separate the database from the web application so each can be sized and backed up independently. Add application capacity behind a load balancer when concurrent dashboard or tracking requests warrant it, and consider a CDN for static assets where it helps your sites.

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Make the decision using measurable criteria: monthly page views, raw-log retention, acceptable report latency, backup and restore objectives, operator skill and tolerance for maintenance. Moving to multiple servers adds network, failover and credential complexity; do it to solve a demonstrated bottleneck, not simply because a larger architecture appears more professional.

Common problems and targeted fixes

The installer reports missing PHP requirements

Use the installer’s system-check list to identify the missing extension or setting, install the package supplied for your distribution’s supported PHP version, restart the relevant PHP service and rerun the check. Do not bypass a failed requirement without understanding its effect.

Tracking code is present but no visits appear

Confirm that the browser loads the script from the HTTPS Matomo hostname, that consent settings permit analytics, and that the firewall or reverse proxy is not blocking the tracking request. Verify the site ID and inspect both browser network requests and Matomo/PHP logs.

Reports are slow or stale

Check the scheduler first. A missing or failing cron job forces on-demand recalculation. Then review database CPU, memory, free SSD space, retention volume and recently enabled plugins.

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The VPS is running out of storage

Identify whether growth comes from the database, raw logs, backups or container layers. Delete data only through documented Matomo retention controls or your log-rotation policy, move backups off-server, and expand storage before the database reaches a full-disk condition.

Operational verdict

Self-host Matomo when you need direct control of analytics storage and are prepared to operate a web application, database and privacy program. A small site can begin on the 2-CPU, 2-GB-RAM, 50-GB-SSD baseline; a site near one million monthly page views should plan around Matomo’s 4-CPU, 8-GB-RAM, 250-GB-SSD single-server guidance. Whichever deployment style you choose, HTTPS, least-privilege database access, scheduled archiving, tested off-server backups and deliberate privacy settings are part of the installation—not optional finishing touches.

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