Discrepancy Between GA4 and Matomo Data

If you have clients asking why their Google Analytics (GA4) figures don’t match the stats we report using Matomo, this article helps explain why the discrepancy happens and how to confidently respond.

The Key Reason

• The difference comes down to cookie consent and tracking methods
• GA4 relies on user consent. If someone doesn’t accept cookies, their activity is only partially tracked or not tracked at all
• Matomo uses cookieless tracking, so it can record user activity regardless of consent choices

What This Means

• GA4 will under-report traffic and engagement
• Matomo provides a more complete and accurate dataset
• The gap has increased due to stricter GDPR and lower cookie acceptance rates
  

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What To Tell Clients

Hi Richard,

Regarding the SG Matomo stats, I wouldn’t worry too much about that 'dip' you’re seeing right now. Looking at data mid-month often makes the trend look more dramatic than it actually is because the month hasn't finished yet. Shane and I reviewed the stats this morning, and we’re both confident the total will be back up toward 2.5k by the end of the month.

To answer your question about the discrepancy between GA4 and Matomo:

Matomo tends to be more accurate for our reporting because it supports cookieless tracking and records user interactions regardless of cookie consent settings. Since last year, Google Analytics tracking has become much more dependent on GDPR consent. If a user does not click “Accept All” on your cookie consent banner, Google will record very limited data. Because of this, Google Analytics often under reports traffic and engagement, while Matomo provides a more complete view of user activity. For that reason, we recommend using Matomo as your primary data source.

Best wishes,

Stef