Technical tutorial

Connect Matomo to Pulsar

Bring your Matomo data into Pulsar by entering your instance URL, the Site ID and an authentication token. GDPR-compliant analytics, self-hosted or Matomo Cloud. Read-only, in 5 minutes.

Updated 4 July 2026 6 min read

What Pulsar retrieves from Matomo

Pulsar synchronises your Matomo statistics: visits, page views, bounce rate, popular pages, traffic sources, devices, goals and conversions, plus e-commerce data if your site tracks it. All in the same dashboard as your other SEO, Ads and AI channels.

The connection uses your Matomo instance URL, the Site ID of the site to track and a read authentication token (API token). No OAuth: you stay in control. Strict read-only: Pulsar queries the Matomo Reporting API and never writes, edits or deletes anything.

Why Matomo instead of Google Analytics 4

Matomo is the privacy-focused analytics alternative to Google Analytics 4. Unlike GA4, which hosts data on Google servers and feeds its advertising ecosystem, Matomo keeps you 100% owner of your data: it stays on your instance (self-hosted) or on Matomo Cloud (European hosting). It is a solid foundation for a sovereign analytics and self-hosting approach.

On compliance, Matomo can be configured to run without a cookie banner (IP anonymisation, Do Not Track support, no third-party sharing), which greatly eases GDPR compliance and the recommendations of data protection authorities. Pulsar consolidates this Matomo data alongside your Google, Bing, social and AI sources, without forcing you to leave your trusted analytics tool.

The 4 steps

1. Matomo prerequisites

Have access to your Matomo instance (self-hosted or Matomo Cloud) with at least view rights on the site to track. Note the exact instance URL (for example https://analytics.yourdomain.com) and the Site ID (shown in Administration > Websites, ID column).

2. Generate an authentication token

In Matomo: Administration > Security > Auth tokens > Create a new token. A read token is enough. Copy it: it will authorise Pulsar without sharing your password.

3. Enter in Pulsar

Settings > Connected sources > Matomo > paste the instance URL, the Site ID and the authentication token. Confirm to test the connection.

4. First synchronisation

Pulsar retrieves the history available on your instance, then updates the data automatically every day. The first synchronisation usually takes 2 to 5 minutes.

Common errors

Malformed instance URLEnter the full URL with the protocol (https://) and no trailing slash or path to index.php. Valid example: https://analytics.yourdomain.com. Make sure the instance is publicly reachable.
Invalid authentication tokenThe token must be copied in full, without spaces. Regenerate it if needed in Administration > Security > Auth tokens. Make sure it has read access to the relevant site.
Site ID not foundThe Site ID is a number, not the site name. Find it in Administration > Websites (ID column) or in the Matomo URL (idSite= parameter). A token can cover several sites: check the Site ID matches the right one.

Frequently asked questions

Is Matomo GDPR-compliant?

Yes, that is one of its main strengths. Properly configured (IP anonymisation, Do Not Track support, no third-party sharing), Matomo can run without a cookie banner and keeps you the owner of your data, which eases GDPR compliance. Pulsar only reads that data via the Reporting API.

Do I have to host Matomo myself?

No. Pulsar connects to a self-hosted Matomo instance as well as to Matomo Cloud. In both cases, the connection uses the instance URL, the Site ID and an authentication token. You remain the owner of your data whichever hosting mode you choose.

What data does Pulsar retrieve exactly?

Visits, page views, bounce rate, popular pages, traffic sources, devices, goals and conversions, plus e-commerce data if your site tracks it. These metrics appear next to your other SEO, Ads and AI sources.

Can Pulsar change my Matomo configuration?

No. The connection is strictly read-only. Pulsar queries the Matomo Reporting API to display your statistics, but never writes, edits or deletes anything on your instance.

Does Matomo replace Google Analytics 4 in Pulsar?

Both can coexist. Some clients keep GA4, others switch entirely to Matomo for sovereign, GDPR-compliant analytics. Pulsar consolidates one, the other or both depending on your choice, with no preferential treatment.

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