Free, privacy-friendly analytics for all - Introducing Piwik PRO Core

To close 2020, I wished everyone a more effective, and more trustworthy, data-driven 2021. I said this because trust is lacking. In the EU, 41% of residents don’t want to share personal data with private companies. In the US, 69% lack confidence that companies will use their personal information in ways they would be comfortable with. 

Many key players in the world of analytics, AdTech and MarTech have failed to respect privacy on the internet. There have been some promising developments, such as the GDPR and Apple’s recent identifier for advertisers (IDFA). But for those in the analytics space, we don’t feel like the market is responding to users’ needs.

It's a great moment to introduce a new option for powerful, privacy-friendly analytics – for free. We’re calling it Piwik PRO Core.

What is Piwik PRO Core?

Piwik PRO Core is a free plan for Piwik PRO Analytics Suite. It’s more than a trial version, because it will be free forever. We intend it to be an option for demanding analytics projects in business, government, healthcare and education.

The most popular analytics platform, Google Analytics, is built on a business model that doesn’t meet the needs of organizations who want to collect and analyze data in a privacy-friendly way. We hope that Piwik PRO Core will give organizations a more attractive option. Better yet, we want to show that respect for privacy can go hand in hand with data-driven projects using advanced analytics capabilities.

As I post this, the Piwik PRO Core website is going live. You can see more details there.

Data privacy and a transparent business model

A deep commitment to privacy is in Piwik PRO’s DNA. We believe that the privacy and security features we offer will help reintroduce trust between those collecting data and those who own the data – individuals like you and me.

Individuals own their personal data – a principle that GDPR and other privacy laws now enforce. So anybody doing analytics needs an efficient way to ask for consent. The Piwik PRO Core plan includes our Consent Manager for just that reason. Visitors regain control of their data by getting a choice to consent or not. Consent Manager is also integrated with the Analytics and Tag Manager modules, meaning that data collection and sharing is in line with the consents of each visitor.

Full data control is also a key part of the Piwik PRO Core plan. We’re starting with secure cloud hosting in the European Union, with more locations to come soon. In any case, Piwik PRO Core users will control where collected data is stored. Piwik PRO will never share this data with anyone else or transfer it to a different location. Google Analytics can’t make such an assurance, as data is shared with Google Ads and often stored in ways users have no control over.

Piwik PRO can do this because of our simple and transparent business model. We make money by selling enterprise plans with more modules, actions and hosting options than are available in the Core plan. Our intention is to get more people using Piwik PRO Analytics Suite. We have never, and will never, monetize data collected using our software.

The right balance between privacy and analytics

Yes, we talk a lot – and I mean a lot – about privacy. But Piwik PRO has many other strengths. The Piwik PRO Core plan is no exception – it offers many powerful analytics features such as user flow and multi-channel attribution. We’ve also designed it to be accessible for all kinds of users, from beginners to experienced analysts and data scientists. 

Power user of Google Analytics? You’ll feel at home with a familiar interface and all the advanced analytics features (plus some extras like direct access to raw data).

Coming from an open source tool or in-house solution? Piwik PRO offers industry-standard metrics and reports built on a back end optimized for analytics operations. You’ll get powerful features on a fast platform right from the start – no need to buy extra add-ons or make them yourself.

Starting a new analytics project? Setup is quick and easy. We’re also working hard on perfecting our training materials and building more ways to get support from the growing community of Piwik PRO users. 

Piwik PRO Core is a bet on the long-term potential of powerful, privacy-friendly analytics. Piwik PRO Community will launch soon, helping us get even more people discussing our Analytics Suite. We want to refine and expand our product using your ideas and feedback. We look forward to growing with the analytics community so that Piwik PRO fits the needs of analysts and organizations across industries and use cases.  

Kudos

Introducing a free analytics option in a crowded market is tough. We reached out to our business partners and friends to help us. They responded in a big way so we want to thank them here: Hopkins Oy, Scal-e, Swink, and 506. We couldn't have done it without your help.

We also have to give kudos to many individuals that both believe in the strength of our platform and are committed to solving the crisis of trust in web analytics. We will properly thank each and every one of you in the coming months.  

One last big thanks goes to the Piwik PRO team. We developed a beautiful analytics platform and now want the whole world to benefit from it. It’s an ambitious CEO’s dream come true. Thanks!

Release plan

We’ll introduce the Piwik PRO Core plan in two phases.

The first phase starts now. Those with invite codes can now access and use Piwik PRO Core.

How can you get an invite code? I will release some each week starting this Wednesday, pay attention to my LinkedIn profile to get one for yourself. You can also follow #piwikpro here on LinkedIn to hear about other access code opportunities.

No code? No worries. Sign up for the waiting list and you’ll get access before the public launch this summer. We will grant Piwik PRO Core access to a part of the waiting list at regular intervals before the start of phase two. First come, first serve.

The second phase starts this summer, when Piwik PRO Core will be available to everyone. Then the real fun will begin :)

Over to you

Releasing a product to the public takes away some control from its creators. So while we’re a little scared, it’s time to hit the big red button. It's time for you, the users, to take control of your data and of the direction you want Piwik PRO Analytics Suite to go in.

Each new project using Piwik PRO Core will restore a little trust in those doing data-driven projects in both private and public organizations. Sign up, give it a try and let us know what you think.

So with more optimism this time, I wish you a more effective, and more trustworthy, data-driven 2021.