Here is a quick look at three of the more popular website statistics services:
StatCounter
Ease Of Use: StatCounter is probably one of the easiest counter to set up. They offer dozens of well-written install guides for various blog and website builder services. Their website interface is really well polished.
Accuracy: Like most other services, StatCounter will record the data for all users, regardless of whether or not they have JavaScript enabled. Its numbers seem pretty accurate, despite the fact that it was down all the time.
Reliability: This is a big minus. It seemed like every 5 minutes the server my counter was on would go down and fail to load. Also, you may have to try different logon servers to find one that actually works.
Overall: Because StatCounter isn’t very reliable as far as loading all the time, I cannot recommend it. I have heard that their servers are getting slightly better, so I will try them again on a few sites over the next couple of weeks.
SiteMeter
Ease Of Use: SiteMeter, like StatCounter, gives instructions for a bunch of different blog and homepage services as well as HTML editors. The overall interface of SiteMeter can be quite a pain to get used to, but it has some nice features as well. SiteMeter also has an auto-login bookmark, a big plus!
Accuracy: SiteMeter will collect data even if a user doesn’t have JavaScript enabled. It seems to be the most accurate counter I have ever used.
Reliability: In the past 4 months I have yet to see any connection errors with SiteMeter. Their servers are incredibly reliable, and when I check my stats they load instantly.
Overall: I use SiteMeter on all of my sites, and I always will. It is just that good. The only problem I see with it is it doesn’t offer a dedicated section for keyword tracking so you can see who searched for what to visit you site (you can look at the referrer strings, however).
Google Analytics
Ease Of Use: I have to be honest, Google Analytics is not for Internet newbies. You really have to know what your doing to navigate through its various sections.
Accuracy: This is iffy. Google Analytics always reports lower numbers than any other stat counter I use. I think it detects visitors slightly differently. Also, it won’t detect visitors that have JavaScript disabled.
Reliability: It’s ran on Google’s servers, how reliable do you think it is?
Overall: Like SiteMeter, Google Analytics always loads and has always worked for me and it doesn’t slow down page load time at all. The only problem I have with it is it is difficult to navigate through and its number are always different from those reported by other services. It is an analytical package and not a statistical one, so it offers a ton of features that the other two services don’t.
Which One Is Best?
I am stuck in between SiteMeter and Google Analytics, so instead of choosing I use both of them on all of my sites. They both load incredibly quick, so I don’t have to worry about long loading times.
Please subscribe, or else I will cry. Do you really want to make a programmer cry?
May 6th, 2007 at 2:24 pm
I was using GetClicky for a bit and then went back to Google Analytics.
I also use the AweStats that is on the server that give a crapload of traffic info.
May 6th, 2007 at 3:19 pm
Only problem I have with server software is it often inflates your actual numbers since they include bots as well as humans, plus they don’t include options for keeping your own IP out of the stats.
By the way, someone just released the same stats package wordpress.com uses, so if you run a Wordpress blog you can get the same stats that wordpress.com users get.