Why AWStats counts more visits than Google Analytics
Understanding web traffic statistics software
Aug. 20, 2018 - Willem L. Middelkoop
This month I have been working on website statistics, tracking traffic using different technologies. Some of my customers use Google Analytics, others use AWStats, and some use both. Which is better is often debated, but few people really understand the differences. Time to shed some light on the magic of web statistics.
Continue reading![Google Analytics and AWStats - web traffic statistics software](/blog/2018-08-20_google-analytics-vs-awstats/images/i_00_Google-Analytics-and-AWStats-web-traffic-statistics-software_500px.png)
![Robots surfing the web: bot traffic listed by AWStats](/blog/2018-08-20_google-analytics-vs-awstats/images/i_01_Robots-surfing-the-web-bot-traffic-listed-by-AWStats_500px.jpg)
![Part of a web server log file, each line corresponds with a page request - do you see the bot?](/blog/2018-08-20_google-analytics-vs-awstats/images/i_02_Part-of-a-web-server-log-file-each-line-corresponds-with-a-page-request-do-you-see-the-bot_500px.png)
![Typical piece of Google Analtyics JavaScript code - you can clearly see it referring to Google's servers](/blog/2018-08-20_google-analytics-vs-awstats/images/i_03_Typical-piece-of-Google-Analtyics-JavaScript-code-you-can-clearly-see-it-referring-to-Google-s-serve_500px.png)
![Percentage of people blocking Google Analytics (2016), quantable.com - Jason Packer](/blog/2018-08-20_google-analytics-vs-awstats/images/i_04_Percentage-of-people-blocking-Google-Analytics-2016-quantable-com-Jason-Packer_500px.png)