Website Analyzers and Tracking Tools
1. AWStats –Ā http://awstats.sourceforge.net/Ā
What I like about this analyzer is that itās simpleĀ andĀ clean. The analytics show up within one pageĀ andĀ the user can get a quick analysis of all of its trafficĀ andĀ user activity. Another benefit of this analyzer is that it includes much more information on referring sites than otherĀ tools. In addition, it also has a great way ofĀ trackingĀ bandwidth usage on the server. The benefit of this is that it allows great protection from bandwidth thieves.
Sitepoint.com is a highly respectedĀ andĀ well ranked company within the web development industryĀ andĀ they recommend this service as #1 within its top ten list of web analyzerĀ tools.
What I would change about this analyzer is the look. Though it does cover a large list of features, I donāt believe it to be very pleasing to the eye. By adding more linksĀ andĀ tabbed panels, it would allow for users to easily navigate throughout the tool with ease.
Nonetheless, this is still a great tool for someone looking for a simple yet detailed synopsis of theirĀ websiteĀ traffic.
2. eLogic –Ā http://www.elogicwebsolutions.com/website-statistics.htmlĀ
What I like about this tool is that it creates a list of three different packages for different types of users. Nonetheless, I also believe this to be the downfall of the tool. The tool is offered free for those looking to handle smaller task. However, to get the full list of features, there is a charge of $9.95 a month for the Pro version.
However, though it does costĀ andĀ I may not like it, it may be a cost worth paying. The Pro version includesĀ toolsĀ that other analyticĀ toolsĀ just donāt have. TheseĀ toolsĀ consist of real-time traffic statistics, log file storage, custom email alertsĀ andĀ unlimited history.
While eLogic does have a plan for all types of users, I donāt believe that paying a monthly fee for a web analyzer tool is a great move. With the multiple freeĀ toolsĀ within the market, eLogic may not be making a smart move with charging its users a fee.
TechchiaĀ andĀ Sitepoint, both of who are respected names within the web developmentĀ andĀ technology marketplace, have named eLogic within the top 3 web analyticsĀ tools.
3. ExtremeĀ TrackingĀ –Ā http://extremetracking.comĀ
I would not recommend this tool. While I do love the simplicity of ExtremeĀ Tracking, I just donāt believe it to be a professional tool that gives in-depth details on user activity. This tool is good for someone with a smallĀ websiteĀ with a few pages of information. The downfall of this tool is that it only provides a small amount of detail about the users. This information includes, date, referring site, browser typeĀ andĀ how many visitors ventured onto theĀ websiteĀ for that day, month or year. As a userĀ andĀ web developer who looks to find a true understanding in its users, I donāt receive much valuable information from this tool.
Nonetheless, for a monthly subscription of $4.95, users can receive more information on their traffic.
My suggestion would be to get rid of the freeĀ andĀ paid versions,Ā andĀ to just allow users the full benefit of using the tool. In addition, the paid version still doesnāt compete with free versions of analyzerĀ tools. By charging its users, this tool is hurting its brand. This is mainly due to web developers not promoting it to their customers as a valuable tool to use thatās free of charge. By charging a fee, most developersĀ andĀ users wonāt even test the tool.