Log Size – an explanation

Hi all,

You might have noticed some new bar graphs like these at the top of your detailed stats pages:

bar-graphs.jpg

These graphs are designed to help you to better understand the log size of your project.

The green area of the bar graph shows you the amount of ’empty’ slots you have left in your current log. Using this information you can decide whether or not you would like to upgrade your account – remember there is absolutely no pressure on you to do so!

If you click on ‘Adjust your log size here!’ you will see a pie chart – this gives you the same info as the bar graph.



pie-charts3.jpg

If your log is full and you don’t want to lose any of your detailed data, then it’s time to upgrade. If you don’t mind losing this old data, then no action is required on your part.

We’ve included a Q&A section below covering the most common questions we get asked about the StatCounter log size. As always, you’re more than welcome to post a comment or query about this topic below. For support issues, please contact us here.



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Log Size – what’s that?
Your log size reflects the number of ‘slots’ that are reserved for you in the StatCounter database. Every time someone views a page on your site, one ‘slot’ is populated with information on that pageload. You get 500 slots in the StatCounter database for each project you create. With upgraded accounts you get additional database space, which you can allocate to your projects as you wish.

What happens when the log is full – does it stop tracking? Do I have to upgrade to a paid account?
Absolutely not! When your log becomes full, we simply overwrite the oldest entry in the database, with information on new pageloads you receive. There is no obligation to upgrade.

How many visitors will be recorded by my free account?
StatCounter gives you a log size of 500 with every project created. Unfortunately, it’s not possible to know how many visitors can be recorded in these 500 database slots – it depends on the behaviour of your visitors. For example, if 500 separate people each visit your homepage once, then your log will contain information on all 500 visitors.

500 people x 1 pageload = 500

If 50 people each visit 10 pages on your site, then your log will contain information on these 50 people.

50 people x 10 pageloads = 500

Why does it matter what my log size is?!
StatCounter gives you lifetime summary stats together with highly detailed analysis of your last 500 pageloads for free accounts (more for upgraded accounts). In other words, your log size determines the amount of detailed analysis you can see on your stats. With a free account, detailed stats (eg Visitor paths, Came From, Keyword Analysis…) will be available for the last 500 pageloads.

NOTE: If you have still have a 100 log free account, then see here to adjust your log!! 500 logs have been available free since May of this year.

77 Comments

  1. Thanks for such a wonderful explanation and we really are glad to know all these features.

  2. Statcounter Team work hard to make counter simple and clear. Keep everything going on.

    I love you.

  3. Google Analytics is ok if you’re a techie. Statcounter is the best tool for me for sure. 🙂

  4. I am new to Statcounter. Although I am using Google Analytics as well, I find Statcounter much simpler to use. Thanks for the explanation and great article.
    Keep up the great job!

  5. congratulations to the statcounter team for getting in to a PR of 10!

    You people deserve it.!

  6. Pingback: Serial Blogger | Testing New StatCounter System
  7. Today I found that when I click the URLs inside the “Recent Came From”, instead of open a new browser, it replace my parent browse and go direct to the URL. I think this is not user friendly. Can you change it back for each URL to external website will open a new browser ?

    thanks

  8. From Spain:
    Nos parece un acierto incorporar ayudas gráficas, pero hechamos de menos un segundo idioma, in spanish please!!
    thank you.

    Users:
    http://www.profesionalnet.net

  9. I’m late to the party but I wanted to say I love your service. Thanks for everything.

    René
    www.workingauthor.com

  10. Hi there,

    I don’t have a problem with the bar being added. It is helpful. My log was full so I cleared out my stats. Prior to, and ever since then, the location and hostname areas of my log have been reading ‘loading’ and ‘resolving’ continuously….not allowing me to see where my site visitors are coming from. Is this a reported issue, or just a temporary glich? Is anyone else having this problem?

    Great service otherwise by the way. Thank you….Ronnie

  11. I am Statcounter user, i have 5 blogs and all of them are monitored by Statcounter. I wonder if you could make a new feature: No of Views (xxx). So that blogger can place it on each blog post, so the visitor knows how many people visited that post. Since Statcounter has the feature to rate top visited page, then how about using that value for “no of views”. It should be like a counter, changing its number automatically. I am just giving you idea that i have, i really dont have any programming knowledge. This is only a suggestion, since i am Statcounter user i love to see some new features. Of course Statcounter has a lot of features and that this is HIGH ranked site monitoring site. I hope you will consider my suggestion.

    Thanking you,
    Hariharakumar.

  12. I can see that graph being useful for upgraded members with a huge log quota, but it’s not much use for me. First, I don’t care that much about detailed statistics (I’m fine with the summary anyway), second, it fills up very fast, and stays that way forever, once your page has over 500 views. It doesn’t really bother me though…

    Hm, since it’s my first time ever commenting on this blog, might as well say that StatCounter is great, the best of counters I’ve tried.

  13. Great tools, especially for free! Really helps with marketing. You always have access to your last 500 page loads? Thanks guys this is really appreciated. I will be recommending you in my articles.

  14. Its very is very useful being able to see log usage via the bar. I can see which projects are in need of a greater log size. And thank you for still delivering this service for free. You guys are the best.

  15. I READ THIS BEFORE I SIGNED-UP:

    “You can use it for free for as long as you like. The only catch is if you start to get over 9,000 pageloads each day you are outside what we can sustain as a free business model and we will then ask you to either remove the code or upgrade. It’s as simple as that!”

    THIS IS WHY I SIGNED UP FOR THE SERVICE, IN ANTICIPATION OF MY SITE’S FUTURE GROWTH. NOW I’M NOT SURE I WILL STICK WITH THIS BECAUSE OF HOW YOU MISREPRESENTED THE POLICY, AS NOW I FIND OUT THE LIMIT IS ONLY 500 PAGEVIEWS.

    StatCounter Team Response:

    Hi AMS,

    Apologies for any confusion, but there was no misrepresentation.

    With a free account you get lifetime summary stats – this covers all hits from the time you open your account – plus you get detailed individual stats on your past 500 pageloads.

    If a site is getting over 9,000 pageloads a day on a FREE StatCounter account, we reserve the right to ask you to remove the code or upgrade. That’s because the processing power that is needed to track the 9,000+ pageloads is more than we can sustain with the free accounts. Plus, by the time you are getting 9,000+ pageviews per day, your site is most likely making a few bob, so hopefully you’ll be willing and able to pay a small charge to continue with StatCounter.

    So the 500 refers to the detail that you get in your stats, it’s not an activity threshold – does that explain? Please get back to us if you have any further questions.

    Thanks for your support.

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