webmetr vs cnstats: old self-hosted php/mysql analyzer vs simple hosted counter

published 2026-04-19

webmetr and cnstats can be put in one broad class of web analytics, but in practice they are different answers to different questions. webmetr is made as a simple counter for the site: the owner registers, adds a domain, receives the html code, sees views, sessions, visitors, sources, pages, countries, browsers, operating systems and can make statistics public or private. cnstats has a different story, a different audience, and different compromises.

this comparison is not about one tool being absolutely always better. normal analytics starts with the question: who needs the numbers, how quickly do they need to be obtained, who will maintain the system, is public statistics needed, does a visible counter matter, is there a separate technical team. for webmetr, the answer is deliberately simple: the site should get an understandable meter without enterprise rituals and without the old administrative burden.

a short conclusion

if you want simple daily site statistics, report pages with static urls, clean html code and the ability to show a counter on the page, webmetr is a more natural choice. if you need specific historical compatibility, server log analysis, enterprise customer journey, or an existing legacy system, cnstats can remain a complementary tool. but for a new site, it's easier to start with webmetr and only later add more complex analytics if you really need it.

what is important to know about cnstats

• cnstats std is described in public directories as a system for collecting and analyzing site statistics, which runs on hosting with php and mysql.
• for cnstats std, the catalogs listed version 4.4, a shareware license, english, russian, and german language support, and over 50 base reports.
• the old official domain cn-software.com does not look like an actual cnstats product page, so it is correct to perceive cnstats as a legacy solution.

so you need to compare not only the list of features, but also the cost of ownership. the cost of ownership is not just money. it is also installation time, complexity of explanation, trust in numbers, dependence on external infrastructure, need for support, url quality, publicity, comprehensibility for a non-technical user and whether it is not a shame to show this counter on a modern site.

where cnstats is strong

• data can be kept on your server
• historically there have been many reports and filters
• suitable for owners who wanted to control the php/mysql installation
• had a browser interface and report export

these strengths should not be ignored. many old tools became popular precisely because they solved a real problem of their time. server analyzers provided statistics where there was no javascript tracking. old counters gave visible numbers and ratings. enterprise platforms provided large companies with a single data model. the problem starts when the tool doesn't match the size of the job.

where cnstats loses for a new site

• you need to install, update and maintain php/mysql code
• the shareware model and the old version are not suitable for the new free service
• public trust in reports is lower if statistics are hidden in a private self-hosted administration
• legacy stack increases the risk of security and incompatibility with modern hosting

for most sites, the first need is very simple: understand if there is traffic, which pages are being read, where people are coming from, which countries, which browsers, which screens, which sources. when for this it is necessary to study the old panel, install a server package, go through a demo call or think about tariff limits, the user postpones analytics. webmetr specifically removes this delay.

why webmetr is simpler

• nothing needs to be put on the server, except for the html code on the page
• the site owner does not support php, mysql, cron and package updates
• the reports have self-explanatory permanent urls on webmetr.com
• visible counter can give backlink on webmetr and be part of public statistics
• clickhouse architecture is better suited for a large number of hits

simplicity here does not mean primitiveness. under the hood, webmetr can collect many events, compile them into a clickhouse, aggregate reports and withstand high traffic. but the user should not be able to see the entire interior of the kitchen. a good meter should work as an infrastructure: you insert the code once, then you open the report and see the answer.

what reports the site owner needs

an important detail of webmetr: reports are thought of as separate pages, not as state inside the react-app. it's an oldie but a good web approach. if you opened the report url, it should show exactly this report. if you sent a link to a partner, they should see the same page. if the browser is restarted, the state should not be lost.

public statistics and trust

in many cases, statistics are needed not only by the site owner. the advertiser wants to check the numbers. the partner wants to understand the audience. the editor wants to show growth. seo specialist wants to see sources. the old approach with screenshots is bad: the screenshot can be cropped, out of date or fake. public statistics page is better for trust.

do you need complex dashboards?

not everyone needs complex dashboards. if the company has a data team, product managers, paid acquisition, attribution model, crm, warehouse and regular board reports, then a complex analytics platform may be justified. but most sites do not live in this mode. the owner wants to see: today there were so many views, yesterday there were so many, the average is this, so many came from google, so many from direct, the most popular page is this.

webmetr does not prevent you from adding google analytics, adobe analytics, matomo, plausible, statcounter or any other tool afterwards. but it provides a basic plane of truth that does not need to be explained at length. this is especially important for ukrainian sites, where the owner often deals with content, advertising, technology and sales at the same time.

how to choose between webmetr and cnstats

migration or parallel use

if the old site still has cnstats, it does not need to be deleted abruptly. it is enough to add webmetr, accumulate parallel statistics and then decide whether a separate php/mysql system is really needed only for basic reports.

parallel use is also useful because different systems almost never show the same numbers. javascript counter, server logs, browser privacy, ad blockers, caches, bots, prefetch, redirects and different session timeout rules can give different results. it is not always a mistake. the main thing is that the methodology is clear and stable.

for whom is better cnstats

cnstats can be appropriate in a closed legacy project, where there is already an administrator, an old database and there is no requirement for public statistics.

for whom webmetr is better

webmetr is better for a new site where the owner wants to quickly see views, sessions, audience, sources, countries, pages, browsers and operating systems without the technical support of the old package.

result

webmetr should be perceived as a simple, public and understandable counter for the site. he doesn't try to be everything at once. its strength is that the owner quickly gets the numbers and can show them to others. cnstats may have its niche, history and strengths, but for a new site, a quick start, clear reports, simple code and no extra infrastructure weight are critical.

if you need daily site statistics, a public reporting page, a simple counter badge and a minimum of explanation, webmetr is a better place to start. complex tools can be added later when the real need, team and budget arise. but the base meter should work from day one.

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