Frequently Asked Questions

• What methodology is used to calculate the market share statistics? #

  StatCounter is a web analytics service. As of 1 August 2009, our tracking code is installed on approximately 3 million sites globally. (These sites cover various activities and geographic locations.) Every month, we record billions of hits to these sites. For each hit, we analyse the browser/operating system used and we summarize this data. For our search engine stats, we analyze every hit referred by a search engine. This is how we get our Global Stats information.

  We do not manipulate the data in any way. We do not collate it with any other information sources. No artificial weightings are used. We simply publish the data as we record it.

  In other words we calculate our Global Stats on the basis of more than 5 billion hits per month, by people from all over the world onto our 3 million member sites.

  By collating our data in this way, we track the activity of third party visitors to our member websites. We do not calculate our stats based on the activity of our members. This helps to minimise bias in the data and ensures a random sample is achieved.

  In July 2009, our global sample consisted of 5.8 billion hits (US: 1.3 billion); 527 million of these were search engine referrals (US: 136 million).

• What statistics are provided by StatCounter Global Stats? #

  We publish stats for the following:

  • Browsers
  • Browser Versions
  • Mobile Browsers
  • Operating Systems
  • Mobile Operating Systems
  • Search Engines
  • Mobile Search Engines

• I have a question about my StatCounter account. #

  Please note that this is the StatCounter Global Stats website. We deal with enquiries in relation to Global Stats only and cannot assist with general StatCounter enquiries.

  If you have a general query about StatCounter or your StatCounter account, then you should visit the Help Section of StatCounter where the team on the Support Desk will be happy to help you. Please make sure to submit a full and detailed query to ensure a prompt response.

• How often are StatCounter Global Stats updated? #

  Stats are updated and made available every 4 hours, however are subject to quality assurance testing and revision for 7 days from publication.

• What do you mean by stats are "subject to quality assurance testing and revision for 7 days from publication"? #

  Although we make every effort to ensure that all stats are accurate and comprehensive on publication, we reserve the right to correct the stats in respect of any errors/omissions. After the expiration of a 7 day period, no changes will be made to the data.

• How do I get updates about StatCounter Global Stats? #

  You can keep up-to-date with StatCounter Global Stats in the following ways:

  1. Subscribe to our Global Stats News Feed Global Stats News Feed
  2. Follow Global Stats on Twitter
  3. Or you can visit this page and enter your email address in the bottom left corner to receive email updates

• What is the StatCounter Global Stats sample size per country/region? #

  In July 2009, our global sample consisted of 5.8 billion hits. The ten countries with the largest individual sample sizes are listed below:

  • 1.3 billion United States
  • 570 million Brazil
  • 280 million Turkey
  • 260 million Germany
  • 250 million Thailand
  • 240 million China
  • 240 million United Kingdom
  • 180 million Indonesia
  • 160 million Canada
  • 140 million India

  A full list of sample sizes per country is available here.

• Do you calculate StatCounter Global Stats based on hits to the StatCounter homepage? #

  No. StatCounter Global Stats are based on over 5 billion hits per month, by a random sample of people worldwide, to 3 million global websites, covering multiple interest areas and geographic locations.

• Do you use a toolbar to collect your data? #

  No, StatCounter does not use any kind of toolbar to collect data. To find out more about our methodology, please visit this link.

• Are your Global Stats based on the activity of your members? #

  No. Our Global Stats track the activity of third parties on our member websites. This minimizes bias in our data and ensures a random sample is achieved.

• StatCounter members are largely "technical"; does this influence StatCounter Global Stats? #

  We do NOT base our Global Stats on our members. Our Global Stats are based on the unknown persons who randomly visit our member websites.

• The stats for my site are completely different to StatCounter Global stats - why? #

  There are two difficulties with trying to use the stats for a single website to calculate market share information:

  1. The sample size is generally very small i.e. only the visitors to that one website
  2. The user stats for a single website can be skewed due to the type of person who visits that site. For example, all visitors may be in a certain age group or may have a particular interest area. This can influence the browser/operating system/search engine used.

  The StatCounter Global Stats analysis is based on over 5 billion hits per month, by a random sample of people worldwide, to 3 million global websites, covering multiple interest areas and geographic locations.

• I have noticed a problem/discontinuity in the Global Stats data. #

  At StatCounter we track over 5 billion hits per month on the StatCounter network of more than 3 million websites. We publish a summary of the activity that we track via StatCounter Global Stats.

  In the case of some countries/regions (e.g. Antarctica) the sample size of hits may not be sufficiently large to be statistically robust. In this case, it is possible that there may be some bias in the data and the graphs may become skewed by a small number of users.

• BROWSERS: What Browser Versions do you track? #

  To see the list of Browser Versions currently tracked, please select the Browser Version statistic and choose the Bar Graph option. Next click "Analyze Raw Data" - the downloaded file will list all Browser Versions currently tracked.

• BROWSERS: Why don't you display X browser version on the StatCounter Global Stats graphs? #

  Please note that the significance of a browser is heavily dependent on the time period being examined. For example, Firefox 3.5 (released 30 June 2009) will not appear on a graph of Browser Versions for January 2009, but may appear separately on a graph for July 2009.

  The StatCounter Global Stats graphs adjust to display the most popular browsers for the particular period under analysis. So a browser will be included in the OTHER category if its use is not significant enough to warrant its inclusion as a separate line item FOR THE GIVEN TIME PERIOD.

  To find out how to download a full list of all Browser Versions currently tracked, please visit this link

• BROWSERS: Is it possible for you to show the top ranked browsers? Several new versions are being grouped in "other". #

  Please note that the significance of a browser is heavily dependent on the time period being examined. For example, Firefox 3.5 (released 30 June 2009) will not appear on a graph of Browser Versions for January 2009, but may appear separately on a graph for July 2009.

  The StatCounter Global Stats graphs adjust to display the most popular browsers for the particular period under analysis. So a browser will be included in the OTHER category if its use is not significant enough to warrant its inclusion as a separate line item FOR THE GIVEN TIME PERIOD.

  To find out how to download a full list of all Browser Versions currently tracked, please visit this link

• BROWSERS: Why are you not tracking FireFox 3.5? #

  FireFox 3.5 IS included in our Global Stats, however, please note that the significance of a browser is heavily dependent on the time period being examined.

  The StatCounter Global Stats graphs adjust to display the most popular browsers for the particular period under analysis. So a browser will be included in the OTHER category if its use is not significant enough to warrant its inclusion as a separate line item FOR THE GIVEN TIME PERIOD.

  To find out how to download a full list of all Browser Versions currently tracked, please visit this link

• BROWSERS: Do these numbers include Opera 10? #

  Opera 10 IS included in our Global Stats, however, please note that the significance of a browser is heavily dependent on the time period being examined.

  The StatCounter Global Stats graphs adjust to display the most popular browsers for the particular period under analysis. So a browser will be included in the OTHER category if its use is not significant enough to warrant its inclusion as a separate line item FOR THE GIVEN TIME PERIOD.

  To find out how to download a full list of all Browser Versions currently tracked, please visit this link

• BROWSERS: Can I suggest a new browser StatCounter Global Stats should track? #

  We are always happy to improve our Browser Detection and to do this do this we need FULL DETAILS of the user agent string.

  However, before sending us any details, please review the current list of all browsers tracked. If your suggested browser does NOT appear in the list, then please send us the user agent information so that we can update our detection.

• SEARCH: What Search Engines do you track? #

  To see the list of Search Engines currently tracked, please select the Search Engine statistic and choose the Bar Graph option. Next click "Analyze Raw Data" - the downloaded file will list all Search Engines currently tracked.

• MOBILE: How do you track mobile devices? #

  We track over 5 billion pageloads per month across the StatCounter network of over 3 million websites. We analyze every hit in order to gather as much information as possible. With each hit a useragent string is sent which allows us to determine the the browser and operating system used and also to establish if the hit came from a mobile device.

MOBILE: How do you calculate the Mobile Search figures? #

We track over 5 billion pageloads per month across the StatCounter network of over 3 million websites. We analyze every hit in order to gather as much information as possible. With each hit a useragent string is sent which allows us to determine the the browser and operating system used and also to establish if the hit came from a mobile device. In addition, we examine the referring string information to establish the search engine used (if any). In this way we determine the popularity of the various search engines on mobile devices.

• Do you publish rendering engine stats alongside browser versions. For example, Gecko and Presto? #

  We don't currently publish rendering engine stats, however, this suggestion has been logged and is being assessed by our Development Team.

• Would it be possible to get these statistics for a given US state, e.g. California? #

  We don't currently publish statistics on a state basis, however, this suggestion has been logged and is being assessed by our Development Team.

• Do you provide traffic volume evolution stats per continent/country/language zone/subject/keyword/niche? #

  We don't currently publish traffic evolution stats, however, this suggestion has been logged and is being assessed by our Development Team.

• Do you provide email client usage stats? #

  We don't currently publish email client stats, however, this suggestion has been logged and is being assessed by our Development Team.

• Do you provide flash/shockwave/unity/javascript tracking? #

  We don't currently publish flash/shockwave/unity/javascript stats, however, this suggestion has been logged and is being assessed by our Development Team.

• Do you publish more detailed breakdown of the mobile data e.g. device, model and/or user agent? #

  We don't currently publish mobile statistics showing device/model/user agent, however, this suggestion has been logged and is being assessed by our Development Team.

• You should add Screen Resolutions to your list of stats. #

  While we don't currently publish Screen Resolution stats, this suggestion has been logged and is being assessed by our Development Team.