GhostStat vs StatCounter: the classic counter, without cookies

StatCounter has counted websites since the days of the hit counter at the bottom of the page, and it still offers a free plan, real-time visitor feeds and, on its top tier, heatmaps. GhostStat shares the love for public counters but measures without cookies. This comparison of GhostStat vs StatCounter covers cookies, IP addresses, history, features and price, with every claim about StatCounter linked to statcounter.com.

Last checked: 11 October 2026. If something here is out of date, tell us.

StatCounter vs GhostStat at a glance

Cookies and IP addresses

StatCounter’s cookie page lists two analytics cookies on sites that use its tracker: sc_is_visitor_unique, a first-party cookie with a random ID “to avoid counting you as a visitor more than once”, kept for 2 years, and is_unique, a third-party cookie from statcounter.com kept for 5 years. Its cookie FAQ explains that site owners can opt out of StatCounter’s analytics cookies in their project settings.

On IP addresses, StatCounter’s GDPR article takes the view that an IP address should not be treated as personal data for its users, and offers a “mask ip address” setting that removes the last octet for those who disagree.

GhostStat stores nothing on the visitor’s device: no cookies, no localStorage, no sessionStorage and no fingerprinting. The IP address is used in memory to look up an approximate location, then dropped; it is never written to disk. Visitors are counted with an identifier that is salted per site and rotates daily, and the data is stored in Dronten, the Netherlands. Our privacy policy lists exactly what is collected.

Plans and history

StatCounter’s pricing page lists a free Basic plan with 5,000 sessions a month and 14 days of data retention, Premium from $9 a month for 20,000 sessions with 3 years of retention, and Premium Plus from $19 a month with heatmaps, Google Ads integration and UTM campaign tracking, plus 5 years of retention. Session replay is a separate add-on from $9 a month for 1,000 recordings. A 30-day trial needs no card.

GhostStat’s Free plan covers one site with every tool under a monthly view allowance, and paid plans add sites, traffic and history. The live numbers are on our pricing page. Every tool is available on every plan, Free included:

• Heatmaps for clicks, scrolling and movement, per device.
• Session recordings with every form input masked by default.
• Funnels, goals, form analytics and A/B tests.
• Ecommerce, cohorts and retention.
• Visitor intelligence: intent, friction and attention per visit.
• Public stats pages and counters to share your numbers.

On the Free plan each plugin has a monthly view allowance; paid plans remove it. The live numbers are on the pricing page.

A soft spot for the hit counter

Both products still ship the classic visitor counter. GhostStat’s public counters are cookie-free like the rest of the product, can be styled to match your site, and every site that opts in appears in the public counter directory, ranked by pageviews. If you also want to share your numbers in full, GhostStat can publish a public stats page for your site.

Installing each tool

Both tools start with a snippet in your pages. With StatCounter you create a project and copy its code; the cookie and IP-masking options live in the project settings, so check them before you go live if you serve visitors in Europe.

GhostStat is installed with one snippet before </head>; the install page in the app fills in your site key. There are no cookie settings to remember because there are no cookies, and IP addresses are never written to disk whatever you configure. Switch on the tools you need per site, such as heatmaps on your most important page or a funnel for your contact form.

Questions to ask before you choose

• Do you want a cookie banner for analytics? StatCounter sets cookies unless you switch them off; GhostStat never sets them.
• How much history do you need on the free plan? StatCounter Basic keeps 14 days; compare with GhostStat’s Free plan.
• Do you need heatmaps, recordings or campaigns? On StatCounter they sit on higher tiers or add-ons; on GhostStat they are on every plan.

Trying GhostStat next to StatCounter

You do not have to switch in one go. Add the GhostStat snippet next to your StatCounter code, leave both running for a few weeks and compare. Numbers will differ, because each tool counts visitors in its own way, so watch the trends rather than exact totals. Switch on one or two plugins, such as heatmaps on your most important page, to see what they add. If you decide to stay with StatCounter, remove the GhostStat snippet and nothing else changes on your site. Setup help is here.

StatCounter or GhostStat: how to choose

Choose StatCounter if you want a long-established tracker with real-time visitor feeds and long data retention on its paid plans, and cookies are not a concern.

Choose GhostStat if you want cookie-free counting, heatmaps, recordings, funnels and visitor intelligence on every plan, data stored in the Netherlands, and a hit counter for old times’ sake. Start free.

Also see GhostStat vs Google Analytics 4, GhostStat vs Microsoft Clarity and the best privacy-first analytics tools.

Sources

• StatCounter: Pricing
• StatCounter: Cookies and cookie options
• StatCounter: GDPR and IP addresses