AWStats is a website statistics tool available in cPanel that helps you understand how visitors are finding and using your website. It turns raw web server log data into readable reports, making it easier to review traffic, popular pages, search terms, referring websites, visitor countries and more. For website owners, AWStats can be useful for monitoring growth, spotting unusual activity, checking whether marketing efforts are working, and learning which content attracts the most attention.

If your hosting service includes cPanel access, you can use AWStats to review website activity without installing a separate analytics platform. This article explains what AWStats is, how it works, how to access it in cPanel, and what the main report sections mean.

AWStats reads your hosting account’s web server log files. A web server log is a record of requests made to your website, such as page visits, file downloads, and requests from search engine crawlers or bots. AWStats processes this information and organises it into reports.

Because AWStats uses server logs rather than JavaScript tracking, it can sometimes show activity that other analytics tools do not, including bot traffic, requests to non-page files, and visits where a browser has blocked tracking scripts. This makes it useful as a technical traffic reference, although the numbers may differ from tools such as Google Analytics.

* You need access to your cPanel account.

* Your domain or website should already be serving traffic for the reports to show meaningful data.

* AWStats data is based on server log processing, so recent visits may not appear immediately.

1. Log in to your cPanel account.

2. Scroll to the Metrics section.

3. Select AWStats.

4. Find the domain or website you want to review.

5. Select View next to that domain.

6. Review the statistics shown in the AWStats report.

[Screenshot: cPanel Metrics section showing AWStats]

[Screenshot: AWStats domain list with View link]

Depending on your website activity, AWStats may include reports such as:

* Number of visits and unique visitors

* Pages viewed and files requested

* Bandwidth usage

* Visit duration

* Countries visitors are coming from

* Referrers, including websites linking to you

* Search engines and search phrases

* Most viewed pages and entry pages

* HTTP status codes, including error activity such as 404 errors

* Browser and operating system information

These reports can help answer common questions such as whether website traffic is increasing, which pages are most popular, whether another site is sending visitors to you, or whether search engines are crawling your content.

Visits and unique visitors

This section gives a broad overview of traffic levels. A visit usually represents a browsing session, while unique visitors are an estimate of distinct users.

Pages and hits

A page view generally refers to an actual webpage being loaded. Hits are broader and can include images, scripts and other files, so hits are usually much higher than page views and are less useful on their own.

Referrers

Referrers show where visitors came from before reaching your website. This may include search engines, external websites, bookmarks, or direct visits.

Search phrases and keywords

This area may show which search terms led visitors to your site, although modern search engines often limit keyword visibility.

HTTP status codes

This can help identify technical issues. For example, repeated 404 errors may mean visitors or search engines are requesting pages that no longer exist.

Bots and crawlers

AWStats often records automated traffic from search engines and other bots. This is useful for technical analysis, but it also means total activity may look higher than human-only traffic reports in other tools.

* Use AWStats as a server-level reporting tool, especially when you want visibility into raw request activity.

* Compare trends over time rather than focusing on a single day of data.

* Expect differences between AWStats and JavaScript-based analytics tools. They measure traffic differently.

* Review referrers and error codes regularly to spot broken links, suspicious traffic or unexpected sources of visits.

* If your website has just launched, allow some time for traffic data to build up.

AWStats is not showing any data

This can happen if the website has had little or no traffic yet, if log processing has not updated recently, or if you are viewing the wrong domain in cPanel. Wait and check again later, then confirm you selected the correct domain.

The numbers do not match Google Analytics or another analytics tool

This is normal in many cases. AWStats uses server logs, while other platforms often rely on browser-side tracking scripts, cookie consent, and filtering rules. Use each tool according to its purpose.

I cannot find AWStats in cPanel

The feature may be unavailable in your hosting configuration, hidden by the active cPanel theme, or restricted on the account. If you cannot locate it under Metrics, contact support for assistance.

Does AWStats update in real time?

No. AWStats usually updates after server logs are processed, so there may be a delay before the latest visits appear.

Is AWStats the same as Google Analytics?

No. AWStats is a server log analysis tool, while Google Analytics is a browser-based analytics platform. They collect and report data differently.

Can AWStats show bot traffic?

Yes. One of the useful features of AWStats is that it can show bot and crawler activity recorded in server logs.

Can I use AWStats to find broken pages?

Yes. Reviewing HTTP status codes, especially 404 errors, can help you identify missing pages or incorrect links.

How to View Website Statistics in cPanel using AWStats

(New) Viewing Website Statistics in cPanel using AWStats

Signing In to Control Panel

Giving a Customer Access to their cPanel or SolidCP Control Panel

If you require further assistance, please contact Apexhost Support at support@apexhost.com.au.