Alexa alternatives?

IT.com

Mallard

Member
Alexa is well known for ranking websites by traffic, but since it changed its recording methods it has been very inaccurate about traffic outside the US because the new ranking method relies on a browser toolbar that's primarily installed by US users. With Google Pagerank gone, are there any other free methods of ranking pages and comparing website traffic?
 
Good question, but I don't know the answer. Alexa is what I always used. This would really stink if sites evaluations went down because of this.
 
SimilarWeb is the standard most are using now.

You can still get Alexa stats by typing in - alexa.com/siteinfo/example.org.

Being inaccurate isn't new. It's always been an iffy way to guesstimate visitors.
 
I have always used Alexa but maybe I need to check on the inaccuracies. Are you able to get around the obstacle of being outside the US by using a VPN?
 
I have always used Alexa but maybe I need to check on the inaccuracies. Are you able to get around the obstacle of being outside the US by using a VPN?
No, because the problem isn't server-side. Alexa only counts the visits from users who have installed the Alexa toolbar, in their browser which is normally installed by US visitors and not common among visitors outside the US. One of my sites gets a lot of traffic from China which Alexa just doesn't show, because those visitors haven't installed the Alexa toolbar in their browser.
 
That can't be very accurate, then. I never did use Alexa before, but I think there should be more accurate alternatives to Alexa by now if everyone was aware of just how inaccurate it was.
 
Is there a way to compare sites from all over the world or are these tools like Alexa and Similar Web just for websites that are in America only?
 
I think the problem is that Alexa is a name people know, and for US users it is pretty accurate so it takes time for other regions to realise it has issues. I'm trying out Quantcast now. It matches what Google Analytics and Statcounter tell me my visitors are far more than Alexa does, and it is free and publicly available.
 
How does Quintcast work and is it a free or paid service? I would love to find ways of learning more about my audience if it will help me attract more of my ideal readers.
 
How does Quintcast work and is it a free or paid service? I would love to find ways of learning more about my audience if it will help me attract more of my ideal readers.
Quantcast is free for the basic service and has premium options which I'm not using. It works like statcounter (also free) in that you put the code in the header of your site and it tracks visitors and breaks down regions and site demographics. So far it's been pretty good. And unlike Alexa it tracks the Chinese traffic.
 

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