PageGuard vs StatCounter

StatCounter tracks real-time visitor statistics. PageGuard monitors website health — performance, accessibility, technical SEO, and ADA compliance — free to start, no JS code required.

ADA Title II Deadline: April 24, 2026

State and local government websites must meet WCAG 2.1 AA. StatCounter does not audit accessibility. PageGuard monitors performance AND accessibility compliance continuously — alerting you before violations occur, with no JS snippet required.

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PageGuard
Best for: automated site health & ADA compliance monitoring
  • Free tier — scan any site instantly, no signup
  • Performance + Accessibility + SEO + Best Practices
  • ADA / WCAG 2.1 AA compliance monitoring
  • Email alerts when any score drops
  • No JS snippet needed — works on any URL
  • Monitor 1–50 websites from $9/month
StatCounter
Best for: real-time visitor stats & traffic source analytics
  • Real-time visitor dashboard with live data
  • Pageviews, unique visitors, referrers, countries, browsers
  • Free tier available (last 500 pageviews)
  • Free tier limited to 500 pageviews — paid from $20/mo
  • No accessibility or ADA compliance audit
  • Requires JS tracking code on every page

Feature Comparison

Feature PageGuard StatCounter
Pricing Free + from $9/mo Free (limited) or from $20/mo for full data retention
Who is it for? Small businesses, designers, agencies — automated site health monitoring Website owners who want real-time visitor stats, traffic sources, and behavior data
Free tier Yes — unlimited one-off scans, no signup required Yes — free with last 500 pageviews only (limited retention)
Accessibility audit (WCAG / ADA) Yes — WCAG 2.1 AA scored 0–100 with specific issue list No — no accessibility auditing at all
Technical SEO audit Yes — meta tags, headings, canonical, structured data No — no technical SEO analysis
Performance audit (Core Web Vitals) Yes — LCP, CLS, FCP scored 0–100 No — no Core Web Vitals or performance auditing
Visitor analytics No — scans site from outside, not a visitor analytics tool Yes — real-time pageviews, unique visitors, referrers, countries, browsers, OS
Real-time data No — on-demand health snapshots Yes — live real-time visitor dashboard
Requires JS snippet on site No — scans any URL without code changes Yes — StatCounter tracking code must be added to every page
Automated site monitoring Yes — weekly or daily scans, email alerts on score drop No — no site health monitoring or performance alerts
Email alerts on score regression Yes — notified when performance, SEO, or a11y drops No — no health regression alerts
AI-generated plain-English report Yes — explains issues in non-technical language No — shows raw traffic metrics and charts only
Shareable report URL Yes — public link, no login required to view Yes — shareable public stats page option
ADA Title II compliance monitoring Yes — WCAG audit + alert on accessibility regression No — accessibility not covered
Multi-site support Yes — 1–50 sites depending on plan Yes — multiple projects supported

Choose PageGuard if you…

  • Need ADA / WCAG accessibility monitoring (StatCounter doesn’t do this)
  • Want Core Web Vitals + SEO auditing on any URL without adding code
  • Need continuous health monitoring with email alerts on score regression
  • Run a small business, agency, or government site on a budget
  • Want AI-generated plain-English reports for non-technical stakeholders
  • Need a free scan right now without entering payment details

Choose StatCounter if you…

  • Need real-time visitor data — who’s on your site right now
  • Want detailed traffic sources: search engines, referrals, direct visits
  • Need browser, OS, and screen resolution data for design decisions
  • Want a lightweight, simple analytics tool that’s been around since 2000
  • Don’t need WCAG auditing, SEO analysis, or Core Web Vitals scoring

Check Your Site Free — No Credit Card

Performance + Accessibility + SEO + Best Practices in 30 seconds. No StatCounter tracking code or signup needed.

Results in ~30 seconds. 4 scores: Performance, Accessibility, SEO, Best Practices.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is PageGuard a good StatCounter alternative?

For website health monitoring and ADA compliance, yes. PageGuard covers what StatCounter doesn’t — WCAG 2.1 AA accessibility auditing, Core Web Vitals performance scoring, technical SEO analysis, and AI plain-English reports — all free to start. StatCounter is a real-time visitor analytics tool with a free tier limited to 500 pageviews, paid from $20/month for full retention. They solve different problems and can complement each other.

Does StatCounter audit website accessibility or ADA compliance?

No. StatCounter focuses on real-time visitor analytics — pageviews, unique visitors, referrers, browser/OS data — not site quality auditing. It does not check WCAG accessibility compliance. With the ADA Title II deadline on April 24, 2026, websites need dedicated accessibility monitoring. PageGuard provides WCAG 2.1 AA scoring and email alerts when accessibility regresses.

Does PageGuard require a JavaScript snippet like StatCounter?

No — unlike StatCounter, PageGuard scans any URL without requiring you to add tracking code to your site. Just enter a URL and get Performance, Accessibility, SEO, and Best Practices scores in about 30 seconds. No installation, no tracking script, no code changes required on your website.

Can I use PageGuard and StatCounter together?

Yes, they serve complementary purposes. Use StatCounter for real-time visitor analytics — understanding who visits your site, where they come from, what browsers they use, and which pages are most popular. Use PageGuard for site health monitoring — ensuring your pages meet performance, accessibility (WCAG/ADA), and SEO standards with automated alerts when scores drop.

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