Open Web Analytics Web Hosting with Free Domain

Open Web Analytics Features

Open Web Analytics Hosting Plans

Choose a plan for the workload, retained data and processing needs of your Open Web Analytics installation. For analytics, consider the combined volume of tracked actions, report processing and database growth. Compare the promotional price, renewal price, term and included services in the table below. For selection criteria, see our hosting plan guide. Confirm the selected release matches the available server versions.

All Open Web Analytics Plans Include

Website Uses

• Analyzing visitor activity across business websites
• Measuring configurable application actions
• Investigating page interactions with reviewed recording settings

Installation

Softaculous in cPanel: RSH Web Services offers installation of Open Web Analytics through Softaculous in cPanel. Open Softaculous, select Open Web Analytics, review the offered package and installation checks, choose the intended domain and directory, then follow its setup form. Complete the compatibility and maintenance checks above before putting the application into public use.

For an introduction to the installer, see how Softaculous works.

Manual installation: Use the official release and installation instructions, create its database in cPanel, upload the complete built package and run setup. Configure the tracking client and required maintenance job. A source checkout needs its documented dependencies and asset build before serving the tracker.

Hosting Requirements and Licensing

Current official requirements specify PHP 8.2+ with pdo_mysql or mysqli, JSON, mbstring and PCRE. MySQL 5.7+ is supported, with compatible engines such as MariaDB. Apache 2.x is supported; nginx needs equivalent rewrite rules. Current OWA needs a cron entry and command-line PHP for periodic maintenance. A source checkout also needs Composer and a JavaScript asset build. Learn more about PHP hosting requirements. Our MySQL guide explains the database service.

OWA is licensed under GPL version 2 or later. Review third-party dependencies and any separately obtained modules when extending the installation.

Migration

cPanel options first: Start with a review of the existing Open Web Analytics installation. cPanel File Manager can transfer or package its files; for a database-backed installation, cPanel database tools and phpMyAdmin support exporting and importing its database. Ask support about an intact account transfer before attempting a manual rebuild. Preserve analytics tables, site identifiers, configuration, tracker endpoints and modules.

Preserve the full database and configuration, maintain site identifiers and review tracking addresses. Recreate the applicable cPanel scheduled maintenance job with the correct PHP binary, then confirm both new events and historical reports.

Manual move: Copy the matching application files and all storage from a consistent snapshot, update only the required connection or path settings, and test site identifiers, browser tracking requests and scheduled maintenance. Pause writes during the final synchronization to avoid divergent records. Review our website migration checklist for URL continuity.

Upgrades

cPanel preparation: Preserve the existing files and storage with cPanel tools before a version change. Check the selected PHP version and package requirements first. Confirm the application-specific update procedure and available package before proceeding.

Manual upgrade review: Review official release and upgrade documentation for changed interfaces, modules and tracking assets. Update a restored copy first, apply the documented database changes and test the browser tracker before moving the production installation.

Security and Privacy

Limit access to analytics dashboards and review recording behavior before collecting page interactions. Keep confidential form values and identifying URLs out of captured data, and set appropriate retention and deletion procedures.

Keep the Open Web Analytics administrator account separate from public participation or tracking. Use strong credentials, supported server software and the narrowest file permissions that allow operation. Review online privacy principles before collecting identifying information.

Backups and Recovery

cPanel backup options: Save a consistent copy of the Open Web Analytics application directory and its storage with cPanel file and database tools. Include all database tables when the installed package uses a database, as well as settings and uploaded resources.

Recovery check: Restore a sample backup into a separate private location and verify site identifiers, browser tracking requests and scheduled maintenance before relying on it. Disable collection or invitations in the test copy to prevent duplicate activity. Retain an independent copy and confirm backup frequency and retention with support. See our website backup guide.

Resources and Demos

Original demo and video links are retained for reference. A link that opens is not proof that its demonstration is working, current or suitable for production. Check the application and version shown before following a tutorial.

Frequently Asked Questions

Should I enable OWA session recordings on every page?

Start with a limited, reviewed set of pages and understand what the installed recorder captures. Forms, account pages and private content can expose information that is unnecessary for usability analysis. Test with sample data before launch and confirm masking or exclusion behavior in the actual build rather than assuming all sensitive fields are protected automatically.

Why does an OWA source checkout not serve the tracker?

A development checkout can omit generated dependencies and built browser assets. The official repository describes installing Composer and JavaScript dependencies and building the front-end assets. Use the documented release process rather than uploading an incomplete tree. Confirm the tracking file loads successfully and records a test event before adding its address to production pages.

Do I need a separate OWA installation for each website?

OWA supports managing multiple websites in one server installation. Use the correct site identifier in each tracking integration and review reporting permissions carefully. Keeping one service can simplify maintenance, but its combined event volume and database growth still need planning. Test every site separately so visits are not attributed to the wrong property.

Why does a Open Web Analytics visitor count differ from a pageview count?

A person can view several pages in one visit, so pageviews and visitors measure different things. Visitor identification also depends on the tracking method and privacy configuration. When reading Open Web Analytics reports, name the metric precisely and compare matching periods. Avoid presenting a rise in repeated page loads as proof that more people reached the website.

Can Open Web Analytics reports include my own test visits?

Yes, administrative browsing and test activity can enter the dataset unless they are excluded by a verified configuration. Before evaluating a campaign in Open Web Analytics, document test periods and identify known internal activity. Use the filtering options confirmed for your installed version, and preserve enough context to distinguish a product test from genuine audience behavior.

How should I compare date ranges in Open Web Analytics?

Use the same reporting time zone and comparable periods, such as equal-length weeks with similar weekdays. Check that tracking ran for the entire interval before comparing totals in Open Web Analytics. A partial day or a gap in collection can look like a traffic decline. Record campaigns, outages and collection changes alongside the report to make comparisons interpretable.

Do Open Web Analytics campaign reports reveal every traffic source?

No analytics system observes every source perfectly. Missing referrer information, privacy controls, blocked trackers and untagged messages can make origin uncertain. Use consistent, tested campaign tagging with Open Web Analytics and keep ambiguous traffic visible rather than assigning it to a guessed source. Explain those limits when sharing a report with colleagues or clients.

Will Open Web Analytics tell me why a visitor left?

Analytics can show measured behavior, but it does not establish a person's motivation. A short visit might reflect a successful answer, a technical problem or loss of interest. Use Open Web Analytics findings to choose a page for investigation, then combine them with user feedback and testing. Avoid treating a single metric as a diagnosis of intent.

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