=== Page Visit Counter Analytics - Google Analytics Alternative for WordPress ===
Contributors: ankitmaru, siapanchal
Tags: analytics, page visit, heatmap, wordpress analytics, privacy-first  
Requires at least: 5.5  
Tested up to: 6.9
Requires PHP: 7.2  
Stable tag: 3.1.0
License: GPLv2 or later  
License URI: http://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-2.0.html  
Plugin URI: https://pluginstack.dev
Author URI: https://pluginstack.dev

A fast, privacy-first WordPress analytics plugin that tracks views, sessions, bounce rate, traffic, and UTMs—no cookies or external scripts.

== Description ==

**Page Visit Counter Analytics** is a lightweight, privacy-first analytics plugin for WordPress. Track visitor sessions, analyze top pages, measure bounce rate, monitor traffic sources, and view real-time stats—right inside your WordPress dashboard.

Unlike bloated analytics tools, this plugin is built for speed and compliance. No cookies. No tracking pixels. Just clean, powerful insights from your WordPress site—without slowing it down.

Perfect for bloggers, marketers, WooCommerce stores, and anyone who wants actionable analytics without relying on Google Analytics or external services.

> **Get more WordPress tools** — Check out the [PluginStack Bundle](https://pluginstack.dev/?utm_source=page-visit-counter-analytics&utm_medium=readme&utm_campaign=pluginstack_bundle): AI, WooCommerce, Gravity Forms, Analytics & more. All current + upcoming plugins. **One-time payment, no subscription.**

🔥 **Why Choose Page Visit Counter Analytics?**
- Built for **privacy** – no cookies, no PII, fully GDPR/CCPA-ready
- **Real-time visitor stats** and session analytics
- Track **page views, bounce rate, session duration, and pages per session**
- UTM campaign tracking with full summary and source grouping
- Goal tracking & conversion analytics (Pro)
- Lightweight: No impact on site speed
- 100% self-hosted, no 3rd-party servers or APIs

== Features ==

- 📊 **Visitor Analytics**: View daily visits, top pages, devices, browsers, and countries
- ⚡ **Real-Time Stats**: See who's visiting your site right now
- 🔍 **Traffic Sources**: Discover how visitors find your site (referrers, UTM, direct)
- 🎯 **Campaign Tracking**: Full UTM support to track marketing efforts (Pro)
- 🧭 **Session-Level Insights**: Track session duration, bounce rate, pages/session
- ✅ **Goal Completions**: Set and monitor conversion goals (Pro)
- 🔥 **Click Heatmaps**: Visualize visitor clicks on each page (Pro)
- 🔒 **Privacy First**: No cookies, fully compliant with privacy laws
- 🚀 **Fast & Lightweight**: Zero impact on page load times
- 🧩 **Easy to Use**: No configuration needed. Just activate and get insights instantly.

== Migration from Advanced Page Visit Counter ==

If you're upgrading from Advanced Page Visit Counter, your data will be automatically migrated to Page Visit Counter Analytics. The migration process:

- Preserves all your existing page visit data
- Maintains historical analytics
- Transfers your settings and configurations
- Keeps your custom tracking rules

The migration happens automatically when you activate Page Visit Counter Analytics. No manual steps required!

== Screenshots ==
1. Overview dashboard with traffic summary
2. Real-time visitor tracking panel
3. Page-level visit breakdown
4. UTM Campaign analytics (Pro)
5. Goal conversion and funnel view (Pro)

== Installation ==

1. Upload the plugin to your `/wp-content/plugins/` directory
2. Activate through the 'Plugins' menu in WordPress
3. Visit `Visit Counter > Dashboard` to see analytics
4. Configure tracking options under `Visit Counter > Settings`

== Frequently Asked Questions ==

= Is this plugin GDPR-compliant? =
Yes. We take privacy seriously. The plugin:
- Doesn't use cookies
- Doesn't send data to third-party services
- Uses hashed IP addresses
- Collects only essential analytics data
- Is fully self-hosted

= How does the tracking work? =
The plugin uses a lightweight tracking system that:
- Tracks sessions and pageviews in real-time
- Uses session and IP hashes for anonymous tracking
- Doesn't impact your site's performance
- Works without external scripts or cookies

= Can I customize what gets tracked? =
Yes! You can:
- Exclude specific user roles
- Block specific IPs
- Track only logged-in users
- Select which post types to track
- Enable/disable specific metrics

= Does it support custom post types? =
Yes, you can choose which post types to track through the settings panel.

= How does the GeoIP feature work? =
The plugin uses MaxMind's GeoLite2 database for country-level geolocation:
- Database is stored locally
- Updates automatically
- Only determines country of origin
- No personal data is sent to third parties

== Migration from Advanced Page Visit Counter ==

If you're switching from Advanced Page Visit Counter, here's what you need to know:

1. **Data Migration**
   - Your existing visit counts will be automatically migrated
   - Historical data will be preserved
   - No manual data transfer needed

2. **Key Differences**
   - Enhanced privacy features
   - Improved performance
   - More detailed analytics
   - Better dashboard interface
   - No cookie dependency

3. **Migration Steps**
   - Install and activate Page Visit Counter Analytics
   - Deactivate Advanced Page Visit Counter
   - Your data will be automatically migrated
   - Visit the new dashboard to verify the migration

4. **Post-Migration**
   - Review your settings in the new plugin
   - Update any custom shortcodes if used
   - Check your analytics dashboard for data accuracy

== Screenshots ==

1. Analytics Dashboard (Real-time, Sessions, Bounce Rate)
2. Top Pages List with Filters
3. Top Countries & Devices Table
4. Settings Page with Privacy Controls

== Changelog ==

= 3.1.0 = 24th Feb 2026
* Improved overall performance and security
* Enhanced session tracking accuracy
* Updated Freemius SDK integration

= 2.0.0 = 25th Nov 2025
Improved overall performance and security.

= 1.0.5 = 17th June 2025
* Added migration support from Advanced Page Visit Counter
* Improved real-time tracking accuracy
* Fixed session duration calculation
* Enhanced dashboard performance
* Added new traffic source filters

= 1.0.4 = 20th May 2025
Fixed: Realtime chart issue & pro widget issues fixes.

= 1.0.1 = 20th May 2025
Fixed: Dashboard statistics display issue resolved.

= 1.0.0 = 19th May 2025
* Initial release  
* Realtime stats, tracking engine  
* Dashboard charts & cards  
* List pages: top pages, posts, countries, devices, sessions  
* Settings panel with exclusions  
* GeoIP database auto-download  
* Performance & caching ready

== Upgrade Notice ==
