Php referrer vs server log referrer
 

Did anyone noticed how those two does not match 100% ? Perhaps instead using php server referrer variable would be better to read referrer directly from server log ?

getting referrer from $_SERVER var has always been really inaccurate. I wouldn't trust it for anything serious at all

parsing server logs are your best bet ;]

Yeah i'l just make a custom log which will write only referrer and then parse it with php.

Since it's the browser sending the referrer to begin with, I would say they will return the same result...

Correct however, stats are always tricky. Put 2 counters on your page and they will not return the exact same stats although they use the same technology...

Well most of counters are php based and since they are using this server refferer which is obviously unreliable,better to read server log.Piwik counter does that.