API server hit vs Adobe analytics visit count

[SwatiTi]

why is there a difference between the visit count and the API server hit number?

what is the difference and relation between the 2?

[pradnya_balvir]

Hi @SwatiTi ,

A hit is any server call sent to Adobe Analytics (an image request).

This includes:

• Page views
• Custom link / exit / download link tracking
• Events like scAdd, scCheckout, purchase
• Heartbeat/media calls (if video tracking is enabled)
• Even bot or test hits (if not filtered out)

A visit always ties to a time period, so you know whether to count a new visit if the same person returns to your site. A visit starts when the user first arrives on your site. A visit ends when they meet any of the following criteria:

• 30 minutes of inactivity: Almost all sessions end in this manner. If more than 30 minutes lapse between hits, a new visit begins.
• 12 hours of activity: If a user consistently fires image requests without any 30-minute gaps for more than 12 hours, a new visit automatically starts.
• 2500 hits: If a user generates a large number of hits without starting a new session, a new visit is counted after 2500 image requests.
• 100 hits in 100 seconds: If a visit has more than 100 hits that occur in the first 100 seconds of the visit, the visit automatically ends. This behavior typically indicates bot activity, and this limitation is enforced to help increase report performance.

One visit can have many hits.

Example: A user browses 5 pages → clicks 2 tracked links → adds to cart.

That’s 8 hits (5 page views + 2 link clicks + 1 cart event)

But still 1 visit.

In short: 1 user action = 1 or more hits.

Hits will always be greater than visits.

• Visits are sessions → consolidated view of multiple hits.

• Hits are raw activity → every tracked interaction.

Example:

• 1,000 hits from 200 visitors.

• Those visitors had 250 visits total.

• So you’ll see:

  • Hits (API server calls): 1,000

  • Visits (Adobe Analytics report): 250

Refer the link: https://experienceleague.adobe.com/en/docs/analytics/components/metrics/visits

https://experienceleague.adobe.com/en/docs/analytics/components/metrics/page-views

Thanks.

Pradnya

[Vinay_Chauhan]

Hi @SwatiTi 

The difference comes down to scope -

• Hits (server calls) - every individual request sent to Adobe Analytics (page views, link clicks, events, media pings, etc.).

• Visits - a grouping of hits into a session, based on rules (30 minutes of inactivity, 12 hours max duration, 2,500 hits, or 100 hits in 100 seconds).

So, multiple hits roll up into a single visit. That’s why hit counts will always be higher than visit counts.

Example: a user views 5 pages, clicks 2 links, and adds to cart → 8 hits, but still 1 visit.

In short: hits measure every tracked action, visits measure sessions of user activity.