How is the attribution stored?

Attribution data is stored in a custom database table created on activation. Personal data is handled through the WordPress privacy API for GDPR export and erasure requests.

Can I use this on a multisite network?

The plugin supports standard single-site and multisite WordPress installations. On multisite, each sub-site maintains its own attribution data.

What PHP version is required?

PHP 7.4 or higher. The plugin is tested on PHP 8.1 and 8.2.

CQI Referrer Attribution

Referrer Attribution that finds out if AI is sending you customers

Q: Does it work without cookies?

Attribution is stored server-side against a session identifier. The session identifier uses a cookie. If cookies are blocked, the plugin degrades gracefully - the session is classified but attribution is not persisted across visits.

Q: What counts as an AI referral?

Any session where the HTTP referrer header matches a known domain in the AI Referrer Taxonomy. The free plugin includes 19 platforms and growing (ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude, Perplexity, Copilot, and others), and every entry can be added, edited, deactivated, or deleted, no license key required.

Q: Is it compatible with WooCommerce?

Yes, with Pro. Pro records the attributed channel against each completed WooCommerce order. The free plugin includes the public PHP API if you want to build your own conversion recording without Pro.

Q: What happens when UTM parameters conflict with a referrer?

UTM parameters take priority over the referrer header. A session with utm_source=email is classified as Email regardless of the referring domain.

See which channels actually bring visitors to your WordPress site, including ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude, Perplexity, and Copilot, before that traffic disappears into Direct. Server-side, no JavaScript, no sampling.

Install Free View Pro

Free tier available now. Pro from $29.99/month.

Every channel that sends you traffic, including AI

AI tools Organic search Social media Email Paid search Paid display Campaign (UTM) Referral Direct

Quick Answer

Is ChatGPT actually sending you traffic?

Referrer Attribution identifies the source channel of every visit to your WordPress website, including a dedicated AI channel for ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude, Perplexity, Copilot, and more, so that traffic stops disappearing into Direct. It reads the HTTP referrer header and UTM parameters on arrival, classifies the visit into one of nine channels, and stores that attribution server-side. No JavaScript. No third-party scripts. No sampling.

Attribution data lives in your database. You own it.

Attribution channels

AI platforms identified

Third-party scripts

100%

Server-side - no JavaScript

Referrer Attribution Pro v1.10.0 WordPress dashboard showing three-panel traffic overview: By Channel donut, By Source donut, and Sessions Per Day bar chart, with AI Tools sessions visible in the stat cards

What you actually find out

Server-side classification across nine channels, including AI. No JavaScript, no third-party scripts, no sampling.

Session Journey

Every page in a visit is recorded in order. Click any multi-page session in the Reports view and the full path expands: every page, the time between each stop, and a conversion marker at the end.

Server-side classification

Attribution runs entirely in PHP. No client-side JavaScript required to classify a session. Runs before the page renders, before any blocker can intervene.

AI Referrer Taxonomy

19 AI platforms identified and growing: ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude, Perplexity, Copilot, and more. Editable, exportable, and updateable without a plugin update.

Live session counter

The Dashboard shows a live session count that updates automatically as new sessions arrive. See activity in real time without refreshing the page.

Channel and source charts

Two breakdown charts on the Dashboard: one by channel, one by specific source. Plus a sessions-per-day bar chart. All free, no upgrade needed.

Consent gate integration

Holds attribution until the visitor grants consent. Integrates with Complianz and CookieYes out of the box.

Public PHP API

Two functions let any theme or plugin read the current session channel and source. Write attribution to WooCommerce order meta in a single hook.

Self-referral exclusion

Internal navigation from your own domain does not overwrite original attribution.

GDPR personal data hooks

Registered with the WordPress Privacy API for data export and erasure requests.

Read attribution anywhere in your theme or plugin

Two public PHP functions give any theme or plugin access to the current session's attribution data. No database query required on your end. The values are already set by the time your template loads.

functions.php

// Show the attribution channel in a WooCommerce order confirmation
add_action('woocommerce_thankyou', function( $order_id ) {
    $channel = cqip_attr_get_channel();
    $source  = cqip_attr_get_source();

    if ( $channel ) {
        update_post_meta( $order_id, '_attribution_channel', $channel );
        update_post_meta( $order_id, '_attribution_source',  $source );
    }
});

// Conditionally show content based on how the visitor arrived
if ( cqip_attr_get_channel() === 'AI Referrer' ) {
    // This visitor came from ChatGPT, Perplexity, Claude, or similar
    get_template_part( 'template-parts/banner-ai-visitor' );
}

Both functions return a string or an empty string if no session is active. Full API reference in the Pro features documentation.

Problems CQI Referrer Attribution solves

Challenge

Only seeing where a visit started, not what happened next

CQI Referrer Attribution records every page in a visit as a Session Journey, correctly credited back to the original channel. Click any multi-page session in the Reports view and the full path expands inline: every page the visitor passed through, in order, with time between each stop and a conversion marker at the end. No upgrade required.

The result

The full session path, free, with zero added privacy exposure.

Challenge

Not knowing if ChatGPT, Gemini, or Perplexity is sending you customers

Traffic from AI platforms does not carry standard UTM parameters. Without a dedicated taxonomy, ChatGPT referrals appear as direct or unknown, so AI traffic looks like it does not exist. The AI Referrer Taxonomy maps 19 platforms and growing by their known referrer domains.

The result

AI-originated visits in their own channel, separate from organic and direct, so you can see whether AI is actually sending you anyone.

Challenge

Lost traffic source visibility

Client-side analytics tools miss sessions where JavaScript is blocked, ad blockers are active, or the visitor bounces before the tracking pixel fires. CQI Referrer Attribution runs before the page renders - classifying every session regardless of client behavior.

The result

Complete session data with no sampling or client-side dependency.

Challenge

Analytics platform dependency

Hosted analytics platforms can drop data, change pricing, or alter their tracking methodology without notice. CQI Referrer Attribution stores attribution in your WordPress database under your control.

The result

Attribution data you own, on your server, with no external dependency.

Privacy by design

Built to the standard privacy tools are built to avoid

Every technical decision in CQI Referrer Attribution starts from the same question: what is the minimum data needed to answer the attribution question? The answer drove the architecture: server-side, no third-party scripts, no cross-site identifiers.

No personal data processed

IP addresses are not stored. Sessions are identified by a random daily-rotating token derived from no personal identifier. Device fingerprinting is not used. There is nothing to export, erase, or explain under GDPR.

Consent-aware architecture

A built-in consent gate holds attribution until the visitor grants consent, with recognised support for Complianz and CookieYes. GPC (Sec-GPC) header support is included as standard.

Your data, your server

Attribution data is stored in your own database on your own server. No data leaves your infrastructure. No third-party scripts, no analytics platform with access to your visitor records, no vendor lock-in.

Free

^$0

Forever free

Install Free

9-channel classification, including AI Referrer
Session Journey: full page-by-page path per visit
Live session counter on the Dashboard
Channel, source, and sessions-per-day charts
AI Referrer Taxonomy: 19 platforms, fully editable
Unlimited session log with CSV export
Consent gate, bot filtering, self-referral exclusion
Public PHP API and GDPR hooks

Common questions

Does this replace Google Analytics?

No. CQI Referrer Attribution is a channel attribution tool, not a full analytics platform. It identifies the source channel of a visit and records every page viewed during that visit, correctly credited back to the original channel, plus optional conversion events. It does not track session duration or activity across separate visits.

Does it work without cookies?

What counts as an AI referral?

Is it compatible with WooCommerce?

What happens when UTM parameters conflict with a referrer?

Not running WordPress? Refer App brings the same accurate channel attribution to any website — no WordPress required, no changes to your existing site files. See the standalone app →

Find out which channels actually work

The free plugin is available now, with no time limit and no usage cap. Install in under two minutes and see your real channel breakdown, including AI traffic, on your own dashboard. Upgrade to Pro for tagging, trends, conversion tracking, and Insights.

Install Free View Pro plans

No credit card required for the free tier.

Referrer Attribution that finds out if AI is sending you customers

Is ChatGPT actually sending you traffic?

What you actually find out

Session Journey

Server-side classification

AI Referrer Taxonomy

Live session counter

Channel and source charts

Consent gate integration

Public PHP API

Self-referral exclusion

GDPR personal data hooks

Read attribution anywhere in your theme or plugin

Problems CQI Referrer Attribution solves

Only seeing where a visit started, not what happened next

Not knowing if ChatGPT, Gemini, or Perplexity is sending you customers

Lost traffic source visibility

Analytics platform dependency

Built to the standard privacy tools are built to avoid

No personal data processed

Consent-aware architecture

Your data, your server

Start free. No limits, no trial.

Common questions

Does this replace Google Analytics? +

Does it work without cookies? +

What counts as an AI referral? +

Is it compatible with WooCommerce? +

What happens when UTM parameters conflict with a referrer? +

Find out which channels actually work

Does this replace Google Analytics?

Does it work without cookies?

What counts as an AI referral?

Is it compatible with WooCommerce?

What happens when UTM parameters conflict with a referrer?