Google Analytics 4
The default web and app analytics platform for the internet, replacing Universal Analytics as of 2023.
What Google Analytics 4 is
Google Analytics 4 (GA4) is Google's current-generation web and mobile-app analytics platform. It replaced Universal Analytics (the prior version, deprecated in July 2023) with a fundamentally different data model: event-based instead of session/hit-based, unified across web and app, and designed around Google's post-cookie privacy stack.
GA4 is free at nearly every use scale and installed on tens of millions of websites globally. Its adoption is essentially universal for SMBs and mid-market; enterprises often pair it with Google Analytics 360 (~$150K/year) for higher data limits and unsampled reporting.
Who uses Google Analytics 4
GA4's install base includes essentially every website with any commercial intent. Small businesses use the free tier as-is; larger organizations either extend GA4 with BigQuery exports (for advanced analysis in their data warehouse) or upgrade to the paid Google Analytics 360 tier.
What Google Analytics 4 costs
Free for the standard tier (with generous but real event-volume and reporting limits). Google Analytics 360 — the paid enterprise tier — starts around $150,000/year with substantially higher event limits, unsampled reports, and enterprise SLA.
Where Google Analytics 4 sits in the growth-vendor context
Google Analytics 4 shows up on shortlists in The Wall's Automation pillar. Buyers who consider Google Analytics 4 typically also evaluate Segment, Ahrefs, Semrush — the shortlist question is usually not whether Google Analytics 4 is a good product (it generally is, or it wouldn't be on the list), but whether its center of gravity fits the company's shape.
Frequently asked
What is Google Analytics 4?
Google Analytics 4 is Google's current web and mobile-app analytics platform. It uses an event-based data model to measure user behavior across websites and apps, and provides free reporting on traffic sources, user acquisition, engagement, retention, and conversions.
How much does Google Analytics 4 cost?
Free for the standard tier. Google Analytics 360, the paid enterprise version, starts around $150,000/year and offers substantially higher event limits, unsampled data, and enterprise SLAs. Most businesses run entirely on the free tier.
What is the difference between GA4 and Universal Analytics?
Universal Analytics (the prior version) used a session/hit-based data model. GA4 uses an event-based model where every user interaction is an event. GA4 is unified across web and mobile, better handles cookieless measurement, and integrates natively with Google Ads and BigQuery. Universal Analytics stopped processing new data in July 2023.
Is GA4 as good as Universal Analytics was?
For most standard reporting tasks, yes — better in some ways (unified web + app, better mobile support). For advanced e-commerce and custom reports, many analysts consider GA4 more complex and less immediately readable than Universal Analytics. The transition period is largely complete in 2026.
What are the best Google Analytics alternatives?
Plausible and Fathom (privacy-focused, lightweight, subscription-based), Matomo (open-source, self-hostable), Adobe Analytics (enterprise alternative), Amplitude and Mixpanel (product-analytics-focused, complement rather than replace GA4), Simple Analytics (privacy-first alternative for small sites).
ALTERNATIVES
Segment — The most widely-adopted customer data platform (CDP), owned by Twilio. Ahrefs — The most-used all-in-one SEO toolset for keyword research, backlink analysis, and content strategy. Semrush — The other dominant all-in-one SEO and digital-marketing toolset, spanning SEO, PPC, content, and social.RELATED IN THE ATLAS
Automation — the pillar this platform lives in The Wall glossary — 200+ growth-vendor terms defined Data briefings on the US growth-vendor marketThe Wall is an independent directory. This page describes Google Analytics 4 as a market entity for buyer reference; Google Analytics 4 is not a paid inclusion, sponsor, or affiliate. Facts on this page are compiled from public sources including the vendor's own website, SEC filings where applicable, and industry references. Corrections: contact page.