How it works
A Google tag (gtag.js, or a tag in Google Tag Manager) on each page sends events to a GA4 property. Page views, scrolls, outbound clicks, site searches and file downloads are collected automatically, and you add your own, such as sign_up, or purchase with a value. The events that matter most are marked as key events (formerly called conversions). Standard reports cover traffic, engagement and revenue; Explorations build funnels, paths and segments; and a free BigQuery export hands over the raw events.
GA4 replaced Universal Analytics, which stopped collecting data in 2023, and its event-based model takes some learning. The free tier samples very large Explorations, hides small numbers when some privacy features are on, and keeps user-level data for Explorations for 14 months at most. Analytics 360, the enterprise tier, raises those limits and adds service agreements.
It stores first-party cookies (_ga) and sends data to Google, so in the EU, the UK and similar places it normally needs consent through a cookie banner. Consent Mode tells Google tags what each visitor agreed to, and Google models some of the missing data. Ad blockers stop it for part of the audience.
Google Analytics 4 pros and cons
Pros
- Free, with generous limits for almost any site
- Tight links with Google Ads, Search Console and BigQuery
- Covers websites and mobile apps in one property
- Funnels, audiences and explorations for detailed questions
- Widely known, so agencies, plugins and tutorials are easy to find
Cons
- Steep learning curve, and the interface changes often
- Needs cookie consent in the EU and UK, which leaves gaps in the data
- Blocked by many ad blockers and privacy-focused browsers
- Visitor data goes to Google, which some organisations must avoid
When to use Google Analytics 4
Pick it when
- You run Google Ads and want conversions to flow back into campaigns
- You need funnels, audiences or raw event data in BigQuery
- A marketing team or agency already works in it
Skip it when
- You only need visitors, sources and top pages (a cookieless tool is simpler)
- You want to avoid a consent banner or sending visitor data to Google
Google Analytics 4 pricing
Free
Free for nearly all sites. Analytics 360, with higher limits and service agreements, is sold on custom contracts through Google and its partners; there is no public price.
Approximate, checked September 2026.What the other tools cost
Google Analytics 4 vs the alternatives
Related terms
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