Google Analytics 4 (GA4) and Universal Analytics (UA) have several key differences, specifically about how data is collected, processed, and analyzed. Below are the main distinctions between GA4 and UA. If you have further questions about GA4, please contact our GA4 consultants and we will be happy to help.

Here are the main distinctions:

Data Collection and Structure

Event-Based Model

• GA4 uses an event-based model where each interaction is considered an event. This helps GA4 users better understand user interactions. For example, a pageview is an event and the start of a session is an event.
• UA uses a session-based model, which groups user interactions within a specific time frame.

Data Streams

• GA4 supports multiple data streams from websites, apps, and other digital platforms within a single property. For instance, a single GA4 property can include a data stream for a website, an iOS app, and an Android app. The data collected from all these sources is consolidated within the single GA4 property. This unified view allows GA4 users to gain a holistic understanding of how users interact with both the website and the apps, facilitating better insights and improvements to overall website and app performance.
• UA is primarily designed for websites, with limited support for app tracking, and it requires separate properties for web and app data. This setup prevents users from gaining a holistic view of how their audiences interact across websites and apps.

User Tracking

• GA4 focuses on user journeys across devices and platforms, providing a more holistic view of user behavior using technologies such as Google Signals. When an online user signs in to their Google account on both desktop and mobile devices and visits a website while logged in, GA4 can determine that both visits are from the same person. This approach helps GA4 collect and deliver more accurate data.
• UA is more session-oriented, which can lead to fragmented user data when interactions occur across different devices. For example, UA can’t always determine that visits from the same user on both desktop and mobile are from the same person.

User IDs

• GA4 has more advanced support for user IDs, enabling more accurate cross-device tracking. This means GA4 has a better chance of identifying the same user across multiple devices.
• UA has user IDs capability but with less emphasis on cross-device integration.

Reporting and Analysis

Customizable Reporting

• GA4 offers more customizable and detailed reporting with advanced analysis tools like Explorations, which allow for deeper insights without requiring complex setups.
• UA provides a set of predefined reports, which can be limiting in terms of customization and depth of analysis.

Machine Learning

• GA4 uses machine learning to provide predictive insights, anomaly detection, and automated insights. This helps GA4 users gain insights or identify problems with their GA4 properties more quickly.
• UA has limited machine learning capabilities, mainly focused on basic alerting and anomaly detection.

Privacy and Data Control

• GA4 is designed with privacy in mind, offering more granular data controls and supporting compliance with regulations like GDPR and CCPA.
• UA has less focus on privacy, with fewer built-in tools for managing data retention and user consent.

Integration with Google Products

• GA4 offers better integration with Google Ads, BigQuery, and other Google products, providing more efficient ways to connect and share data. This integration allows GA4 to send and receive data from other Google products, enabling users to perform advanced data analysis.
• UA offers integrations with other Google products but the integration is less streamlined and requires additional configurations.