29 Differences between Google Analytics 4 and Universal Analytics

Universal Analytics (UA) and Google Analytics 4 (GA4) are both web analytics tools offered by Google, but they differ in several ways:

1. Data collection: UA collects data through pageviews and events, while GA4 collects data through events and user properties. In GA4, events are the primary data type, and they can be used to track actions such as clicks, form submissions, video plays, and more.
2. Data organization: In UA, data is organized into dimensions and metrics. Dimensions are attributes of data, such as the source or medium, while metrics are quantitative measurements, such as pageviews or sessions. In GA4, data is organized into events and parameters. Events are actions taken by users, and parameters provide additional information about those events.
3. User-centric tracking: GA4 is designed to provide a more complete picture of user behavior across multiple devices and platforms. With GA4, users can be tracked based on a unique user ID, which allows for better tracking of user behavior over time and across devices.
4. Machine learning: GA4 includes built-in machine learning capabilities that allow it to automatically identify important trends and insights in data. This can help marketers and analysts to more quickly identify key performance indicators (KPIs) and make data-driven decisions.
5. Reporting: UA includes a wide range of pre-built reports and dashboards, while GA4 provides a more customizable approach to reporting. GA4 allows users to build custom reports and dashboards using a drag-and-drop interface, and it provides access to a more flexible data modeling system.
6. Cross-device tracking: GA4 includes advanced cross-device tracking capabilities that allow it to more accurately track users across multiple devices, even when they are not logged in. This is particularly useful for businesses that have a mobile app and a website, as it allows them to track users as they move between devices.
7. Data privacy: GA4 is designed to be more privacy-friendly than UA, as it uses a different data model that relies on event-based tracking rather than cookies. This means that businesses using GA4 may be less likely to run afoul of data privacy regulations like GDPR and CCPA.
8. Integration with other Google tools: GA4 is designed to work seamlessly with other Google tools, including Google Ads, Google Optimize, and Google Tag Manager. This makes it easier for businesses to track and analyze data across multiple platforms and channels.
9. Migration: For businesses that are already using UA, migrating to GA4 can be a complex process. GA4 uses a different data model and tracking code, which means that businesses will need to make significant changes to their tracking setup in order to switch to GA4. However, Google provides tools and resources to help businesses make the transition.
10. User interface: GA4 has a more modern and intuitive user interface compared to UA. It has a simplified navigation and provides more visual aids to help users understand their data.
11. Focus on engagement: GA4 focuses more on user engagement metrics such as scroll depth and video engagement, whereas UA is more geared towards conversion tracking.
12. Event tracking: GA4 event tracking is more flexible and powerful than UA. GA4 allows businesses to define custom events and track them using up to 25 parameters, whereas UA is limited to predefined events and custom event tracking with up to 4 parameters.
13. Data sampling: UA has a higher likelihood of data sampling than GA4. Data sampling is the process of aggregating data to speed up processing time, and it can lead to less accurate insights.
14. Data retention: GA4 retains data for up to 14 months by default, whereas UA retains data for up to 26 months. However, both tools allow businesses to adjust their data retention settings.
15. Ecommerce tracking: GA4 includes more advanced ecommerce tracking capabilities compared to UA. It includes features such as enhanced transaction reporting and support for multiple currencies.
16. Data modeling: GA4 has a more advanced data modeling system compared to UA. It uses machine learning to automatically analyze user behavior and identify patterns, which can help businesses better understand their customers.
17. Custom metrics: GA4 allows businesses to define custom metrics based on their specific needs, whereas UA is limited to predefined metrics.
18. Tagging: GA4 uses a different tagging system compared to UA. It requires businesses to implement the Global Site Tag (gtag.js) or Google Tag Manager (GTM) to track data, whereas UA uses the older analytics.js tracking code.
19. Attribution modeling: GA4 includes a more advanced attribution modeling system compared to UA. It provides businesses with more insight into how different channels and touchpoints contribute to conversions.
20. Real-time data: GA4 offers more real-time data processing compared to UA. It can process events in real-time, allowing businesses to see up-to-date data on their website or app activity.
21. Cohort analysis: GA4 includes a cohort analysis feature that allows businesses to group users based on shared characteristics, such as the date they first started using the website or app. This can help businesses better understand user behavior over time.
22. Machine learning: GA4 includes more machine learning capabilities compared to UA. It uses machine learning to automatically identify trends and insights in data, which can help businesses make more informed decisions.
23. User privacy: GA4 is designed to be more privacy-friendly compared to UA. It uses a consent mode feature that allows businesses to obtain user consent for data collection, and it supports data deletion requests in compliance with data protection regulations.
24. Integration with Google BigQuery: GA4 integrates more seamlessly with Google BigQuery compared to UA. This allows businesses to easily export their data for more advanced analysis and modeling.
25. Cross-device tracking: GA4 offers better cross-device tracking compared to UA. It uses a more advanced user ID system that allows businesses to track user behavior across multiple devices and sessions.
26. Data visualization: GA4 includes more advanced data visualization tools compared to UA. It provides businesses with more flexible and customizable charts, graphs, and dashboards for visualizing their data.
27. User-centric reporting: GA4 offers more user-centric reporting compared to UA. It focuses on user behavior and engagement metrics, which can help businesses better understand their audience and improve their user experience.
28. Funnel analysis: GA4 includes a more advanced funnel analysis feature compared to UA. It provides businesses with more detailed insights into the steps users take on their website or app and identifies where users drop off.
29. Data-driven attribution: GA4 includes a data-driven attribution feature that uses machine learning to analyze user behavior and identify which touchpoints are most effective at driving conversions.