What is Google Analytics 4?

Google Analytics 4 (GA4) is the current version of Google’s web analytics platform. GA4 is event-based: every user interaction is an event that gets measured. This gives more flexibility and depth than the session-based Universal Analytics, which was shut down for good in July 2024.

What is different in GA4?

GA4 is user-centred rather than session-centred. It measures cross-device behaviour, has built-in privacy features (cookieless measurement through modelling) and integrates natively with Google Ads for better attribution. The reporting structure is fundamentally different from Universal Analytics.

GA4 and conversion tracking

In GA4 you mark events as conversions. Use Google Tag Manager for implementation and UTM tags for accurate source reporting per campaign and channel.

GA4 and privacy

GA4 supports server-side tagging and Consent Mode v2, which let you model data even without cookies. This matters for GDPR compliance while you still keep valuable insights.

Is GA4 free?

Yes, the standard version is. GA4 360 (the enterprise version with longer data retention and higher limits) is paid.

How quickly do I see data in GA4?

Realtime data is available immediately. Standard reports have a delay of 24 to 48 hours. More at developers.google.com/search.