GA4 vs Universal Analytics: What’s Changed?

GA4 vs. Universal Analytics: What’s Changed?

Google Analytics 4 (GA4) isn't just an update—it’s a fundamental shift in how website and app data is collected, organized, and interpreted.

If you’re still adjusting to the new interface or wondering what happened to your familiar metrics, you’re not alone. Here's a breakdown of the major differences between GA4 and Universal Analytics (UA), and what they mean for your reporting strategy.

1. Event-Based Tracking Model

UA: Tracked pageviews, sessions, and specific event types (category, action, label).

GA4: Everything is an event—including pageviews, clicks, video plays, scrolls, and conversions.

Why it matters:

• More flexibility in tracking user behavior
• Custom events are easier to set up and analyze
• Requires a mindset shift away from session-based thinking

2. Sessions vs. Engagement

UA: Sessions were a core metric, tied to time and activity within a window.

GA4: Focuses on user engagement. Metrics include:

• Engaged sessions
• Engagement rate
• Average engagement time per session

Why it matters:

• Better measurement of active user behavior
• Reduces inflation from passive or bounce-prone visits

3. User-Centric Measurement

UA: Tracked sessions and users separately, often inflated due to cross-device behavior.

GA4: Uses a single user ID across devices and platforms (web and app).

Why it matters:

• More accurate user counts
• Stronger cross-platform attribution

4. Built-In Cross-Platform Tracking

GA4: Designed to unify data from websites, apps, and other platforms natively.

This makes GA4 ideal for:

• SaaS products with mobile apps
• E-commerce with in-app and web funnels
• Brands focused on omnichannel analytics

5. Event Setup and Customization

GA4 introduces:

• Automatic event tracking (scrolls, outbound clicks, file downloads)
• Recommended event structures for ecommerce, media, etc.
• Simplified custom event setup via the GA4 interface

No more relying solely on Google Tag Manager for everything.

6. Conversions and Goals

UA: Goals were based on destination, duration, pages per session, or events.

GA4: Any event can be marked as a conversion.

Why it matters:

• Greater flexibility
• Conversion tracking is now behavior-based, not just page-based

7. Interface and Reporting

GA4 replaces most of the standard reports from UA with:

• Explorations (custom reports)
• Funnels and pathing
• Ad hoc visualizations

There’s a learning curve—but more power for advanced analysis.

8. No Historical Data Carryover

GA4 and UA are separate platforms. Data doesn’t transfer.

• UA stopped collecting data in 2023 (for most users)
• Historical comparisons require external backups or BigQuery exports

Plan your benchmarks accordingly.

9. Built for Privacy and the Future

GA4 is:

• Cookieless by design
• Focused on event-level modeling and machine learning
• GDPR and CCPA friendly

It reflects the future of analytics in a privacy-first world.

Should You Migrate (or Optimize) Now?

Yes. If you haven’t already, full adoption of GA4 is non-negotiable.

• Set up proper events and conversions
• Customize reports and dashboards
• Train your team on the new data model

Need help translating your old reports or making GA4 work for your team? Let’s set up a measurement strategy that fits your business goals.

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