Everything you need to know about Google Analytics 4 before you migrate

Dive into a vast content library dedicated to Google Analytics 4 (GA4). Learn about the platform’s data model, reporting capabilities, privacy issues and how it compares to the alternatives.

Google Analytics migration and onboarding – a bigger challenge than you expected?

Google is depreciating Universal Analytics (UA) on July 1, 2023. But the auto migration of UA accounts to GA4 started in March. The forced migration affects multiple aspects of your analytics, including your compliance and performance in Google Ads. Moreover, many users will still need extensive product training to understand the platform, which is based on entirely new concepts. Read our posts to learn about the most alarming issues with Google Analytics auto migration and best practices for moving to a new platform.

GA4 migration problems: What are the alternatives

What are GA4 migration problems? Learn how the automatic migration works, why it might skew your report and how to avoid it.

How to migrate to a new analytics platform: The ultimate guide

Migrating to a new analytics platform is difficult. But we've prepared the ultimate guide to switching web analytics vendors to make this task easier for you.

Analytics implementation: A 12-step guide

Get to know most important steps of analytics implementation. Learn the most practical tips on setting your goals, creating a tracking plan and implementing analytics for your website.

Moving from Universal Analytics 360 to Piwik PRO has always been easy. Now it’s also free – Reach out to claim your offer

Google Analytics 4 data model, explained

The session-based data model has been the gold standard of web analytics for years. The new version of GA, GA4, turns the world of analytics on its head, introducing a fully event-based data model known from platforms such as Mixpanel, Amplitude, and Google Analytics for Firebase. This change will drastically affect how you measure goals, attribute conversions, or do behavioral reporting. Our articles explain the differences between models and their impact on your daily work. We also show the best alternatives to GA4.

Event-based analytics: Everything you need to know

In this article, we present a detailed comparison of session- and event-based tracking methods. Discover which method will work best for you.

Universal Analytics vs. Google Analytics 4: Data models and other key differences explained

Learn about key differences between Universal Analytics and Google Analytics 4 (GA4), including data models, reporting, user interface, learning curve and more.

Is session-based analytics dead? No. Here’s why.

This article discusses session and event scopes in analytics. It also presents use cases for which the session-based model might be better than the new system.

The pros and cons of Google Analytics 4

Switching to GA4 can bring new, exciting possibilities, especially for people with more advanced skills and analytics use cases. But it can also mean losing some essential functionalities, especially for those interested in measuring marketing and website performance. Among other things, GA4 lacks multiple session-related metrics and default reports known from UA. It also introduces tight limits for data sent to Looker Studio. If you want to know more about what you lose and gain when moving to GA4, read our articles.

6 key Google Analytics limitations

Discover the most important limitations of Universal Analytics and Google Analytics 4, including lack of privacy features, dedicated support and more.

Everything you should know about Looker's quota limits for GA4

Discover the key limits of GA4's integration with Looker Studio and how they can impact your everyday work with data.

Google Analytics alternatives - 4 sound reasons to switch

Even though some consider Google Analytics the standard, it's not a perfect choice for everyone. Learn key reasons why you might consider Google Analytics alternatives.

Privacy and security compliance issues with GA4

Google Analytics is a product developed by Alphabet, one of the most potent big techs on the planet. The product has been called out for insufficient privacy settings, sharing user data with the Google ecosystem, and other issues. The US Department of Health & Human Services has also spoken out against the use of GA by HIPAA-covered entities. Learn why Google Analytics is a troublesome choice for companies that want to collect valuable data while respecting user privacy.

Is Google Analytics (3 & 4) GDPR-compliant?

Can you use Google's Universal Analytics or GA4 and comply with GDPR? Most probably not. Read our article to find out why.

Is Google Analytics illegal in the EU?

After reviewing all the recent charges against Google Analytics, can we say that it is banned in Europe? Read our article to learn more.

Is Google Analytics HIPAA-compliant?

The short answer is “probably not”. If you’d like to get into the details and explore two possible scenarios, read on.

Privacy Shield 2.0: What it is and how it will affect your business

What is the future of transatlantic data transfers? Learn about the possible outcomes of the new agreement and its impact on the EU and US businesses.

The invalidation of Privacy Shield and the status of EU-US data transfers

Google Analytics might soon be banned in Norway

Google Analytics might soon be illegal in Norway. Learn how the Norwegian DPA’s decision will affect companies using the Google's product.

Denmark’s data protection authority says Google Analytics is illegal under GDPR

Get details about the decision of the Danish Datatilsynet and the consequences it will have for businesses that use Google Analytics.

Rotem Dar: Google has, on average, more access to personal information than any other company on the globe

Maciej Zawadzinski, CEO at Piwik PRO & Rotem Dar, Product Lead at Crumbs talk about the future of online tracking.

What is privacy-friendly analytics?

So let's walk through some key definitions and must-have elements for any analytics approach that wants to earn the title of privacy-friendly.

6 ways analytics software collects data online – plus a comparison of 5 popular platforms

6 ways analytics software collects data shown on 6 platforms. Learn everything about cookies, fingerprinting and anonymous data collection.

What are the best alternatives to Google Analytics 4?

Companies that want to move away from GA have many options. The market of analytics platforms offers anything from basic cookieless tracking tools to advanced products with countless integrations, access to raw data, and robust reporting. Among them, there are a few privacy-compliant alternatives, including Piwik PRO. Here you’ll find several comparisons of free and paid analytics platforms. See which software best fits your needs.

Google Analytics alternatives – free and paid

Google Analytics’ approach to privacy, data quality, transparency in handling data might make you seek alternatives. See the pluses and minuses of those platforms.

The comparison of leading enterprise web analytics platforms: which solution will be right for you?

Check out our web analytics vendors comparison and get closer to finding the right enterprise-level tool for your organization.

Compare 7 free web analytics platforms - 65-point table

Spend time implementing the platform that will fit your needs. See the pluses and minuses of seven free web analytics platforms.

Piwik PRO vs. UA, UA 360, GA 4 and GA 4 360

Find out about key similarities between Piwik PRO in the free Core and Enterprise plans, and every Google Analytics.

Piwik PRO vs. Universal Analytics & Google Analytics 4

Choosing the right data analytics platform is challenging, as no single tool fits every need. See how Piwik PRO Analytics Suite fares against Universal Analytics and Google Analytics 4.

Switch from Google Analytics to Piwik PRO

Keep universal reporting and comply with privacy laws with one tick of a box. Get effortless migration, advanced analytics, easy product integrations and multiple hosting options.

Piwik PRO vs. Google Analytics 360 & Google Analytics 4 360

Choosing the right analytics software for your organization is no easy feat. That is why we’ve placed Piwik PRO, Google Analytics 4 360 and Google Analytics 360 side by side.

Special offer for GA360 users

Get a free Piwik PRO subscription during migration from Google Analytics 360. Switch to an advanced analytics platform based on familiar concepts to ensure a seamless user experience for all your teams

Piwik PRO vs. Google Analytics

See how Piwik PRO Analytics Suite fares against the new and the old version of Google Analytics

	Universal Analytics	Google Analytics 4	Piwik PRO
Data model	Session-based, supports some event-based use cases	Event-based, supports some session-based use cases	Session- and event-based
Ease of implementation and setup
Ease of use
Raw data access
EU hosting
GDPR compliance

Learn more about the differences and similarities between Piwik PRO and Google Analytics.

FAQ

How long does it take to migrate from UA to GA4?

The process can take anywhere from a few days to a few months, depending on the complexity of your website or app and your team’s skills. Moving to the new Google platform includes some standard steps, such as setting up new properties, implementing new tracking codes, configuring streams and events, and setting up reports. But in most cases, a successful transition will also require extensive product training for your team. You need to ensure they are not intimidated by the complexity of the new platform and feel confident using new reports and metrics to evaluate the performance of their work. So if you plan to switch to GA4 before July 2023, you should start immediately.

Can I migrate historical data from UA to GA4?

No, you can't. Since you won't be able to keep your data anyway, the sunset of Universal Analytics creates an excellent opportunity for companies who'd like to replace GA with a different tool. GA4 is known for its complexity and steep learning curve, so choosing a platform based on concepts you're already familiar with might ease and speed up your onboarding process.

How long does it take to migrate from Universal Analytics to Piwik PRO?

It’s easy to transition between Google Analytics and Piwik PRO because of similar UIs, data layer compatibility, detailed onboarding materials (Core plan), and dedicated support (Enterprise plan). Core plan users will be able to migrate their analytics setup within an hour. With the Enterprise plan, you’ll get extra services related to product implementation and training. In this case, onboarding takes around four weeks, depending on the complexity of your tracking setup.

What makes Piwik PRO a great alternative for people unhappy with losing Universal Analytics?

There are several factors that make Piwik PRO a perfect successor for the sunsetting UA:

Painless migration – the similarities between platforms mean you’ll be able to move your analytics setup and start collecting data in less than an hour.
No need to learn new concepts from scratch – feel at home with reports and metrics based on similar methodology to UA.
More flexibility in using data – get access to advanced reports that support all event-based use cases, retrieve raw data, and push it to data warehouses, BI tools, data visualization platforms, and other parts of your tech stack.
Improved data accuracy – use software that can run without consent and complies with the guidelines of data protection authorities across Europe.
Privacy compliance – collect data in line with GDPR, HIPAA, CCPA, TTDSG, and other privacy laws worldwide. Make compliance easier with an integrated consent manager.

Read more about the benefits of Piwik PRO Analytics Suite here: Switch from Google Analytics to Piwik PRO.