Is Google Analytics Free? What You Can (and Can’t) Do in GA4

When tracking website performance, one tool often comes to mind: Google Analytics. Marketers, website owners, and businesses of all sizes use it to understand their audience, measure conversions, and make data-driven decisions. With the introduction of Google Analytics 4 (GA4), many users are asking a crucial question: Is Google Analytics still free, and what exactly can (and can’t) you do with it?

Let’s break it down.

Is Google Analytics Free?

The short answer is: Yes, Google Analytics is free. GA4, like its predecessor Universal Analytics, comes with a standard free version that provides most of the features businesses need to track website and app performance.

However, there’s also a paid, enterprise-level version called Google Analytics 360 (part of the Google Marketing Platform). This premium version unlocks advanced capabilities like higher data limits, unsampled reports, more integrations, and enhanced support, making it more suitable for large enterprises with complex data needs.

So, if you’re running a small to medium-sized business, the free GA4 version is often more than enough. However, for companies handling millions of sessions monthly or needing advanced attribution modeling, GA4 360 might be necessary.

What You Can Do in GA4 (Free Version)

GA4 introduces several new features compared to Universal Analytics, focusing heavily on event-based tracking, cross-platform measurement, and privacy-first data collection. Here’s what you can do for free:

1. Track Web and App Data Together

Unlike Universal Analytics, GA4 allows you to track website and mobile app activity in a single property. For example, if you run an e-commerce business with a Shopify store and a mobile app, GA4 lets you see how users interact across both platforms.

2. Event-Based Tracking (Instead of Sessions)

GA4 shifts from session-based tracking to event-based tracking. Every interaction, whether a page view, video play, button click, or scroll, is logged as an event, making user behavior analysis more detailed and flexible.

For example: You can track how many users clicked the "Add to Cart" button, how far they scrolled on a product page, or how many watched 75% of a video.

3. Custom Reports and Explorations

GA4 offers a feature called Explorations, where you can create custom funnel reports, cohort analyses, and path explorations. For example, you can analyze the number of users who drop off between adding a product to the cart and completing checkout.

4. Integration with Google Products

The free version of GA4 integrates seamlessly with other Google tools like Google Ads, BigQuery (free up to 10GB/month), and Search Console. This is powerful for businesses running paid campaigns, as you can tie ad spend directly to user actions and revenue.

5. AI-Powered Insights and Predictions

GA4 leverages machine learning to provide predictive metrics such as purchase probability, churn probability, and revenue prediction. For example, you can identify users most likely to churn and target them with retention campaigns.

6. Enhanced Privacy and Compliance

GA4 was built with privacy in mind, making it easier to comply with regulations like GDPR and CCPA. It doesn’t store IP addresses and offers more control over data retention and user consent.

What You Can’t Do (Limitations of GA4 Free Version)

While GA4 is free, it does come with some limitations compared to GA4 360 or other paid analytics platforms.

1. Data Sampling at High Volumes

In the free version, reports may be sampled if your dataset is too large. This can limit accuracy for high-traffic websites (think millions of hits per month). GA4 360 offers higher thresholds for unsampled data.

2. Limited Data Retention

The free GA4 only retains user-level data for 14 months. If you need historical data beyond that, you’ll need to export it (e.g., to BigQuery) or upgrade to GA4 360.

3. Restricted Integrations

While GA4 integrates with core Google products, more advanced integrations (e.g., with third-party tools and advanced attribution models) are reserved for GA4 360.

4. Fewer Custom Dimensions and Metrics

In the free version, you’re limited to 50 custom dimensions and 50 custom metrics per property. GA4 360 expands this significantly, which matters for enterprise-level data tracking.

5. Limited Service and Support

Google’s free version comes with standard documentation and community support, but dedicated account management and support services are only available in the paid version.

Should You Upgrade to GA4 360?

GA4’s free version is more than sufficient for most small and mid-sized businesses. It gives you advanced tracking, predictive analytics, and Google Ads integration, all without a price tag.

But if you’re running an enterprise with millions of monthly visitors, need unsampled data, or require advanced integrations and reporting, then GA4 360 is worth considering. Pricing isn’t publicly listed but typically starts at around $50,000 annually, depending on usage.

Final Thoughts

So, is Google Analytics free? Yes, GA4 offers a robust free version that equips businesses with powerful analytics features. You can track users across web and app platforms, set up custom reports, leverage predictive analytics, and integrate with other Google tools, all at no cost.

That said, the free version does have limitations in data volume, retention, and integrations. GA4 360 is the next step for businesses that need more control and scalability.

Ultimately, the choice depends on your business size, traffic, and analytics needs. For most, GA4 free is an excellent starting point, giving you the insights you need to grow smarter without breaking the bank.