Differences Between GA4 and Universal Analytics: Data Models and Tracking

The key difference between Google Analytics 4 (GA4) and Universal Analytics (UA) lies in their data models and tracking methods: GA4 uses an event-based data model, whereas UA uses a session-based (hit-based) data model. This means GA4 treats every user interaction as an individual event, while UA groups interactions into sessions with various hit types like pageviews, transactions, and social interactions.

More specifically:

• Data Model:

  • UA organizes data around sessions and different hit types (PageView, Event, Transaction, etc.).
  • GA4 simplifies this by capturing all interactions as events with customizable parameters, allowing more flexible and granular tracking.

• Tracking and Measurement:

  • UA tracks website and app data separately.
  • GA4 unifies website and app tracking in a single property, using the same event-based model for both, which enables easier cross-platform analysis.

• Customization and Reporting:

  • UA provides many predefined hit types and reports.
  • GA4 offers fewer default event types but encourages customization, allowing users to define their own events and parameters to suit specific needs. GA4’s reporting is also structured around the customer lifecycle rather than predefined reports, with enhanced exploration tools.

• Privacy and Compliance:

  • GA4 is designed to be more privacy-centric, complying with regulations like GDPR and CCPA by reducing reliance on third-party cookies and offering better data controls such as consent mode and data deletion.

• Integration and Specialization:

  • GA4 integrates more deeply with tools like Google Tag Manager and BigQuery, promoting a modular approach to analytics compared to UA’s more monolithic structure.

In summary, GA4 represents a fundamental shift from UA’s session- and hit-based tracking to a flexible, event-driven model that supports cross-platform measurement, enhanced privacy compliance, and greater customization. This shift requires new implementation logic rather than simply copying UA setups.