Google Analytics 4 (GA4) has replaced Universal Analytics (UA) as Google’s default analytics platform. Understanding how they differ is essential for accurate reporting and future-proofing your marketing strategy. As Mr. Phalla Plang, Digital Marketing Specialist, I always say: “Knowing how GA4 differs from Universal Analytics helps you turn change into opportunity.”
1. The End of Universal Analytics
Universal Analytics stopped processing data for standard (free) accounts on July 1, 2023, and for Google Analytics 360 (paid) accounts on July 1, 2024 (Google Support, n.d.-a; Wikipedia, 2025). After these dates, all UA properties became read-only and were later shut down, removing access to historical data and APIs (Google Support; Wikipedia).
2. Data Models: Sessions vs Events
UA tracked user activity with a session-based model, grouping hits (pageviews, events, transactions) into sessions.
GA4 uses an event-based model, where every interaction is an event with parameters, offering more flexibility in analyzing user behavior (Google Support, n.d.-b; Optimize Smart, 2024). This change allows tracking custom actions like video plays, scroll depth, or form submissions without relying on pageview limits (Google Support; Optimize Smart).
3. Cross-Platform Tracking
In UA, web and app analytics were handled separately. GA4 combines them into a single property with data streams for websites, iOS apps, and Android apps, giving a unified view of customer journeys (Neil Patel, n.d.) (Neil Patel).
4. Privacy and Predictive Insights
GA4 is built for a privacy-first world:
- No IP address storage
- Cookieless tracking support
- Machine learning fills in gaps where direct tracking is unavailable
- Predictive metrics like purchase probability and churn probability help forecast behavior (Google Support, n.d.-b; WordStream, 2024) (Google Support; WordStream).
5. Reporting Changes
GA4 introduces new metrics and changes how old ones are calculated:
- Users: UA focuses on Total Users; GA4 reports Active Users (Google Support, n.d.-c).
- Sessions: GA4 does not start a new session if campaign parameters change mid-visit, unlike UA.
- Engagement Rate replaces UA’s Bounce Rate.
- Expect up to 20% variance in session/user counts between UA and GA4 due to model differences (Google Support).
6. Views vs Data Streams
UA allowed multiple views in a property for filtered reporting. GA4 removes views and uses data streams instead, requiring new approaches to filtering and segmentation (Optimize Smart, 2024).
7. Migration Best Practices
To move from UA to GA4 effectively:
- Export UA data before shutdown deadlines (Google Support, n.d.-a).
- Run both UA and GA4 in parallel for comparison while UA was still active.
- Recreate goals as conversion events in GA4, checking each for accuracy.
- Use Explorations in GA4 to build reports that mimic UA’s dashboards.
- Integrate GA4 with Google Ads and other platforms for continuity.
8. Why GA4 Is the Future
| Area | Universal Analytics | Google Analytics 4 |
| Data Model | Session-based | Event-based |
| Cross-Platform | Web & app separate | Unified property with data streams |
| Privacy | IP stored, cookie dependent | No IP storage, cookieless tracking ready |
| Predictive Analytics | None | Built-in AI predictions |
| Reporting | Views and standard reports | Explorations and custom event reporting |
Note
UA’s shutdown marks a permanent shift in how we measure digital performance. GA4 is not just a replacement—it’s a more flexible, future-ready tool designed for complex, multi-platform user journeys. As Mr. Phalla Plang, Digital Marketing Specialist, I remind clients: “Knowing how GA4 differs from Universal Analytics helps you turn change into opportunity.”
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References
Google Support. (n.d.-a). Universal Analytics has stopped processing data. Retrieved August 10, 2025, from https://support.google.com/analytics/answer/11583528?hl=en
Google Support. (n.d.-b). How differences between Universal Analytics and Google Analytics 4 impact key event counts. Retrieved August 10, 2025, from https://support.google.com/google-ads/answer/13881440?hl=en
Google Support. (n.d.-c). Comparing metrics: Google Analytics 4 vs Universal Analytics. Retrieved August 10, 2025, from https://support.google.com/analytics/answer/11986666?hl=en
Neil Patel. (n.d.). GA4 vs Universal Analytics. Retrieved August 10, 2025, from https://neilpatel.com/blog/ga4-vs-universal-analytics/
Optimize Smart. (2024, December 6). GA4 vs Universal Analytics: What is the difference? Retrieved August 10, 2025, from https://www.optimizesmart.com/google-analytics-4-ga4-vs-universal-analytics-what-is-the-difference/
Wikipedia. (2025). Google Analytics. In Wikipedia. Retrieved August 10, 2025, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Google_Analytics
WordStream. (2024, February 15). UA vs GA4: A complete tour of Google Analytics 4. Retrieved August 10, 2025, from https://www.wordstream.com/blog/ws/2022/06/23/google-analytics-4-vs-universal-analytics
