The 10 Best GA4 Alternatives (+ Features and Pricing)

Google Analytics 4 (GA4) is among the hottest web site analytics instruments — but it surely definitely isn’t the one choice. Use our roundup of GA4 options to seek out extra user-friendly and privacy-focused analytics instruments.

When Google sundown Common Analytics in July 2023, you doubtless migrated to Google Analytics 4 mechanically. But when your expertise is something like many different web site homeowners’, the change hasn’t gone fully easily.

From consumer expertise (UX) points to privateness issues to reporting issues, GA4 has created challenges for some. Fortuitously, you’ve got loads of different choices to trace web site and cellular app analytics.

On this article, we’ll cowl 10 high options to GA4 and why to strive them, together with HawkSEM Senior SEM Supervisor Cristin Barta‘s high picks.

Prime 10 GA4 options

Whether or not that you must monitor web site visitors, observe app utilization, or perceive consumer habits, listed below are the highest Google Analytics options to contemplate. We’ll examine each by analytics options, professionals, cons, and pricing.

1. Adobe Analytics

Adobe Analytics is an enterprise-level device that’s a part of the Adobe Expertise Cloud. It gives each cellular app and web site analytics, together with real-time insights.

Barta recommends this platform for its “superior customization, sturdy reporting, and plenty of integration choices.” Nevertheless, “it’s somewhat expensive,” she cautions.

Adobe Analytics’ options embrace:

• Web site and advertising analytics with an entire view of the client expertise
• Attribution options that reveal which channels and campaigns drive outcomes
• Predictive analytics that assist your crew establish alternatives and plan campaigns

Think about using Adobe Analytics if:

• You already use the Adobe Expertise Cloud ecosystem.
• You need to combine Adobe’s Combine Modeler, Buyer Journey Analytics, and different instruments.

Select one other GA4 different if:

• You want a free or extra inexpensive choice.
• You don’t want intensive software program integrations.

Adobe Analytics pricing:

2. Clicky

Clicky is among the easiest GA4 options and one of many best analytics instruments to put in. However don’t let its primary web site deceive you.

It’s a well-liked alternative for entrepreneurs and knowledge analysts due to its real-time insights and heatmaps. Clicky can also be one of many extra privacy-friendly analytics instruments.

Clicky options embrace:

• Actual-time web site visitors analytics
• Customer, web page view, and occasion logs
• Bot and referral spam detection
• Heatmaps with web page, customer, and section evaluation

Think about using Clicky if:

• You need to observe the identical web site analytics GA4 gives however you need a greater UX.
• You’re involved about privateness and also you want an answer that doesn’t use cookies.

Select one other GA4 different if:

• You need a full-featured platform with A/B testing and conversion rate optimization (CRO) instruments.
• You want intensive integrations, as Clicky’s integration library is comparatively small.

Clicky pricing:

• A free plan is accessible for as much as 3,000 every day web page views. {assist plans begin at $9.99 per thirty days for as much as 30,000 every day web page views.

3. Fathom Analytics

One other easy GA4 different, Fathom Analytics is a privacy-first device that protects buyer knowledge and customer privateness. It’s recognized for being some of the user-friendly choices, because of its intuitive dashboard.

Fathom Analytics can also be one of many quickest analytics instruments to arrange. You possibly can set up its single line of code and begin accumulating knowledge on web page views and occasions in minutes.

Fathom Analytics options embrace:

• Actual-time analytics so you possibly can see the influence of campaigns within the second
• Bot, spam, and scraper blockers so you possibly can give attention to human web site guests
• Privateness-first tech with an IP deal with anonymizer

Think about using Fathom Analytics if:

• Buyer privateness is one in all your main issues, as Fathom Analytics collects no private knowledge.
• You need entry to your web site analytics knowledge without end (as a substitute of GA4’s 26-month time restrict).

Select one other GA4 different if:

• You want cellular app or product analytics.
• You need a device that works with all the pieces, as Fathom Analytics’ native integrations are considerably restricted.

Fathom Analytics pricing:

• Begins at $15 per thirty days for as much as 100,000 knowledge factors

4. Heap

Heap is a digital insights platform that analyzes customer habits, maps buyer journeys, and tracks occasions that matter to what you are promoting. It really works with each web site and cellular app analytics.

Nevertheless, Heap goes past merely tallying web page views and occasions. It additionally enriches analytics knowledge that will help you perceive how and why guests use your web site or app — so you possibly can optimize their expertise.

Heap options embrace:

• Heatmaps and session recordings so you possibly can see how guests use your web site or app
• Key efficiency indicator (KPI) charts so you possibly can measure the metrics that matter
• Funnels so you possibly can monitor whether or not customers observe preset sequences
• Journeys so you possibly can observe how customers transfer by way of your web site or app

Think about using Heap if:

• You’re in search of a completely featured analytics answer that integrates together with your advertising instruments.
• You want a platform with APIs so you possibly can accumulate extra in-depth knowledge.

Select one other GA4 different if:

• You simply want a easy analytics answer that tracks web page views and occasions.
• You don’t want a customizable answer with dozens of integrations.

Heap pricing:

• A free plan is accessible for as much as 10,000 month-to-month periods. Paid plan costs can be found upon request.

5. HubSpot Advertising Analytics

HubSpot Marketing Analytics does way more than observe web site analytics. It additionally measures the influence of your advertising efforts so precisely what’s working on your model.

This platform integrates with different HubSpot merchandise, together with gross sales and buyer relationship administration (CRM) instruments. In consequence, it might gas each advertising and lead-generation campaigns.

HubSpot Advertising Analytics options embrace:

• Web site efficiency and visitors evaluation
• Buyer lifecycle monitoring and attribution fashions
• Advertising studies that element belongings, campaigns, and channels
• Customizable dashboards with the studies you want

Think about using HubSpot Advertising Analytics if:

• Your high precedence is enhancing advertising and gross sales initiatives.
• You already use the HubSpot ecosystem for advertising and gross sales and need a device that’s straightforward to undertake.

Select one other GA4 different if:

• You want a cellular app or product analytics device.
• It’s good to onboard a big crew, as HubSpot can get costly as you scale.

HubSpot Advertising Analytics pricing:

• A free plan with primary options is accessible. Paid plans begin at $20 per thirty days per seat.

6. Localytics

Localytics is a cellular advertising answer that tracks app and cellular analytics. It gives insights into buyer retention and income so ecommerce, journey, and different manufacturers can enhance loyalty and drive extra conversions.

It’s designed to disclose how clients use your app so you possibly can deal with factors of friction. Since Localytics additionally measures app advertising campaigns, it might additionally assist enhance return on funding (ROI).

Localytics options embrace:

• App and cellular utilization stats to investigate key occasions
• Personalised campaigns for particular buyer segments
• Marketing campaign reporting on conversions, income, and uninstalls

Think about using Localytics if:

• You want each standardized and customizable analytics studies.
• You want a robust device to trace cellular advertising and run personalised campaigns.

Select one other GA4 different if:

• You’re primarily in search of a device with internet analytics performance.
• You want a free plan to maintain prices down.

Localytics pricing:

7. Matomo

Matomo is an open-source analytics device and one of many easiest GA4 options. Nevertheless, this user-friendly device is straightforward to customise to satisfy your wants.

Barta recommends Matomo as a result of “it focuses on knowledge privateness and possession, offering complete analytics with out compromising consumer knowledge. This makes it appropriate for privacy-conscious companies.”

Matomo options embrace:

• Correct, real-time analytics (as a substitute of GA4’s knowledge sampling)
• Limitless knowledge evaluation and storage (as a substitute of GA4’s cut-off dates)
• Heatmaps and session recordings to indicate you the way customers navigate your web site
• Key phrase studies to enhance your search engine marketing (website positioning) efforts

Think about using Matomo if:

• You need a self-hosted analytics device, as Matomo has an on-premise choice.
• You want a device with a variety of ecommerce, CRM, and content material administration system (CMS) integrations.

Select one other GA4 different if:

• You need a glossy device. “Matomo could be very simplistic, like a 10-year-old Google Analytics,” Barta shares.
• You want a free analytics device.

Matomo pricing:

• The cloud-hosted model begins at $26 per thirty days for as much as 50,000 web page views. The self-hosted model begins at $0 per thirty days however has annual charges for add-ons like funnels and consumer flows.

8. Piwik PRO

Piwik PRO is an online and app analytics device that places consumer privateness first. Its consent supervisor characteristic handles consumer permissions, and its a number of monitoring choices simplify compliance.

With Piwik PRO, you possibly can monitor internet and app utilization, map buyer journeys, and observe website positioning outcomes. And with its customizable interface, you possibly can construct the best dashboard on your crew.

Piwik PRO options embrace:

• Buyer journey knowledge, together with conversion funnels and consumer flows
• Tag administration, together with personalised content material and pop-ups
• Consent administration, together with choices for assortment, amendments, and withdrawals

Think about using Piwik PRO if:

• You want a device with intensive knowledge visualization, knowledge storage, CMS, and A/B testing integrations.
• You need a answer that makes use of full datasets somewhat than knowledge sampling.

Select one other GA4 different if:

• It’s good to analyze a closely trafficked web site or app on a small price range.
• You need a easy internet or app analytics answer with no bells and whistles.

Piwik PRO pricing:

• A free plan is accessible for as much as 500,000 month-to-month actions. Enterprise plans begin at €10,995 per 12 months.

9. Believable

One other open-source device, Plausible is a light-weight choice for monitoring internet analytics. It’s designed to trace internet visitors, conversions, campaigns, and income, in addition to customized occasions.

Believable is constructed and hosted within the EU. In consequence, it’s some of the privacy-focused choices. It’s additionally compliant with all main privateness insurance policies.

Believable options embrace:

• Customized occasions and targets so you possibly can observe the metrics your crew cares about
• Funnels so you possibly can monitor whether or not customers full sure collection of actions
• Filters and segmentation for deeper perception into customer habits
• Integration with Google Search Console for straightforward search question evaluation

Think about using Believable if:

• You need a easy, user-friendly analytics device.
• You want a light-weight choice that gained’t decelerate your web site.

Select one other GA4 different if:

• You want a free choice, as all Believable plans are paid.
• You need native integrations past Google Search Console and well-liked CMS platforms.

Believable pricing:

• Begins at $9 per thirty days for as much as 10,000 web page views.

10. Easy Analytics

As its title suggests, Simple Analytics is among the easiest internet analytics instruments. Its user-friendly dashboard reveals key metrics like web page views, visitors sources, consumer segments, and conversion occasions.

Easy Analytics additionally prioritizes privateness. It complies with all main privateness insurance policies, and it shops no private knowledge on web site guests.

Easy Analytics options embrace:

• Objective tracker and occasion explorer options that monitor occasions and conversion funnels
• AI chatbot that gives insights and solutions questions on your analytics
• Simple exports to Looker Studio and different enterprise intelligence instruments

Think about using Easy Analytics if:

• You want an analytics device based mostly and hosted within the EU for privateness or compliance causes.
• You favor automated, AI-powered insights over handbook report evaluation.

Select one other GA4 different if:

• You want an analytics device with sturdy integrations, as Easy Analytics’ are comparatively restricted.
• It’s good to onboard a big crew, as Easy Analytics normal plans permit 5 customers solely.

Easy Analytics pricing:

• A free plan is accessible for private websites. Paid plans begin at $10 per thirty days for as much as 10,000 web page views.

How does Google Analytics 4 examine to Common Analytics?

Should you have been accustomed to utilizing Common Analytics, you’ve in all probability seen a number of variations in GA4. Most importantly, Common Analytics tracked consumer periods, whereas GA4 tracks web site or app occasions.

It’s true that GA4 retains a working tally of web site guests and web page views. However it’s engineered to trace web site and app actions like web page hundreds, hyperlink clicks, and purchases — together with customized occasions.

On the floor, these modifications are constructive. In spite of everything, occasion monitoring makes the consumer journey simpler to map.

Nevertheless, GA4 has a number of downsides:

• Its consumer interface (UI) isn’t intuitive. As an alternative, it’s difficult to navigate, resulting in a poor UX and making a steep studying curve.
• Many normal Common Analytics studies aren’t accessible in GA4, inflicting customers to spend time creating their very own.
• Getting most worth from GA4 requires integrating instruments like Looker Studio or BigQuery. But groups with restricted sources can’t all the time leverage these instruments.
• Web site homeowners involved with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) or California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) might run into privateness points when utilizing GA4.

When to contemplate an alternative choice to GA4

GA4 might meet some manufacturers’ web site and app analytics wants. However Barta explains that it’s best to “contemplate options to GA4 should you want a extra easy setup, detailed customized reporting, real-time knowledge entry, or should you prioritize knowledge privateness and possession.”

In different phrases, select one of many analytics options above should you:

• Can’t you possibly can’t discover the info your crew wants in GA4, which compromises your means to make data-driven choices.
• Want real-time analytics so you possibly can reliably see the influence of promoting and promoting efforts within the second.
• Need customizable studies however you don’t have knowledge scientists accessible to deal with knowledge assortment and exports in Looker Studio or BigQuery.
• Want a CCPA- or GDPR-compliant answer that doesn’t create consumer privateness points and that means that you can preserve possession of your knowledge.

What to look at for when switching analytics instruments

Switching analytics platforms isn’t all the time a foolproof course of. As you contemplate your choices, preserve these points in thoughts so you possibly can keep away from main issues together with your web site or app knowledge.

Historic knowledge loss

Should you’ve been utilizing GA4 because it first rolled out, then the analytics suite already holds years’ price of your web site or app knowledge. Nevertheless, Barta explains, “Switching to a GA4 different could cause knowledge migration challenges, together with potential lack of historic knowledge.”

To keep away from dropping knowledge, affirm that any analytics device you contemplate permits historic knowledge imports. Make certain to examine the fee and any limits on imports so that you aren’t shocked whenever you begin the migration.

Increased prices

One of many largest perks of GA4 is the truth that it’s fully free to make use of. Whereas some GA4 rivals have free plans, many are paid software-as-a-service (SaaS) options.

As Barta explains, switching to another virtually all the time means increased prices. That is very true for web sites or apps that appeal to substantial visitors. Earlier than switching, weigh the true value of the answer — together with the price of inaction.

Integration points

As a Google product, GA4 integrates seamlessly with your entire Google product suite. In consequence, it really works with Looker Studio, Google Search Console, Google Adverts, Google Tag Manager, and plenty of different instruments.

Should you depend on these or different instruments to run your web site or app, be certain they combine with any GA4 different you select earlier than you make the change.

Coaching wants

GA4 is understood for being one of many more difficult app and internet analytics platforms to make use of. But any time you add new software program to your tech stack, you possibly can count on a studying curve.

Barta cautions, “Transferring platforms means extra coaching.” Earlier than making the change, evaluate the platform’s onboarding and coaching supplies so you are feeling assured you’ll get your crew up to the mark rapidly.

The takeaway

Adopting a brand new analytics platform might be daunting. However with the proper instruments, you possibly can achieve new perception into the client journey, analyze marketing campaign outcomes, and handle your advertising extra successfully.

To reinforce your digital advertising technique, get in contact with our skilled crew. Contact HawkSEM for a free search engine advertising (SEM) session at this time.