When it comes to tracking and understanding your website’s performance, choosing the right analytics tool is crucial. But when faced with the choice between GA4 vs GA360, things can get a bit confusing. Google Analytics 4 and Google Analytics 360 offer powerful insights, but they come with different features, pricing models, and data limits.

GA4 is free and built for small to mid-sized businesses, focusing on event-based tracking and cross-platform insights. Meanwhile, GA360 is the premium, enterprise-level version with more robust data capabilities and support for larger companies.

In this guide, we’ll break down the key differences, features, pricing, and real-world considerations, so you can choose the right tool for your business.

What is Google Analytics 4 (GA4)?

Google Analytics 4 (GA4) is the latest version of Google’s web and app analytics platform. It’s designed to give businesses a more complete view of their customer journey across multiple devices and platforms. 

Unlike the older Universal Analytics (UA), GA4 focuses on event-based tracking. This means it captures user interactions (like clicks, scrolls, and video plays) as events rather than just pageviews.

Key Features of GA4

• Free to Use: GA4 is available for free, making it accessible to businesses of all sizes.
• Event-Based Model: Tracks user interactions as events, providing deeper insights into customer behavior.
• Cross-Platform Tracking: Connects web and app data for a unified view of user journeys.
• Limited Data Sampling: Unlike GA360, data sampling can still occur, but it’s generally less frequent.
• Enhanced Privacy Controls: Includes features like cookieless tracking and data retention options to comply with data privacy regulations.
• Integration with Google Ads and Firebase: Seamless connection for better ad tracking and campaign measurement.

What is Google Analytics 360 (GA360)?

Google Analytics 360 (GA360) is the premium, enterprise-level version of Google Analytics, built for large businesses and high-traffic websites. It offers advanced features, higher data limits, and more powerful integrations than the free GA4 version. 

GA360 is part of the Google Marketing Platform, which includes other premium tools like Display & Video 360, Search Ads 360, and Campaign Manager 360. This makes it ideal for businesses with complex marketing needs.

Key Features of GA360

• Higher Data Limits: Supports millions of events per month without data sampling, ensuring more accurate insights.
• Dedicated Support and SLA: Includes priority customer support and service-level agreements (SLAs) for reliability.
• Full BigQuery Access: Direct integration with BigQuery for advanced data analysis and unlimited data exports.
• Advanced Funnel Reporting: More in-depth funnel and path analysis for complex customer journeys.
• Less Data Sampling: Minimal data sampling, even with large data sets, for more precise analysis.
• Integration with Google Marketing Platform: Seamless integration with other enterprise-level Google tools for full-funnel marketing insights.

GA4 vs GA360 – At a Glance

Here’s a quick side-by-side comparison to highlight the key differences between GA4 and GA360:

What Makes GA360 Different?

GA360 offers several advantages over the free GA4 version, making it ideal for larger enterprises and businesses with high traffic and complex data needs. Here’s a closer look at the main differences:

1. Less Data Sampling

• GA4 applies data sampling when your data set exceeds certain thresholds, which can impact the accuracy of your reports.
• GA360 significantly reduces this issue by offering a much higher sampling threshold. This allows for more precise data analysis even with massive datasets.

2. Data Retention

• GA4 retains data for up to 14 months by default, with the option to extend it to 50 months for certain metrics.
• GA360, however, provides a standard data retention period of up to 50 months. This gives you a much deeper historical view for long-term analysis.

3. BigQuery Integration

• While GA4 offers free BigQuery integration, it comes with limits, and you might encounter data caps.
• GA360 provides full, unrestricted BigQuery access, allowing you to run advanced data queries and build custom reports without worrying about caps.

4. Dedicated Support and SLAs

• GA360 customers get access to dedicated support, including priority troubleshooting and personalized guidance.
• This can be a significant advantage for businesses that rely heavily on data for decision-making and need quick resolutions to technical issues.

5. Advanced Attribution Modeling

• GA4 provides basic attribution models like last-click and data-driven attribution.
• GA360 offers more advanced, multi-touch attribution options, helping you understand the complete customer journey more accurately.

6. Advanced Funnel Reporting

• GA4 offers standard funnel analysis, but GA360 includes advanced multi-step funnels with more customization options.
• Conversely, GA360 provides a more traditional yet powerful approach to analytics, with detailed, customizable reports and advanced segmentation capabilities. This allows large enterprises to delve deeper into their data, supporting complex analysis and strategic decision-making processes.

Which One Is Right for Your Business?

Choosing between GA4 and GA360 depends on your business size, traffic volume, and how deeply you rely on analytics. Here’s how to decide based on your type of business:

1. Freelancers / Startups

Choose GA4. It’s free, powerful, and has everything you need to understand basic user behavior, traffic sources, and conversions. Google Analytics integration with Salesforce also offers massive customer insights, and this connectivity enables businesses to refine their targeting strategies, optimize advertising spend, and enhance overall marketing effectiveness, catering to the nuanced needs of large enterprises.

You won’t hit data limits unless you’re scaling rapidly. You can still integrate with Google Ads, use events, and export to BigQuery (with limits).

2. Mid-Size Businesses

Start with GA4, upgrade later. GA4 can support you up to a point, especially if you have a manageable amount of monthly traffic and don’t need high-speed reporting or deep integrations.

You can consider using GA360 later on. If your team needs consistent unsampled data, advanced funnel analysis, or you’ve outgrown GA4’s data limits.

3. Large Enterprises / Agencies

Go with GA360. If you have millions of hits/events monthly, GA360 will handle the volume without breaking reports or limiting your insights.

You’ll benefit from:

• Faster data processing
• Better support
• BigQuery access at scale
• Extended data retention for long-term strategy

Let’s Talk Pricing of  GA4 and GA360

When it comes to choosing between GA4 and GA360, understanding the pricing structures is crucial.

GA4: Free, But With Limits

Google Analytics 4 (GA4) is available at no cost and offers robust analytics features suitable for small to mid-sized businesses. However, it’s important to be aware of its limitations:

• Data Sampling: GA4 may apply data sampling when reports exceed certain thresholds, potentially affecting data accuracy.
• Data Retention: By default, GA4 retains data for up to 14 months, which might be insufficient for long-term trend analysis.
• BigQuery Integration: While GA4 allows integration with BigQuery, there are limitations on the volume of data that can be exported.

For businesses with moderate traffic and standard analytics needs, GA4 provides a cost-effective solution.

GA360: Premium Features at a Premium Price

Google Analytics 360 (GA360) is designed for large enterprises requiring advanced analytics capabilities. Its pricing reflects its premium offerings:

• Starting Price: GA360 pricing begins at approximately $50,000 per year, covering up to 25 million events per month. 
• Scalable Costs: Costs can escalate to $150,000 or more annually, depending on data volume and specific business requirements. 
• Additional Expenses: Beyond the base subscription, businesses may incur extra costs for services like BigQuery usage, advanced training, and implementation support.

GA360 offers benefits such as minimal data sampling, extended data retention (up to 50 months), and dedicated support, making it suitable for organizations with complex analytics needs.

What Most Reviews Don’t Tell You

Most comparison posts focus on features and pricing. But let’s talk about the real-life experiences. The things you only learn when you actually start using GA4 or GA360 in your day-to-day operations.

1. Setup Isn’t Plug and Play

GA4 setup can be tricky, especially if you’re migrating from Universal Analytics. GA360 setup is even more complex and usually requires technical teams or agency support. If you don’t have in-house expertise, expect delays or costs from outsourcing implementation.

2. Learning Curve for Teams

GA4 introduces a brand-new data model that’s based on events instead of sessions. Many marketers and analysts struggle to adjust, especially if they were used to Universal Analytics. GA360 offers more features, but it also means more training time for your team. It can take weeks of training to get comfortable with the new reporting logic.

3. Data Interpretation Can Be Confusing

In GA4, some reports are simplified compared to Universal Analytics, but the customization options often require GA4-specific skills or tagging setups. GA360 provides more advanced reporting, but the tools can feel overwhelming if you’re not already experienced. Even basic performance tracking might need custom setups and GA4-specific filters.

4. Enterprise Features Sound Good

Features like BigQuery integration and unsampled data in GA360 are powerful. But if you don’t know how to use them or don’t have the resources to act on advanced insights, the value is lost. Many companies end up paying for features they never fully leverage.

5. Support Isn’t Always What You Expect

GA360 offers support with SLAs and priority service. But “priority” doesn’t always mean instant help. Some users report long ticket resolution times even with enterprise support. Sometimes, you’ll still be referred to documentation instead of getting hands-on help.

Final Takeaway

If you’re choosing between GA4 and GA360, the decision mostly comes down to scale. GA4 is free, powerful, and more than enough for most small to mid-sized businesses. It gives you solid tracking, event-based data, and strong integration with Google Ads, all without any cost.

GA360 is best for large companies dealing with millions of events, needing advanced tools like BigQuery, faster reports, and dedicated support. But it comes with a high price tag. Start with GA4. Only consider GA360 when your data volume or business needs clearly outgrow what GA4 can handle. Most businesses won’t need to upgrade anytime soon.

Frequently Asked Questions