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Google Analytics 4
By Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.) · marketingplatform.google.com
4,0 Very good
The market's standard tool: free, powerful and deeply integrated with Google Ads. The catch: data is processed on Google's global servers without EU storage guarantee, legality rests on the contested EU-US Data Privacy Framework and a consent banner is required.
Best for: Ad-driven businesses that depend on the Google Ads ecosystem and accept the USA transfer
Pros
- Free even at very large traffic volumes
- Unbeatable integration with Google Ads, Search Console and BigQuery
- Market's broadest feature set with machine-learned insights
- Swedish interface and enormous amount of educational material
- Largest ecosystem of consultants and ready-made integrations
Cons
- No EU data storage, data processed on Google's global server park
- Legality hangs on EU-US Data Privacy Framework that noyb wants to overturn in a Schrems III case
- Requires consent banner which gives large data loss
- GA4 interface is notoriously complex even for experienced users
- Your traffic data becomes part of Google's ad ecosystem
Quick facts
| Price | Freemium |
|---|---|
| Origin | Outside EU (Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)) |
| Categories | Web analytics |
| EU data storage | No |
| GDPR terms (DPA) | Yes |
Certifications
ISO 27001
Sources & evidence
Claims about data storage, jurisdiction and compliance should be verifiable. Here is the evidence behind the statements above:
- Google – ISO 27001 certification (certification covers Google Analytics) →
- Google – Analytics data integrity and security (Google as data processor, geographically distributed data centers) →
- Google – Ads Data Processing Terms (processor terms with GDPR and standard contractual clauses) →
- Google – Analytics product page (free tool, Analytics 360 for enterprises) →