Sumidata vs Google Analytics
GA4 answers quantitative questions at scale with the deepest ad-platform integration on the market. Sumidata adds the qualitative layer on top — session replays, errors, and an AI Analyst that writes SQL so you don't have to.
01TL;DR
They aren't the same tool. Most teams run both, or pick based on the job.
GA4 is for aggregate traffic, channel attribution, and advertising feedback loops — nothing else comes close for that job, especially inside the Google ecosystem. Sumidata is for the moment you ask "okay but why did that number move?" — you open the session, see the console errors, watch the rage-click, read the AI Analyst's take, and ship a fix. We're complementary in most stacks, not a drop-in replacement.
02Feature comparison
Where each platform actually earns its keep.
| Feature | Sumidata | Google Analytics 4 |
|---|---|---|
| Primary job | Session replay + AI analytics + conversion attribution in one tool. | Aggregated web + event analytics with ad-platform attribution. |
| Session replay | Every session, rrweb-based, timeline synced with console logs and product events. | Not available. GA4 doesn't record replays. |
| Error & console capture | Browser console (log / warn / error / info / debug), uncaught exceptions, unhandled rejections. | Not available. |
| Ad-hoc questions | AI Analyst: ask in plain English, it writes the ClickHouse SQL, returns a chart. SQL is inspectable and editable. | Explorations + custom reports. Powerful, but needs schema knowledge and GA's query grammar. |
| UTM attribution | Full 5-parameter capture, first-touch + last-touch, multi-touch journey across sessions once the user identifies. | Native in every property. Deep Google Ads integration. |
| Ad platform integrations | Not offered. You read attribution via the Partner API or the dashboard. | Google Ads / DV360 / SA360 integrations are best-in-class. |
| Install | One <script> tag with data-project-id. No build tools, no tag manager required. | gtag.js or Google Tag Manager. Consent Mode configuration for EU traffic. |
| Pricing | Free for 50K sessions/mo. Paid $100 / $200 / $500 with unlimited AI queries and seats. | Free (GA4). GA360 enterprise tier via sales. |
03The "why" on top of the "what"
The case for running Sumidata alongside GA, not replacing it.
A GA4 dashboard will happily tell you that mobile checkout conversion dropped 12% this week. It won't tell you that the reason is a new CSS regression pushing the "Place order" button below the iOS keyboard on Safari 17.
In Sumidata you filter sessions to the affected device + page, open two or three replays, see the exact console error firing, and forward the timestamped recording to the person who can fix it. Or you ask the AI Analyst "which pages had a drop in purchase events this week on iOS Safari?" and it returns a chart you can drill into.
04Where each tool fits
Pick the tool for the actual question you're trying to answer.
- You need to see what a specific user did, not just an aggregate.
- An error or UX regression is suspected and you want the replay + console.
- You want to ask free-form questions in English and get a chart back.
- Conversion attribution (first-touch, last-touch, multi-touch) matters and you want it without a BigQuery pipeline.
- Your team is small and you'd rather have one tool instead of GA + an error tracker + a replay tool.
- You rely on Google Ads / DV360 / Search Ads attribution feedback.
- You already have BigQuery pipelines and dashboards built on GA exports.
- You need years of historical continuity across a legacy property.
- Cookieless / Consent Mode handling in EU traffic is a hard requirement.
05What Sumidata doesn't do
What we don't try to be.
- Ad-platform attribution loops — no Google Ads / Meta conversions API integrations.
- Page-level web analytics dashboards — we capture UTM + conversions, not page bounce / time-on-page aggregates.
- Historical import from GA4 — no migration tooling out of the box.
- Mobile app tracking — web only.
Add the "why" layer, keep GA for what it's good at
Free plan — 50,000 sessions/month, unlimited AI queries, 1-month retention. No card required.