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Firebase Analytics vs Google Analytics: Which is Better in 2026?

Analytics

Choosing between Firebase Analytics and Google Analytics? Both are popular analytics tools. Below we compare them on pricing, free tiers, features, and pros & cons so you can pick the right fit for your stack.

Firebase Analytics is for: Mobile app teams on Firebase who want free in-app analytics linked to the rest of the Firebase project.

Google Analytics is for: Sites and apps of any size that want free traffic and conversion reporting tied into Google Ads and BigQuery.

Quick verdict

There’s no single winner; pick on your constraint. Choose Firebase Analytics if your app already uses Firebase. Choose Google Analytics if you want free analytics and are fine with Google processing the data.

Firebase Analytics vs Google Analytics — Side by Side

Firebase AnalyticsGoogle Analytics
CategoryAnalyticsAnalytics
What it isApp analytics in FirebaseHosted web and app analytics
What it measuresIn-app events and engagementTraffic, events and conversions
Self-hostingNo (hosted by Google)No (hosted by Google)
How you payNo cost on Spark and Blaze plansFree; Analytics 360 is paid
Free accessFull productFull standard product
PricingFreeFree
Starting priceFree tier availableFree tier available
Free tier
Best forAnalytics — mobile apps, Firebase, freeAnalytics — free, Google Ads, BigQuery export

Pros & Cons

  • No cost on Spark and Blaze plans
  • Linked to other Firebase products in the project
  • SDKs for iOS and Android
  • Built for apps rather than website-only analytics
  • Hosted by Google only; no self-hosting
  • Standard version is free
  • Links to Google Ads and BigQuery
  • Free BigQuery export up to 1M events a day
  • Event data kept 14 months at most on standard
  • Higher limits need Analytics 360 (price not listed)
  • Hosted by Google only; no self-hosting

Key Features Compared

Firebase Analytics

  • Analytics is a no-cost product on both the Spark (free) and Blaze (pay-as-you-go) plans
  • Listed alongside other no-cost Firebase products such as A/B Testing and App Distribution
  • No-cost usage quotas apply at the project level

Google Analytics

  • Standard Google Analytics is free
  • Event data kept for 2 or 14 months on standard; up to 50 months on Analytics 360
  • 30 key events (conversions) and 50 event-scoped custom dimensions per property
  • BigQuery export: up to 1 million events a day, plus unlimited streaming export
  • Analytics 360 raises the limits; its price is not listed

Choose Firebase Analytics if…

  • Your app already uses Firebase.
  • You want free in-app event analytics for iOS and Android.
  • You want analytics linked to other Firebase products in the same project.

Choose Google Analytics if…

  • You want free analytics and are fine with Google processing the data.
  • You run Google Ads and want conversions in the same account.
  • You want raw event data in BigQuery without paying for an export.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Firebase Analytics better than Google Analytics?⌄

There’s no single winner; pick on your constraint. Choose Firebase Analytics if your app already uses Firebase. Choose Google Analytics if you want free analytics and are fine with Google processing the data.

What is the difference between Firebase Analytics and Google Analytics?⌄

What it is — Firebase Analytics: App analytics in Firebase. Google Analytics: Hosted web and app analytics. What it measures — Firebase Analytics: In-app events and engagement. Google Analytics: Traffic, events and conversions. How you pay — Firebase Analytics: No cost on Spark and Blaze plans. Google Analytics: Free; Analytics 360 is paid. Free access — Firebase Analytics: Full product. Google Analytics: Full standard product.

Firebase Analytics vs Google Analytics: which is cheaper?⌄

Firebase Analytics pricing: Free. Google Analytics pricing: Free. Confirm current pricing on each tool's official site, as plans change.

When should I skip both Firebase Analytics and Google Analytics?⌄

Skip Firebase Analytics if you need attribution for paid install campaigns. AppsFlyer measures those. Skip Google Analytics if you want to avoid a cookie banner for analytics. Plausible and Fathom sell cookie-free analytics.

Sources · tool facts checked November 2026

  1. 1.Firebase pricingfirebase.google.com
  2. 2.Analytics 360 vs standard limits (Google Analytics Help)support.google.com

See more options in our guide to the best analytics tools for startups.

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