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Google Analytics vs Harvest Forecast

Google Analytics logo

Google Analytics

All industries

Get to know your customers

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Harvest Forecast logo

Harvest Forecast

Calendar & Time Management

Simple visual resource planning

From
$5/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Google Analytics has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Google Analytics data retention limited to maximum 26 months on standard properties, with automatic deletion after retention period expires; Harvest Forecast the free plan allows a single seat and 2 projects
  • They diverge on capability: Google Analytics covers Real-time analytics, Harvest Forecast covers Visual scheduling.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Google Analytics and Harvest Forecast actually diverge.

Attributes where Google Analytics and Harvest Forecast differ
AttributeGoogle AnalyticsHarvest Forecast
Starting priceFree$5/month
Pricing modelfreemiumsubscription
Free tierYesNo
CategoryAll industriesCalendar & Time Management
Founded19982006

Identical on both: platforms (Web), user rating (Not yet rated).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Google Analytics

  • Real-time analytics
  • Audience insights
  • Acquisition tracking
  • Behavior flow
  • Conversion tracking
  • Custom reports
  • Mobile analytics
  • E-commerce tracking

Only in Harvest Forecast

  • Visual scheduling
  • Capacity planning
  • Project assignments
  • Utilization reports
  • Harvest integration
  • Harvest
  • Google Calendar
  • iCal

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Google Analytics

  • Website and web application analyticsnot Harvest Forecast
  • Event tracking and user behaviour analysisnot Harvest Forecast
  • Traffic source and conversion trackingnot Harvest Forecast

Harvest Forecast

  • Time tracking and invoicing against client projectsnot Google Analytics
  • Forecasting team capacity and scheduling worknot Google Analytics

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Google Analytics

  • Data retention limited to maximum 26 months on standard properties, with automatic deletion after retention period expires
  • Large and XL properties capped at 2-month data retention only
  • Age, gender, and interest data always expire after 2 months regardless of retention settings
  • Free tier does not include GA360 advanced features

Harvest Forecast

  • The free plan allows a single seat and 2 projects
  • Paid plans bill per seat with usage charged beyond the base rate rather than being purely flat
  • The Enterprise plan is $14 per seat per month against $9 on Teams
  • The 20% saving requires annual payment
  • Enterprise Plus is custom priced

Pricing, plan by plan

Google Analytics

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Google Analytics review.

Harvest Forecast

$5/month
  • Per seat$5/month
    • Visual planning
    • Harvest integration
    • Team scheduling

Which should you pick?

Choose Google Analytics if

  • You need real-time analytics.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want audience insights.
Google Analytics review

Choose Harvest Forecast if

  • You need visual scheduling.
  • You also want capacity planning.
Harvest Forecast review

Questions people ask

Is Google Analytics or Harvest Forecast better?
Neither clearly leads. Google Analytics starts at Free and Harvest Forecast at $5/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Google Analytics or Harvest Forecast?
Google Analytics has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Google Analytics and $5/month for Harvest Forecast.
Does Google Analytics or Harvest Forecast run on more platforms?
Both run on Web, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
Can I use Google Analytics for free?
Yes. Google Analytics has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Harvest Forecast starts at $5/month.
What is Google Analytics best used for?
Google Analytics is most often used for website and web application analytics, event tracking and user behaviour analysis, traffic source and conversion tracking. Of those, website and web application analytics and event tracking and user behaviour analysis are not what Harvest Forecast is typically brought in for.
What can Google Analytics do that Harvest Forecast cannot?
Google Analytics covers Real-time analytics, Audience insights, Acquisition tracking, Behavior flow. Harvest Forecast covers Visual scheduling, Capacity planning, Project assignments, Utilization reports.
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Related pages

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