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Marketing · head to head

Google Analytics vs Insider

Google Analytics logo

Google Analytics

Marketing

Get to know your customers

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Insider logo

Insider

Marketing

Omnichannel personalisation platform with web experimentation and WhatsApp as first-class channels

From
On request
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; Insider delivery depends heavily on the assigned account team, so results vary by region and a team change mid-contract can be felt immediately in campaign output.
  • They diverge on capability: Google Analytics covers Real-time analytics, Insider covers Architect journeys.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Google Analytics and Insider actually diverge.

Attributes where Google Analytics and Insider differ
AttributeGoogle AnalyticsInsider
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelfreemiumquote
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWebWeb, iOS, Android, REST API
Founded1998Unknown

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Marketing).

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 Insider

  • Architect journeys
  • Web and app personalisation
  • WhatsApp commerce
  • Predictive segments
  • InStory and InMobile
  • Experimentation

What people use each for

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

Google Analytics

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

Insider

  • A retailer in a WhatsApp-first market that needs conversational commerce rather than more email volumenot Google Analytics
  • Personalising category and product pages by segment without waiting for engineering release cyclesnot Google Analytics
  • A marketing team without in-house campaign operations that needs the vendor to build and run journeysnot Google Analytics
  • Unifying web, app and messaging targeting on one profile store after outgrowing separate point toolsnot 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

Insider

  • Delivery depends heavily on the assigned account team, so results vary by region and a team change mid-contract can be felt immediately in campaign output.
  • The suite is licensed by module, so the platform fee quoted at the start typically excludes the channels and predictive features that make the business case work.
  • Template-driven web personalisation targets the rendered DOM, which breaks on single-page applications that re-render after the template applies unless a developer wires in the framework hooks.
  • Reporting exports are limited compared with warehouse-native tools, so teams that want campaign data alongside finance data end up pulling it through the API on a schedule.
  • Contracts are annual and negotiated per traffic band, so a seasonal spike in visitors can push you into a renegotiation rather than a metered overage.

Pricing, plan by plan

Google Analytics

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Google Analytics review.

Insider

On request
  • Insider Growth Management Platform$undefined/year
    • Licensed by module and by monthly traffic or user volume
    • Channels such as WhatsApp, SMS and email priced separately
    • Annual contract with an assigned delivery team

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 Insider if

  • You need architect journeys.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android, REST API.
  • You also want web and app personalisation.
Insider review

Questions people ask

Is Google Analytics or Insider better?
Neither clearly leads. Google Analytics starts at Free and Insider at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Google Analytics or Insider?
Google Analytics has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Google Analytics and On request for Insider.
Does Google Analytics or Insider run on more platforms?
Google Analytics runs on Web. Insider runs on Web, iOS, Android, REST API.
Can I use Google Analytics for free?
Yes. Google Analytics has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Insider starts at On request.
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 Insider is typically brought in for.
What can Google Analytics do that Insider cannot?
Google Analytics covers Real-time analytics, Audience insights, Acquisition tracking, Behavior flow. Insider covers Architect journeys, Web and app personalisation, WhatsApp commerce, Predictive segments.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Insider: Is WhatsApp actually usable at scale here?

Yes. It is a supported primary channel with catalogue and template message support, though WhatsApp conversation fees from Meta are passed through and are separate from the licence.

Insider: Can we run it without vendor help?

You can, but the pricing assumes a managed relationship. Teams with strong in-house campaign operations often find they are paying for services they do not use.

Insider: Does it work for B2B?

Rarely a good fit. The segmentation, recommendations and channel mix are built around high-frequency consumer behaviour.

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