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Marketing · head to head

Google Analytics vs Kissmetrics

Google Analytics logo

Google Analytics

Marketing

Get to know your customers

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Kissmetrics logo

Kissmetrics

Marketing

Customer analytics and behavioral data

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Google Analytics data retention limited to maximum 26 months on standard properties, with automatic deletion after retention period expires; Kissmetrics overages are added automatically to the next invoice rather than blocked, so exceeding an event allowance bills without a decision point
  • They diverge on capability: Google Analytics covers Real-time analytics, Kissmetrics covers Customer analytics.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Google Analytics and Kissmetrics differ
AttributeGoogle AnalyticsKissmetrics
Founded19982009

Identical on both: starting price (Free), pricing model (freemium), free tier (Yes), platforms (Web), 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 Kissmetrics

  • Customer analytics
  • Behavioral tracking
  • Cohort analysis
  • Funnel analysis
  • GDPR
  • Cloud deployment
  • Web support
  • English language support

Both cover

  • Salesforce

What people use each for

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

Google Analytics

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

Kissmetrics

  • Product analytics and user behavior trackingnot Google Analytics
  • Event-based analyticsnot Google Analytics
  • Data integration and reportingnot 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

Kissmetrics

  • Overages are added automatically to the next invoice rather than blocked, so exceeding an event allowance bills without a decision point
  • The free plan allows 100,000 events a month
  • Per event rates fall with volume, from $0.20 per 1,000 events on Growth to $0.10 on Gold, so smaller customers pay double per event
  • The vendor states Growth, Silver and Gold are the identical product, so the paid tiers differ only in unit price and volume
  • Anything above 5 million events is custom priced

Pricing, plan by plan

Google Analytics

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Google Analytics review.

Kissmetrics

Free
  • FreeFree
    • 100,000 events/month
    • Autocapture tracking
    • AI chat
  • Growth$99/month
    • Starting at 500k events
    • $0.20 per 1k events
    • Populations
  • Silver$null/month
    • $0.15 per 1k events
    • All Growth features
  • Gold$null/month
    • $0.10 per 1k events (at 5M+ events)
    • All Growth features

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 Kissmetrics if

  • You need customer analytics.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want behavioral tracking.
Kissmetrics review

Questions people ask

Is Google Analytics or Kissmetrics better?
Neither clearly leads. Google Analytics starts at Free and Kissmetrics at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Google Analytics or Kissmetrics?
Google Analytics starts at Free and Kissmetrics at Free.
Does Google Analytics or Kissmetrics 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?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
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 Kissmetrics is typically brought in for.
What can Google Analytics do that Kissmetrics cannot?
Google Analytics covers Real-time analytics, Audience insights, Acquisition tracking, Behavior flow. Kissmetrics covers Customer analytics, Behavioral tracking, Cohort analysis, Funnel analysis. Both handle Salesforce.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Kissmetrics: Does KISSmetrics have a free plan?

Yes, KISSmetrics offers a free plan with 100,000 events/month including autocapture tracking, dashboards, and core reports. No card required.

Source
Kissmetrics: What does KISSmetrics charge for paid plans?

Growth plan starts at $99/month for 500k events, charging $0.20 per additional 1k events. Silver and Gold tiers offer lower per-event rates at higher volumes.

Source
Kissmetrics: Does KISSmetrics offer annual discounts?

Yes, annual plans receive 20% off monthly rates. Overage charges are automatically added to the next invoice.

Source
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