Analytics Edge provide 2 connectors for Google Analytics: Free and Pro. For many people using the old Universal Analytics version of GA , the Google Analytics (Free) connector is all they need. The Pro connector provides many extra features, including full support for GA 360 customers as well as the new Google Analytics 4. This article describes the differences in more detail.
Limitations (or the lack of)
Both connectors have no account limits — you can use them with as many Google Analytics accounts as you have. Your account credentials are stored, strongly encrypted, on your computer. They are never shared with any Analytics Edge server.
Both connectors have no query limits — limited only by the APIs, you can make as many queries as you need. Because Analytics Edge products are installed, your computer does all the work; there are no intermediate servers between you and Google’s API to slow things down.
Both connectors have no download limits — limited only by the million-row limit of the API, the connectors will automatically make multiple API queries as required to get all of your data.
Minimize Sampling
Both connectors can minimize sampling — if you ask for too much data, Google Analytics can sample their databases, delivering approximations instead of accurate numbers. The most effective technique to avoid sampling is to divide the query into shorter time frames and join the results. Both connector have an option that does this — just add a date, week or month field and check the box; Analytics Edge takes care of the rest.
The Google Analytics Pro connector can optionally use resource quotas (GA 360 customers only) to get unsampled reports.
Using Cell References
Both connectors let you use cell references — for the account, view, segment, filter and start/end dates. This allows you to make template reports with many queries that can be switched to different accounts, view or dates simply by changing the value in a cell.
Dimensions and Metrics
The Google Analytics web interface offers one extra (secondary) dimension in most reports. Most custom reports use less than 5 dimensions. Both connectors can download 9 dimensions and 10 metrics per query.
Both connectors can access all 20 custom dimensions and metrics that are available to standard GA users.
The Google Analytics (Pro) connector can access all 200 custom dimensions and metrics available to GA 360 users.
If you don’t need any of the following extras, then the Free Google Analytics connector is all you need.
Quick Pivot (Pro only)
The Google Analytics Pro connector provides a quick Pivot function to make it easier to create trended reports.
Note that users of the Standard Add-in and Core Add-in have a Pivot function included in the Add-in itself that works with every connector.
Bulk Queries (Pro only)
The Google Analytics Pro connector offers a Bulk Query capability that makes it possible to directly edit all of the query parameters in a spreadsheet.
Note that all users now enjoy this capability by editing the Query Sheet (via the Edit Mode button’s drop-down menu).
Management Lists (Pro only)
The Google Analytics Pro connector allows you to download lists of the accounts, properties and views as well as the filters, goals and custom dimension and metrics in your accounts.
This is useful for agencies or large organizations managing many accounts.
Multi-Channel Funnels (Pro only)
The Google Analytics Pro connector allows you to make multi-channel funnel reports (which uses a separate API).
These reports appear in Google Analytics under the Conversions > Multi-Channel Funnels side navigation.
User Activity Report (Pro only)
The Google Analytics Pro connector now offers access to a new API that provides some access to the details behind individual user’s activity.
Note that you MUST provide a specific User ID or Client ID for the report, so unless your website captures that information, the report is not useful to you.
Save Filter (Pro only)
The Google Analytics Pro connector allows you to save or update view filters into your views.
This is useful for agencies or large organizations managing many accounts.
Upload Data (Pro only)
The Google Analytics Pro connector allows you to upload cost data from external sources into your Google Analytics account.
Note that this can be a complicated process to configure your account with an appropriate data source definition and to prepare the data in the right format for uploading.
Google Analytics 4 Reporting
The Google Analytics Pro connector allows you to get data for your new Google Analytics 4 account.
Google has stated this is the way of the future, and additional capabilities for GA 4 will be added in the future.