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Google Search Console vs. Google Universal Analytics (discontinued)

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    Overview
    ProductRatingMost Used ByProduct SummaryStarting Price

    Google Search Console

    Score9 out of 10
    N/AGoogle Search Console is a search engine optimization software solution offered by Google.N/A

    Google Universal Analytics (discontinued)

    Score7.6 out of 10
    N/AGoogle Universal Analytics was an enterprise-level analytics solution that was sunset in July of 2024.

    $150,000

    Up to 1 Billion hits/month

    Pricing
    Google Search ConsoleGoogle Universal Analytics (discontinued)
    Editions & Modules
    No answers on this topic
    Google Analytics Premium
    $150,000
    Up to 1 Billion hits/month
    Google Analytics
    Free
    Offerings
    Pricing Offerings
    Google Search ConsoleGoogle Universal Analytics (discontinued)
    Free Trial
    NoNo
    Free/Freemium Version
    NoYes
    Premium Consulting/Integration Services
    NoYes
    Entry-level Setup FeeNo setup feeNo setup fee
    Additional Details——
    More Pricing Information
    Community Pulse
    Google Search ConsoleGoogle Universal Analytics (discontinued)
    Considered Both Products
    Google
    Chose Google Search Console
    To be honest, I have not spent much time in Bing Webmaster Tools as Bing is a much less significant search engine compared to Google. It's something we only really use for major changes to a website, and it is fine for those types of task. Google Search Console is my 'go-to' …
    Incentivized
    Chose Google Search Console
    The alternatives listed are really products to be used in conjunction with the search console. Where Analytics will give you information on the data specific to users on your website, the search console will give you information on how Google sees your website. There is a lot …
    Incentivized
    Discontinued Products
    No answer on this topic
    Key User Insights
    Would buy again
    96%
    Would buy again
    26 Answers
    97%
    Would buy again
    34 Answers
    Delivers good value for the price
    100%
    Delivers good value for the price
    27 Answers
    90%
    Delivers good value for the price
    26 Answers
    Happy with the feature set
    96%
    Happy with the feature set
    26 Answers
    91%
    Happy with the feature set
    32 Answers
    Lived up to sales and marketing promises
    96%
    Lived up to sales and marketing promises
    22 Answers
    96%
    Lived up to sales and marketing promises
    27 Answers
    Implementation went as expected
    96%
    Implementation went as expected
    24 Answers
    89%
    Implementation went as expected
    24 Answers
    Features
    Google Search ConsoleGoogle Universal Analytics (discontinued)
    SEO
    Comparison of SEO features of Google Search Console and Google Universal Analytics (discontinued)
    Feature
    Google Search Console
    4.7
    56 Ratings
    48% below category average
    Google Universal Analytics (discontinued)
    -
    Ratings
    Keyword analysis7.548 Ratings00 Ratings
    Backlink management6.344 Ratings00 Ratings
    SERP ranking tracking6.346 Ratings00 Ratings
    Page grader2.933 Ratings00 Ratings
    Competitive analysis1.218 Ratings00 Ratings
    Site audit / diagnostics7.848 Ratings00 Ratings
    Site recommendations4.744 Ratings00 Ratings
    Task management1.019 Ratings00 Ratings
    SEO Channels
    Comparison of SEO Channels features of Google Search Console and Google Universal Analytics (discontinued)
    Feature
    Google Search Console
    7.2
    53 Ratings
    5% below category average
    Google Universal Analytics (discontinued)
    -
    Ratings
    Local SEO6.337 Ratings00 Ratings
    Social SEO8.019 Ratings00 Ratings
    Mobile SEO7.349 Ratings00 Ratings
    Global SEO7.443 Ratings00 Ratings
    SEO Platform & Account Management
    Comparison of SEO Platform & Account Management features of Google Search Console and Google Universal Analytics (discontinued)
    Feature
    Google Search Console
    8.0
    53 Ratings
    5% below category average
    Google Universal Analytics (discontinued)
    -
    Ratings
    Multi-domain support7.947 Ratings00 Ratings
    Integration with web analytics tools8.150 Ratings00 Ratings
    Web Analytics
    Comparison of Web Analytics features of Google Search Console and Google Universal Analytics (discontinued)
    Feature
    Google Search Console
    -
    Ratings
    Google Universal Analytics (discontinued)
    6.9
    1 Ratings
    16% below category average
    Lead Conversion Tracking00 Ratings7.01 Ratings
    Device and Browser Reporting00 Ratings1.01 Ratings
    Pageview Tracking00 Ratings7.01 Ratings
    Event Tracking00 Ratings8.01 Ratings
    Reporting in real-time00 Ratings10.01 Ratings
    Referral Source Tracking00 Ratings10.01 Ratings
    Customizable Dashboards00 Ratings5.01 Ratings
    Best Alternatives
    Google Search ConsoleGoogle Universal Analytics (discontinued)
    Small Businesses
    Serpstat
    Score10 out of 10
    Matomo Analytics
    Score9 out of 10
    Medium-sized Companies
    Yoast
    Score8.5 out of 10
    Lead Forensics
    Score8.9 out of 10
    Enterprises
    Google Trends
    Score8.6 out of 10
    Chartbeat
    Score9.2 out of 10
    All AlternativesView all alternativesView all alternatives
    User Ratings
    Google Search ConsoleGoogle Universal Analytics (discontinued)
    Likelihood to Recommend
    9.5
    (56 ratings)
    8.0
    (55 ratings)
    Likelihood to Renew
    10.0
    (1 ratings)
    10.0
    (11 ratings)
    Usability
    8.8
    (8 ratings)
    9.0
    (5 ratings)
    Performance
    -
    (0 ratings)
    10.0
    (1 ratings)
    Support Rating
    6.1
    (8 ratings)
    10.0
    (23 ratings)
    In-Person Training
    -
    (0 ratings)
    9.0
    (1 ratings)
    Online Training
    -
    (0 ratings)
    7.0
    (1 ratings)
    Implementation Rating
    -
    (0 ratings)
    10.0
    (3 ratings)
    User Testimonials
    Google Search ConsoleGoogle Universal Analytics (discontinued)
    Likelihood to Recommend
    Google
    It's suited for all use cases, but for big companies, the data might be crippling, so an add-on tool to analyse the data would be a good companion for GSC to solve this issue. Therefore, I think it's suited for any use case with some add-ons and companions needed for analysis.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Discontinued Products
    As I have discussed previously their insights were very useful. The second thing is since it is a Google product you will connect the data very easily from other platforms like Bigquery, Google Drive, etc. and even you can connect Google marketing platform. through this tool, you can track your live campaign how they were performing, and how it will be engaging your customer as well.
    Read full review
    Pros
    Google
    • Google Search Console insights is a great feature which provides an overview of my top content, how my new content is performing, etc.
    • It gives detailed information around backlinks - who is linking to us, how many backlinks do we have, how is the internal linking within the website, etc.
    • I like the graph feature that shows how the website is performing overall in one month, three months etc. Seeing the graph can help us understand whether it is trending upward or downward and we can shift strategies accordingly.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Discontinued Products
    • It is an excellent cloud analytics platform that is easy to install and configure and easy to deploy and use, allowing us to measure web traffic and other tools.
    • It is an entirely online tool; it does not take up hard disk space like other desktop tools.
    • Since this tool is draggable, Google is constantly adding more features.
    • Even beginners who do not have a custom dashboard can get information. If there is a problem somewhere on the site that needs to be investigated, Google Analytics 360 will notify you.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Cons
    Google
    • It can be a little difficult to navigate
    • More training resources would be an asset. A beginner is given the power to completely destroy a sites search results at the push of a button. Likewise it is a powerful tool to enhance search results also.
    • An option to take care of multiple versions of the same site simultaneously would be helpful. An option to use the same validation script across all versions and administer them simultaneously would be a time save (i.e. non-www, www, http://, and https:// versions of the same site).
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Discontinued Products
    • Generally I think there is a lot you can do within the tool, but as it is a Google product it means there is limited support - something which I think lets all of the platform stacks down
    • There could be more visual signifiers to identify if a feature is a normal or 360 feature. This would mean you can really get to grips with what the extra more advanced elements are
    Read full review
    Likelihood to Renew
    Google
    No answers on this topic
    Discontinued Products
    Google Analytics 360 is an upgraded version of the most widely used web/app analytics tracking tools in the market. The price is stable and predictable making it a long-term product of choice. It's easy to use and pairs so well with other Google Marketing Platform products.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Usability
    Google
    It's easy to use, but some features are lacking a clear explanation. Somethings don't always match up. For example, the Core Web Vitals often doesn't match what you would see in the Chrome Lighthouse report or the Google Page Speed Insights tool. The tool itself is a little too basic and has to be used alongside other SEO tools and other Google properties such as Analytics
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Discontinued Products
    The UI is very easy to navigate and use. The features are well designed and intuitive. As long as the user has a good understanding of basic digital analytics definitions and capabilities, this tool should be quite easy to use. I consider Google Analytics Premium to be the easiest of all of the enterprise solutions out there to use.
    Read full review
    Support Rating
    Google
    As it is a free tool, you mainly have to rely on their knowledge base and forums. Google has provided in-depth guides and KB for every function of the search console. So, you can refer to it in case of any problem. You can also ask questions on their forums but direct support is not available.
    Incentivized
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    Discontinued Products
    If you purchase Premium through a reseller like LunaMetrics, you are going to be taken care of. The additional amount of support and services that a reseller provides to make sure you have the best experience with the product is the reason why the reseller program exists to begin with. Support doesn't have to be just reactive, it can be proactive as well.
    Read full review
    Online Training
    Google
    No answers on this topic
    Discontinued Products
    There is a ton of information online about Google Analytics, but Google Analytics Premium users will have dedicated support and training from Google or an Authorized Reseller.
    Read full review
    Implementation Rating
    Google
    No answers on this topic
    Discontinued Products
    If you already have the basic version of GA installed, "getting" GA Premium happens immediately through a virtual flipping of the switch - no need to re-implement. You'll want to expand your use of custom dimensions and metrics (you get 10x the amount with Premium). Ideally, you'll be using a tag management solution to talk with GA Premium, in concert with implementing a dataLayer (to note, Google's Tag Manager platform is covered under the same GA Premium SLA, and it's free). There are some welcomed "configurations" with GA Premium, such as integrating with DoubleClick products, activating data driven attribution models, and building roll-up executive reports - but all of these are easy point and click solutions. In comparison with any other enterprise analytics solution, implementing GA and GA Premium is traditionally easier and more flexible. And if you have any trouble or need an extra set of hands for implementation, GA Certified Partners like LunaMetrics can help
    Read full review
    Alternatives Considered
    Google
    SEMRush is a supplementary tool we use to provide competitive analysis. While it does, or should, provide the same data that Search Console does, but I only fully trust Search Console when it comes to basic performance in Google for the sites we develop and own. SEMRush, and other products like it, does provide much more in-depth insights that can help drive business decisions, including site performance on other search engines, along putting organic and paid search performance in one spot. However, SEMRush costs money while Search Console is free.
    Incentivized
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    Discontinued Products
    Unless you have very complex and edge case analytics needs, Google Analytics [360 (formerly Google Analytics Premium)] is likely going to be the best choice. From both a cost and usability stand point, Google wins. Adobe has the edge case when you need to create really custom reports, dimensions, metrics, etc. In my experience, this is rarely the case and you end up biting off more than you can chew. Stick with Google unless you are or plan on hiring an Adobe Analytics expert.
    Incentivized
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    Return on Investment
    Google
    • Given that this is a free tool, the return on investment has been particularly high - we've identified and addressed a few site issues that could have meant a reduction in search traffic.
    • Our organic search traffic has been on the rise in part due to the insights gained from the search traffic analytics provided within the console.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Discontinued Products
    • It helps me understand which social media platforms are most successful for me - which I should focus on and which I might want to focus less on.
    • I can also see which blog posts people are reading - so I know which topics resonate most. I can write more of those, hopefully gaining more visitors.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    ScreenShots