Summary
Use Google Analytics 4 properties. A single GA4 property accepts web, Android and iOS data streams, so acquisition reporting and cross platform user journeys sit in the same place. Firebase covers apps only, Universal Analytics is retired, and Google Marketing Platform is a product suite rather than an analytics property.
Nitin Batra is a Google Analytics 4 certified professional who configures multi stream GA4 properties for combined web and app measurement and builds cross platform path and funnel explorations as part of his regular client work.
Last updated: August 21, 2026
To analyse how users arrive at your website and app and follow their journeys across both platforms in one place, use Google Analytics 4 properties, which combine web and app data streams under a single property.
- Use Firebase.
- Use Universal Analytics properties.
- Use Google Analytics 4 properties.
- Use Google Marketing Platform.
The correct answer is: Use Google Analytics 4 properties.
Key Takeaways
- – Google Analytics 4 properties are the right choice for analysing acquisition and user journeys across both a website and an app.
- – One GA4 property can hold multiple data streams, web, Android and iOS, so all platforms report into the same set of Acquisition and Engagement reports.
- – GA4’s event based model replaced the session based model of Universal Analytics, which is what makes app and web data comparable in one property.
- – Cross platform reporting only works properly if you send a consistent User-ID from both the app and the site, otherwise the same person appears as two users.
How do I add both a website and an app to the same GA4 property?
Go to Admin, select the property, then open Data Streams and click Add stream. Choose Web for the site and Android app or iOS app for the mobile apps. Each stream gets its own Measurement ID or Firebase App ID, but all of them feed data into the same property and the same reports.
Where do I see which platform the traffic came from in GA4?
Open any Acquisition report under Reports and add Platform or Stream name as a secondary dimension. You can also build a free form exploration in Explore with Platform as a row dimension and Sessions, Users and Conversions as metrics. That gives you a clean web versus app comparison in a single table.
Does Firebase still matter if I am using GA4 for app tracking?
Yes, Firebase is still how you instrument the app and send events, but the reporting happens in the linked GA4 property. Firebase on its own does not give you website acquisition data or combined web and app journeys. Think of Firebase as the app SDK and GA4 as the reporting layer that brings all streams together.
What breaks cross platform user journey analysis in GA4?
The most common problem is missing or inconsistent User-ID between the app and the website, which splits one person into two users and makes path analysis look wrong. Turning off Google signals or having low login rates also reduces the identity matches. Check Admin, Reporting Identity and set it to Blended so GA4 uses User-ID first, then Google signals, then device ID.