GA Google Analytics vs Site Kit by Google
GA Google Analytics and Site Kit by Google both connect a WordPress site to Google Analytics, but at very different scope: GA Google Analytics is a lightweight, single-purpose plugin that inserts your tracking code and little else, while Site Kit by Google is an official Google product that bundles Analytics with Search Console, PageSpeed Insights, AdSense, and more in one dashboard. Site Kit holds a far larger install base - an estimated 5.55 million active installs against GA Google Analytics's 439,000 - reflecting Google's own backing and default visibility.
Rating tells a different story: GA Google Analytics holds a 4.9-star average against Site Kit's 4.2, though on a much smaller review count (158 versus 1,008). A single-purpose tool with a narrow job tends to satisfy the people who choose it specifically; a broader dashboard touching more products has more surface area for something to frustrate someone.
Quick verdict: Choose GA Google Analytics if you only want Analytics tracking added simply, without touching other Google products. Choose Site Kit by Google if you want Analytics, Search Console, PageSpeed, and other Google tools connected in one official dashboard.
GA Google Analytics vs Site Kit by Google at a glance
Numbers above are StatWP's own estimates, derived from WordPress.org's bucketed reporting rather than an exact figure the directory publishes, and update automatically rather than reflecting a fixed snapshot.
Feature and starting price at a glance
| Feature | GA Google Analytics | Site Kit by Google |
|---|---|---|
| Core method | Inserts Google Analytics tracking code, with configuration options | Connects and displays data from multiple Google products in one dashboard |
| Products covered | Google Analytics only | Analytics, Search Console, PageSpeed Insights, AdSense, and more |
| Maintained by | Independent developer (Jeff Starr) | |
| Free version | Yes, fully free | Yes, fully free |
| Starting premium price | No paid tier | No paid tier - connects to Google's own products, which have their own separate pricing |
Neither plugin charges anything itself - the real cost difference, if any, is on the Google product side (AdSense, paid Search Console-adjacent tools), not the WordPress plugin.
What does GA Google Analytics actually do?
This plugin does one job and stays narrow about it:
Inserts your Google Analytics tracking code across the site automatically.
Basic configuration options for where and how tracking loads.
No dashboard, no additional Google product connections - just the tracking code, reliably placed.
It's maintained by an independent developer rather than Google itself, and its appeal is specifically not being a bigger tool than the job requires.
What does Site Kit by Google actually do?
Site Kit is Google's own official WordPress plugin, built to surface data from several of its products in one place:
Google Analytics reporting, viewable directly inside WordPress.
Search Console data - queries, impressions, and click-through rates.
PageSpeed Insights scores for site performance.
AdSense integration for sites running Google ads.
Because it's maintained directly by Google, it tends to get first access to new Google product integrations before independent plugins do.
What features does each one have that the other doesn't?
GA Google Analytics's advantage is exactly its narrowness - nothing to configure beyond tracking, and nothing else touching your Google account.
Site Kit's advantage is consolidation: Search Console, PageSpeed, and AdSense data sit next to Analytics without needing three or four separate plugins to see the same information Google already has about your site.
Which should you actually use?
If Analytics tracking is the only thing you need and you'd rather keep the plugin as small as possible, GA Google Analytics does that one job without extra scope. If you want a single dashboard across multiple Google products - especially Search Console and PageSpeed data alongside Analytics - Site Kit's official, broader integration is built specifically for that.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between GA Google Analytics and Site Kit by Google?
GA Google Analytics only inserts your Analytics tracking code. Site Kit by Google, made directly by Google, connects and displays data from Analytics, Search Console, PageSpeed Insights, and AdSense in one dashboard.
Is Site Kit by Google better than GA Google Analytics?
For a single, simple Analytics connection, GA Google Analytics's narrower scope and higher rating make it the lighter choice. For a multi-product Google dashboard inside WordPress, Site Kit is built for that specifically and isn't really competing on the same job.
Is Site Kit by Google an official Google product?
Yes - it's developed and maintained by Google, unlike most WordPress plugins connecting to Google services.
Do either of these plugins cost anything?
No - both are entirely free. Any costs involved come from the Google products they connect to (like AdSense), not the plugins themselves.
See the live, current numbers for either plugin any time on StatWP's GA Google Analytics page or StatWP's Site Kit by Google page, or run this comparison yourself with StatWP's compare tool.