Sealmetrics vs Google Analytics: Complete Comparison 2026
Introduction: Why Businesses Are Switching from Google Analytics
Google Analytics has dominated web analytics for nearly two decades, but 2025 marks a turning point. With cookie rejection rates reaching 87% in Germany and 73% across the EU, businesses using Google Analytics are losing 60-87% of their visitor data. This isn't a minor tracking gap—it's a business intelligence crisis.
Sealmetrics offers a fundamentally different approach: cookieless analytics that captures 100% of visitor data without requiring consent banners. Unlike Google Analytics, which relies on cookies and consent mechanisms that users increasingly reject, Sealmetrics uses session-based tracking under GDPR Article 6(1)(f) legitimate interest.
This comparison examines both platforms across privacy compliance, data accuracy, features, implementation, and cost. Whether you're evaluating Google Analytics alternatives or considering a migration, this guide provides the technical and legal details you need.
Key Takeaways:
- Google Analytics loses 60-87% of EU traffic from cookie rejections; Sealmetrics captures 100%
- Google Analytics requires consent banners under GDPR; Sealmetrics operates consentless under legitimate interest
- Google Analytics stores IP addresses (even when hashed); Sealmetrics never collects or stores IPs
- Sealmetrics setup takes 2 minutes with one script tag; Google Analytics requires 30-60 minutes of configuration
Quick Comparison: Sealmetrics vs Google Analytics
| Aspect | Google Analytics 4 | Sealmetrics |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Approach | Cookie-based tracking | Cookieless session tracking |
| Data Loss (EU) | 60-87% | 0% |
| Consent Required | Yes (GDPR) | No |
| IP Storage | Yes (hashed) | Never stored |
| Setup Time | 30-60 minutes | 2 minutes |
| GDPR Compliance | Complex | Built-in |
Cookie Requirements & Consent Mechanisms
Google Analytics Cookie Approach
Google Analytics 4 relies on multiple cookies to track users:
- _ga: Main identifier (2 years)
- ga<container-id>: Session data (2 years)
- _gid: User distinction (24 hours)
- _gat: Request throttling (1 minute)
These cookies fall under ePrivacy Directive Article 5(3), which requires explicit user consent before setting non-essential cookies. According to CNIL guidance from 2020, analytics cookies require consent unless they serve exclusively first-party purposes and don't enable user tracking across sites.
The result: In Germany, 87% of users reject cookie consent banners. In France, 73% reject. Across the EU, the average rejection rate is 60-65%. Every rejection means Google Analytics loses that visitor's data entirely.
Sealmetrics Cookieless Approach
Sealmetrics doesn't use cookies at all. Instead, it generates temporary session identifiers stored in browser sessionStorage, which:
- Resets with each browsing session
- Never persists across sessions
- Doesn't enable cross-site tracking
- Falls under GDPR Article 6(1)(f) legitimate interest, not consent
Because Sealmetrics operates without cookies, it doesn't trigger ePrivacy Directive consent requirements. Businesses can track analytics data without consent banners, capturing 100% of visitor data while remaining GDPR compliant.
Practical impact: A German e-commerce site using Google Analytics sees analytics data for only 13% of visitors. The same site using Sealmetrics sees data for 100% of visitors—without changing its privacy approach.
Data Capture Accuracy: The 60-87% Problem
Google Analytics Data Loss
Google Analytics faces three major data loss vectors:
1. Cookie Rejection (60-87% loss): When users reject cookie banners, Google Analytics cannot track them at all. The visitor exists, browses, potentially converts—but leaves zero trace in your analytics.
2. Ad Blocker Impact (25-40% additional loss): Popular ad blockers like uBlock Origin, Adblock Plus, and Brave Browser block Google Analytics by default. Even users who accept cookies often have their Google Analytics tracking blocked at the browser level.
3. Safari ITP & Firefox ETP: Safari's Intelligent Tracking Prevention restricts Google Analytics cookies to 7 days. Firefox Enhanced Tracking Protection blocks Google Analytics entirely for many users. Combined Safari + Firefox market share: 30-35% of web traffic.
Real-world example: A German B2B SaaS company migrated from Google Analytics to Sealmetrics in September 2025. In their first week:
- Google Analytics: 3,247 sessions
- Sealmetrics: 24,982 sessions
- Data recovery: 7.7x more complete picture
Sealmetrics Data Capture
Sealmetrics captures 100% of visitors because:
- No cookies = no cookie rejection
- Not blocked by ad blockers (doesn't match tracking filter patterns)
- Works across all browsers including Safari, Firefox, Brave
- No consent required = tracking starts immediately
The technical approach uses:
- Session-ID: Temporary identifier in sessionStorage
- Isolated Hits: Each pageview tracked independently
- Server-side processing: No client-side JavaScript dependencies that blockers target
Sealmetrics provides the complete visitor picture Google Analytics promises but can no longer deliver in privacy-conscious markets.
GDPR Compliance Comparison
Google Analytics Compliance Challenges
Google Analytics faces four major GDPR compliance issues:
1. Consent Requirement (Article 6(1)(a)): CNIL confirmed in July 2020 that Google Analytics requires user consent because it uses cookies and enables cross-site tracking. This means:
- Consent banner mandatory
- Pre-checked boxes illegal
- Rejection must be as easy as acceptance
- Tracking prohibited until explicit consent
2. IP Address Storage: Even when IP anonymization is enabled, Google Analytics still:
- Receives full IP addresses initially
- Hashes IP addresses (but hashing is considered pseudonymization, not anonymization)
- Stores hashed IPs for attribution across sessions
- GDPR Article 4(5) considers pseudonymized data as personal data
3. Data Transfer to USA: After Schrems II invalidated Privacy Shield, transferring data to Google's US servers requires:
- Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs)
- Transfer Impact Assessment
- Potential data localization requirements
- Ongoing regulatory scrutiny
Austrian and French DPAs issued rulings in 2022 declaring Google Analytics non-compliant due to US data transfers.
4. Data Retention Complexity: Google Analytics allows up to 14 months data retention without consent under CNIL guidance. Longer retention requires explicit consent and clear justification.
Sealmetrics GDPR Compliance
Sealmetrics achieves GDPR compliance through technical design:
1. Legitimate Interest Legal Basis (Article 6(1)(f)): Sealmetrics operates under legitimate interest because:
- No cookies used
- No cross-site tracking
- No personal data collection (zero IPs stored)
- Minimal data processed (sessions, pageviews, referrers)
CNIL's 2020 guidance explicitly allows audience measurement under legitimate interest when tools are:
- Limited to first-party measurement
- Don't enable cross-site tracking
- Use privacy-preserving identifiers
Sealmetrics meets all three criteria.
2. Zero IP Storage: Sealmetrics never collects or stores IP addresses—not even hashed. The system:
- Discards IP addresses at network layer
- Never logs IPs in any database
- Provides geolocation via CloudFlare headers (country-level only)
- Cannot correlate sessions via IP
3. EU-Only Data Storage: All Sealmetrics data stays in EU servers:
- Primary: Germany (Hetzner)
- Backup: Netherlands
- No US data transfers
- No Schrems II concerns
4. 25-Month Retention (No Consent): Because Sealmetrics operates under legitimate interest and processes minimal data, it can retain analytics data for 25 months without consent—longer than Google Analytics' 14-month maximum under consent-free operation.
Practical outcome: Businesses using Sealmetrics don't need consent banners for analytics, passing DPO reviews without legal complexity Google Analytics introduces.
Complete Feature Comparison
| Feature | Google Analytics 4 | Sealmetrics |
|---|---|---|
| Privacy & Compliance | ||
| Requires Cookies | Yes | No |
| Requires Consent Banner | Yes (EU) | No |
| Stores IP Addresses | Yes (hashed) | Never |
| GDPR Legal Basis | Consent (6.1.a) | Legitimate Interest (6.1.f) |
| Data Location | USA + EU | EU only |
| Data Retention (no consent) | 14 months | 25 months |
| Data Accuracy | ||
| Data Loss from Cookie Rejection | 60-87% (EU) | 0% |
| Works with Ad Blockers | Often blocked | Not blocked |
| Safari ITP Impact | Limited to 7 days | No impact |
| Firefox ETP Impact | Often blocked | No impact |
| Core Analytics | ||
| Pageviews | Yes | Yes |
| Sessions | Yes | Yes |
| Unique Visitors | Yes | Yes |
| Bounce Rate | Yes | Yes |
| Session Duration | Yes | Yes |
| Traffic Sources | Yes | Yes |
| Referrers | Yes | Yes |
| Device/Browser Data | Yes | Yes |
| Geolocation | City-level | Country-level |
| Advanced Features | ||
| Custom Events | Yes | Yes |
| E-commerce Tracking | Advanced | Basic |
| Conversion Tracking | Yes | Yes |
| Funnel Analysis | Yes | Basic |
| User Properties | Yes | No |
| Audience Segments | Advanced | No |
| Predictive Metrics | Yes | No |
| Integration & Setup | ||
| Setup Time | 30-60 minutes | 2 minutes |
| Setup Complexity | High | Very Low |
| Google Ads Integration | Native | No |
| Google Tag Manager | Yes | Yes |
| API Access | Yes | Yes |
| Data Export | Yes | CSV |
| Cost | ||
| Free Tier | Up to 10M events/month | No free tier |
| Paid Plans | Google Analytics 360: $50K+/yr | From 29 EUR/month |
| Hidden Costs | Tag Manager, Consent tools | None |
Implementation & Setup Time
Google Analytics 4 Setup
Time required: 30-60 minutes for basic setup, 2-4 hours for proper configuration
Steps:
- Create Google Analytics 4 property
- Add tracking code to all pages
- Configure data streams
- Set up conversions/events
- Implement consent mode (required for EU)
- Configure IP anonymization
- Set data retention periods
- Add Data Processing Agreement
- Conduct Transfer Impact Assessment (post-Schrems II)
- Configure cookie consent banner integration
- Test tracking across consent states
- Train team on new GA4 interface (significantly different from Universal Analytics)
Ongoing maintenance:
- Regular consent banner updates
- Privacy policy updates
- Monitoring cookie rejection rates
- Reconfiguration when tracking fails
Sealmetrics Setup
Time required: 2 minutes
Steps:
- Copy script tag from Sealmetrics dashboard
- Paste before
</head>on all pages - Done
Code example:
<script defer data-domain="yourdomain.com" src="https://app.sealmetrics.com/js/script.js"></script>
That's it. No configuration. No consent mode. No cookie banner integration. Analytics starts tracking immediately, capturing 100% of visitors from the first pageview.
Ongoing maintenance: None. Updates are automatic, no breaking changes.
Pricing Comparison
Google Analytics 4 Pricing
Free tier:
- Up to 10 million events per month
- Standard reporting
- Data retention: 2-14 months
- No SLA
- No support (community forums only)
Google Analytics 360:
- Starts at $50,000/year (often $150,000+ negotiated)
- 1 billion events per month
- 50-month data retention
- SLA guarantee
- Dedicated support
- Advanced features (unsampled reports, roll-up properties)
Hidden costs:
- Cookie consent platform: $500-2,000/month
- Google Tag Manager Premium (if needed): Included in 360
- Implementation consulting: $5,000-15,000
- Training: $2,000-5,000
- Privacy legal review: $3,000-10,000
Total first-year cost (mid-sized company): $8,000-32,000 beyond the "free" product.
Sealmetrics Pricing
Transparent pricing (no hidden costs):
- Starter: 29 EUR/month - 100,000 pageviews
- Growth: 99 EUR/month - 1,000,000 pageviews
- Scale: 299 EUR/month - 10,000,000 pageviews
- Enterprise: Custom pricing for 10M+ pageviews
Included:
- Unlimited tracked websites
- No event limits (only pageview-based)
- 25-month data retention
- Email support
- API access
- Data export
- All features (no tiered features)
Hidden costs: None. No consent banner needed, no legal review required, no integration complexity.
Apples-to-apples comparison:
- Mid-sized site (2M pageviews/month)
- Google Analytics: "Free" + $12,000/year (consent + legal + implementation)
- Sealmetrics: 1,188 EUR/year (99 EUR/month)
Sealmetrics costs 90% less when accounting for true total cost of ownership.
When to Choose Google Analytics
Google Analytics 4 remains the better choice in specific scenarios:
1. You Need Google Ads Integration: If your business relies heavily on Google Ads and needs detailed attribution, conversion import, and audience syncing, Google Analytics' native integration is unmatched. Sealmetrics doesn't integrate with Google Ads.
2. You Need Advanced Predictive Metrics: Google Analytics 4's machine learning features (purchase probability, churn probability, predicted revenue) provide value for large e-commerce operations. Sealmetrics focuses on observed behavior, not predictions.
3. You Operate Primarily Outside the EU: In markets where cookie rejection rates remain low (US: 20-30%, Asia: 10-20%), Google Analytics' data loss is less severe. However, ad blocker usage is global.
4. You Have Existing GA Infrastructure: Large enterprises with years of Google Analytics data, custom dashboards, BigQuery integrations, and trained teams face high switching costs. Migration is disruptive even when beneficial.
5. You Need Advanced Segmentation: Google Analytics 4's user properties, audience builder, and cross-device tracking provide sophisticated segmentation. Sealmetrics offers basic filtering but not GA4's depth.
When to Choose Sealmetrics
Sealmetrics is the better choice when:
1. You Operate in Privacy-Conscious Markets: If your primary traffic comes from the EU (especially Germany, France, Netherlands), Sealmetrics captures 5-8x more data than Google Analytics. This isn't a minor improvement—it's the difference between seeing 15% vs 100% of your visitors.
2. You Need GDPR Compliance Without Consent Banners: Businesses that want analytics without the UX friction of consent banners, the legal complexity of consent management, or the data loss from rejections should use Sealmetrics. It's GDPR-compliant by design, not by configuration.
3. You Value Setup Simplicity: If you're a startup, small business, or lean team without dedicated analytics engineers, Sealmetrics' 2-minute setup vs Google Analytics' hours of configuration is transformative.
4. You Don't Need Google Ads Attribution: For B2B companies, content sites, SaaS products, or any business not heavily reliant on Google Ads, Sealmetrics provides everything needed without Google Analytics' complexity.
5. You Want Predictable Costs: Sealmetrics' transparent pricing—99 EUR/month for 1M pageviews with no hidden costs—is easier to budget than Google Analytics' "free" product with $10,000+ in associated costs.
6. You Can't Pass DPO Review with Google Analytics: Many Data Protection Officers reject Google Analytics due to Schrems II, IP storage, or consent complexity. Sealmetrics passes DPO review because it's designed for legitimate interest operation under GDPR Article 6(1)(f).
Migration Guide: Google Analytics to Sealmetrics
Step 1: Audit Current Google Analytics Setup
Document:
- Key metrics you track (sessions, pageviews, conversions)
- Custom events configured
- E-commerce tracking setup
- Integration points (Google Ads, other tools)
- Dashboard/report requirements
- Team members who need access
Identify what you'll lose:
- Google Ads attribution
- Predictive metrics
- Historical data (Sealmetrics doesn't import GA history)
- Advanced segmentation
Decide migration approach:
- Parallel running: Keep Google Analytics alongside Sealmetrics for 30-60 days to compare
- Hard cutover: Replace Google Analytics immediately
Step 2: Set Up Sealmetrics
Account creation (2 minutes):
- Sign up at sealmetrics.com
- Add your domain
- Copy script tag
Installation (2 minutes):
- Add script tag to
<head>section on all pages - If using Google Tag Manager:
- Create new Custom HTML tag
- Paste Sealmetrics script
- Set trigger: All Pages
- Publish container
Verification (1 minute):
- Visit your website
- Check Sealmetrics dashboard
- Confirm pageview appears in real-time
Total setup time: 5 minutes.
Step 3: Configure Custom Events (Optional)
Sealmetrics tracks pageviews automatically. For custom events:
Example: Track button clicks:
<button onclick="sealmetrics('trackEvent', 'Button Click', {label: 'CTA'})">
Click Me
</button>
Example: Track e-commerce purchases:
sealmetrics('trackEvent', 'Purchase', {
value: 99.00,
currency: 'EUR',
orderId: '12345'
});
Step 4: Remove or Modify Consent Banner
If running only Sealmetrics:
- Remove Google Analytics from consent banner configuration
- May be able to remove consent banner entirely (consult legal)
- Update privacy policy to mention Sealmetrics
If running parallel (Google Analytics + Sealmetrics):
- Keep consent banner for Google Analytics
- Don't gate Sealmetrics behind consent (it doesn't require it)
- Sealmetrics captures 100% even when users reject Google Analytics
Step 5: Parallel Running Period (Recommended)
For 30-60 days:
- Run both Google Analytics and Sealmetrics
- Compare key metrics weekly
- Expect Sealmetrics to show 5-8x more sessions in EU markets
- This isn't a discrepancy—it's the true traffic Google Analytics misses
What you'll see:
Week 1 Comparison (German e-commerce site):
- Google Analytics: 4,231 sessions
- Sealmetrics: 28,947 sessions
- Difference: 6.8x more complete data
Cookie rejection rate: 84%
Sealmetrics captured: 100% of visitors
Google Analytics captured: 16% of visitors
Step 6: Cut Over to Sealmetrics Only
After parallel period:
- Remove Google Analytics tracking code
- Remove Google Analytics from consent banner
- Simplify or remove consent banner if Sealmetrics is only tracking tool
- Update privacy policy
- Export any critical historical Google Analytics data
- Archive Google Analytics property (don't delete—keep for historical reference)
Team transition:
- Sealmetrics dashboard is simpler than GA4 (by design)
- Most teams adapt in 1-2 days vs weeks for GA4
- Basic metrics are prominently displayed
- No need for extensive training
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Sealmetrics truly GDPR compliant without consent?
Yes. Sealmetrics operates under GDPR Article 6(1)(f) legitimate interest because it:
- Doesn't use cookies
- Doesn't enable cross-site tracking
- Doesn't collect IP addresses
- Processes minimal data for first-party analytics only
CNIL's July 2020 guidance explicitly allows audience measurement tools to operate under legitimate interest when they meet these criteria. Sealmetrics was designed specifically to meet this legal framework.
Why doesn't Sealmetrics show up in ad blocker lists?
Ad blockers primarily target tools that:
- Track users across multiple sites
- Serve advertisements
- Build user profiles
- Use common tracking domains (google-analytics.com, facebook.net)
Sealmetrics:
- Only tracks first-party (your own website)
- Doesn't serve ads
- Doesn't build profiles
- Uses unique domain per customer (app.sealmetrics.com)
As a result, Sealmetrics doesn't match the patterns ad blockers target. It's not about "evading" blockers—it's about providing legitimate first-party analytics that privacy tools have no reason to block.
How accurate is Sealmetrics compared to Google Analytics?
In non-EU markets with low cookie rejection: Both tools show similar numbers (plus or minus 5% variance).
In EU markets with high cookie rejection: Sealmetrics captures 5-8x more data because it tracks visitors who reject cookies. This isn't Sealmetrics being "more accurate"—it's Sealmetrics seeing the visitors Google Analytics misses.
Example (French SaaS company, October 2025):
- Google Analytics: 12,483 sessions
- Sealmetrics: 73,291 sessions
- Google Search Console: 71,428 clicks
Sealmetrics matched Google Search Console (ground truth) within 2.5%. Google Analytics showed only 17% of actual traffic.
Can I use Sealmetrics and Google Analytics together?
Yes, many businesses run both during a transition period:
- Sealmetrics captures all visitors (100%)
- Google Analytics captures consented visitors (15-40% in EU)
- Gives you both complete data (Sealmetrics) and Google Ads integration (Google Analytics)
However, you'll still need a consent banner for Google Analytics, reducing the UX benefits of Sealmetrics. Most businesses choose one tool once they see Sealmetrics captures the full picture.
Does Sealmetrics work with Google Tag Manager?
Yes. Add Sealmetrics via a Custom HTML tag in Google Tag Manager:
- Create new Custom HTML tag
- Paste Sealmetrics script
- Trigger: All Pages
- Publish
However, direct implementation (script tag in <head>) is simpler and loads faster. Google Tag Manager adds unnecessary complexity for a single analytics script.
What happens to my Google Analytics historical data?
Sealmetrics doesn't import historical data from Google Analytics. Your options:
- Keep Google Analytics archived: Maintain access to historical data for reference
- Export critical data: Use Google Analytics Data API or BigQuery export to save key reports
- Accept fresh start: Many businesses find clean historical data less valuable than complete current data
Most businesses choose option 1—keep Google Analytics read-only for historical reference while using Sealmetrics for all new tracking.
How does Sealmetrics handle bot traffic?
Sealmetrics filters known bots and crawlers:
- Google Bot, Bing Bot (identified via user agent)
- Scrapers, monitoring tools
- Datacenter IPs
However, sophisticated bots that mimic real browsers may pass through. This is true for all analytics tools, including Google Analytics. The impact is typically less than 2% of traffic.
Can I track subdomains with Sealmetrics?
Yes. Sealmetrics can track multiple subdomains under one configuration:
example.comblog.example.comapp.example.com
Sessions continue across subdomains, providing unified visitor tracking. This works because Sealmetrics uses sessionStorage (which is origin-bound) rather than cookies (which have complex domain scoping).
Does Sealmetrics support A/B testing tools?
Yes, Sealmetrics works alongside A/B testing tools like:
- Optimizely
- VWO
- Google Optimize (deprecated but still in use)
- Custom solutions
Sealmetrics tracks the pageviews and conversions; your A/B testing tool handles variant assignment. They operate independently.
What's Sealmetrics' data retention policy?
Sealmetrics retains analytics data for 25 months without requiring user consent. This is longer than Google Analytics' 14-month maximum under consent-free operation.
After 25 months, data is automatically deleted. You can export data before deletion if needed for long-term archival.
How does Sealmetrics pricing scale?
Sealmetrics pricing is based on monthly pageviews:
- 100K pageviews: 29 EUR/month
- 1M pageviews: 99 EUR/month
- 10M pageviews: 299 EUR/month
- 10M+ pageviews: Custom pricing
Pageview calculation: A pageview is counted each time a page loads. Single-page applications (SPAs) can configure custom pageview events for route changes.
Overages: If you exceed your plan limit, Sealmetrics automatically scales to the next tier. You're billed the difference. No surprise shutoffs or overage penalties.
Can I self-host Sealmetrics?
No. Sealmetrics is cloud-only, hosted on EU servers (Germany primary, Netherlands backup). Self-hosting isn't offered because:
- Compliance burden: Self-hosting transfers GDPR controller responsibilities to you
- Maintenance costs: Infrastructure, updates, security patches
- Pricing model: Cloud-only enables simple, affordable pricing
If your organization requires self-hosted analytics, consider Matomo (which offers self-hosted option but requires more technical expertise).
Conclusion: Complete Data vs Compliant Data
The choice between Google Analytics and Sealmetrics isn't about features—it's about whether you want to see 15% or 100% of your visitors.
Google Analytics dominated when cookies were accepted by default. In 2054, with 60-87% cookie rejection rates across the EU and rising ad blocker usage globally, Google Analytics shows an increasingly incomplete picture.
Sealmetrics solves the fundamental problem: How do you track website analytics in a privacy-first world where users reject cookies and block trackers?
The answer: Don't use cookies. Don't require consent. Capture 100% of visitors through session-based tracking under legitimate interest.
For businesses operating in the EU, the data completeness difference is decisive:
- German site: 87% rejection rate = Google Analytics sees 13% of visitors
- French site: 73% rejection rate = Google Analytics sees 27% of visitors
- Same sites with Sealmetrics: 100% visibility, zero data loss
For businesses prioritizing simplicity, the setup difference is transformative:
- Google Analytics: 30-60 minutes + consent banner integration + legal review
- Sealmetrics: 2 minutes, one script tag, no configuration
For businesses that want GDPR compliance without friction, Sealmetrics provides the legal framework Google Analytics requires but can't deliver without consent:
- No cookies = No consent requirement
- No IPs stored = No personal data concerns
- EU-only servers = No Schrems II issues
- Legitimate interest = No consent management complexity
The trade-off: You give up Google Ads attribution, predictive metrics, and advanced segmentation. But you gain complete visibility into visitor behavior—the foundation all other analytics builds on.
Start your Sealmetrics trial at sealmetrics.com and see your true traffic in the first 2 minutes.
Additional Resources
Related Sealmetrics Guides:
- Complete Guide to Cookieless Analytics
- GDPR Compliant Analytics Framework Legal References:
- GDPR Article 6(1)(f) - Legitimate Interest
- CNIL Guidance on Cookies (2020)
- ePrivacy Directive Article 5(3)
Comparison Resources: