Firebase and GA4 for App Analytics: GA4 & Firebase Integration

Connecting your firebase app data stream to a GA4 analytics property.

Firebase Analytics

Firebase Console is a mobile application development platform. Firebase allows developers to manage their Firebase projects and monitor app usage, performance, and analytics.

Through the console, developers can access the Firebase Real-time Database, Firebase Authentication, Cloud Functions, and other Firebase services to build, test, and monitor their applications. The console provides an intuitive interface with visualisation tools, reports, and alerts to help developers understand how their apps are performing and identify areas for improvement. It also provides resources and documentation to help developers optimise their apps and get the most out of Firebase's features.

Firebase requires an SDK (Software Development Kit) in order to be used in a mobile or web application. The Firebase SDK is available for both Android and iOS platforms and provides a convenient way for developers to access Firebase services and features in their applications. The SDK includes libraries, tools, and APIs that enable developers to interact with Firebase services. The Firebase SDK is available for free and is regularly updated to support the latest development best practices and technologies.

Android and iOS

Connecting your Firebase project with a GA4 allows you to collect and analyse user data at a granular level. This helps you understand user behaviour and make informed decisions about how to improve your app. By integrating your app with GA4, you can track user events and understand how users interact with your app, understand what features they use, how long they spend using the app, and where they are located.

Presumption is a Firebase project has already been created.

You will need to have access to Firebase console or give instructions to the app owners

Instructions: Link Firebase Project to GA4 property

1. Open the app project in Firebase - https://console.firebase.google.com/

2. Open Integrations (found in the Project Settings)

3. Enable Google Analytics

4. Select the account you wish to create a new property in. If you already have a property setup, then select the property you wish to have the app data streams feeding in to

5. Enable Google Analytics

Connecting app and web data streams together within the same property enables seamless user journey, cross-platform analytics and increased accuracy for attribution modelling.

It is important to note, there is a 1:1 Firebase project to GA4 property limit, meaning that multiple Firebase projects created for an Android & iOS app cannot be linked to a single GA4 property. The best practice is to combine those projects in Firebase before linking to a GA4 property.

IF the Firebase project is already connected to a GA4 property, and you wish to add your app data streams into your main web property, then the connection will have to be stopped so the data streams can be assigned to the relevant GA4 property.

Alternatively the web data stream can be added to the GA4 property that has the app data streams already connected. This will require an update of your tracking ID.