I’m Kayla, and I’ve used both PostHog and Google Analytics for real work. Not once. Many times. Across apps, shops, and little side projects I built after dinner with cold coffee. Different needs. Different wins.
Let me explain.
What I used them for
- Google Analytics (GA4): I used it to track traffic, channels, and ad spend. Think: “Which campaign worked?” and “Did people stay?”
- PostHog: I used it to see what people did inside my app. Funnels, feature flags, heatmaps, and session replays. Think: “Did folks finish step 2?” and “Did the new button help?”
They’re not the same tool. They sit next to each other like cousins. They wave at each other, but they don’t swap jobs. For an even deeper dive into how they stack up, PostHog’s own PostHog vs GA4 breakdown is a helpful read.
Setup stories from my week
I set up GA4 on a Shopify store using Google Tag Manager. It took me about 25 minutes. I imported the GA4 e-commerce events, tested a couple add-to-carts, and boom—data started to flow. I linked Google Ads and saw which keywords paid off. It felt fast.
For PostHog, I started with their cloud plan on a React app. I added the JavaScript snippet, named a few events, and built a funnel in about 15 minutes. Later, for a client with strict privacy rules, I self-hosted PostHog with Docker on a tiny DigitalOcean droplet. It ran fine. A bit nerdy, but solid.
Two paths. Both workable. Just different moods.
A real test that paid off
We had an onboarding flow with three steps. People kept quitting on step 2. Not great.
With PostHog:
- I made a feature flag to show a small tooltip that said, “Need help? Try this.” Only 10% of users saw it first.
- After 4 days, the funnel showed a lift. Step-2 completion rose by 18% for flagged users.
- I rolled it out to everyone. The bump held.
Could GA4 show that? Sort of. I could track events. But the quick flag, the funnel, and the clear “did they finish the next step” view felt easier in PostHog. You know what? It saved me time.
When GA4 saved my ad budget
Another week, new fire. Our cost jumped, and I didn’t know why.
With GA4:
- I linked Google Ads and saw non-brand keywords chewing cash. ROAS looked sad.
- Instagram Stories, though, gave us longer “engaged sessions” and lower cost per visit.
- I shifted spend. The next week, revenue was up 12%, and the waste dropped.
GA4 shines with channels, UTMs, and ad ties. It speaks “marketing” very well.
Little moments that stuck with me
- Session replays in PostHog: I watched users rage-click a small “Apply” button on a pricing page on mobile. The tap target was tiny. We fixed it. Conversions improved that same day.
- GA4 funnels: Fine for high-level checks, but building ad-hoc steps felt clunky. I missed PostHog’s simple, drag-and-check vibe.
- Retention: PostHog cohorts felt human. “Users who created a board in week 1” stuck better than a basic “new vs returning” view.
Working with products in sensitive niches taught me a lot, too. If you’re curious how analytics challenges play out in the online-dating world, an in-depth Spdate review breaks down the user experience, safety measures, and subscription paths so you can see what’s working (and what’s not) before you dive in.
For a real-world example of how location-based, adult-oriented platforms handle sign-up friction and local search, check out this breakdown of Rubmaps’ Moorpark listings which explains the on-page tactics, discretion features, and user-retention hooks that you can adapt to your own analytics experiments.
Privacy, cookies, and that EU headache
One client said, “No cookies, please.” They’re very strict. With PostHog self-hosted, I tracked simple events with no user IDs and kept data on our own server. Fewer cookie banners. Less drama.
With GA4, consent mode helped, but we still had to show a banner and be careful. GA4 is strong, but it’s still a Google product with shared services. Some teams are fine with it. Some are not. Different rules, different risk.
Speed and load
- GA4 loaded fast for me. It didn’t nuke Core Web Vitals.
- PostHog’s snippet was also quick, but replays can add a bit. I set sampling for replays and kept it lean. No one likes a slow app.
Costs I actually felt
- GA4 standard is free. That’s big. If you need huge limits or SLAs, GA4 360 costs real money.
- PostHog charges by usage. When my app was small, my bill was near zero. As events grew, I watched the “monthly events” number like a hawk. Worth it for product work, but it’s still a line item.
What bugged me
- GA4’s UI: I’m sorry, but it can feel like a maze. Reports live behind other reports, and naming can be odd. Once set, it’s fine—but the learning curve is real.
- PostHog with big data: Some heavy funnels ran slow during busy hours. Not always, but I noticed it. Also, naming events well matters. If you’re messy, your charts will be messy too.
Features I kept coming back to
PostHog favorites:
- Feature flags and experiments baked in
- Funnels and paths that feel “product first”
- Session replays that show real user pain
GA4 favorites:
- Channel and campaign views for quick wins
- Google Ads link and cost vs. revenue checks
- Free BigQuery export for deeper work (yes, I used it on a small dataset)
So, which one?
Pick PostHog if:
- You run a product or app and care about what users do inside it
- You want flags, tests, heatmaps, replays, and clear funnels
- You need tighter control of data or even self-hosting
Pick GA4 if:
- You run paid ads and need channel truth in one spot
- You run a shop or site and want traffic trends
- You want free, fast, and “good enough” out of the box
Here’s the twist: I often use both. GA4 for traffic and ads. PostHog for product and behavior. They play nice.
For teams that want a lightweight alternative focused on actionable funnels and GDPR-friendly tracking, I’ve also had good results with Scout Analytics.
If you’d like to dig even deeper, my complete breakdown of PostHog vs Google Analytics steps through every feature side-by-side.
My plain final take
If you’re asking, “Which one should I start with?” I’d say this:
- Store or media site? Start with GA4. Then add PostHog if you need deeper behavior.
- SaaS or app? Start with PostHog. Keep GA4 for marketing.
It’s not a fight. It’s a tag team. And when they’re set up right, you get real answers faster. I like that. Honestly, I need that.