Cherry Seed

Why do my numbers never match between platforms?

platform numbers mismatch ga4 vs facebook numbers google ads vs analytics tracking discrepancies attribution mismatch

Quick Answer

Every analytics and advertising platform uses different collection methods, attribution models, deduplication logic, and metric definitions. Google Analytics counts sessions differently than Meta counts visits. Ad platforms use different attribution windows (1-day, 7-day, 28-day). Add ad blockers removing 25-40% of client-side data, consent tools blocking tags, and cross-device tracking gaps, and discrepancies of 10-30% between platforms are normal.

Full Answer

"Why does Google Analytics show 1,000 conversions but Facebook reports 1,200 and Google Ads claims 900?" This is the most common tracking question, and the answer frustrates everyone: the numbers will never match perfectly, and that's by design. Each platform measures differently, counts differently, and loses data differently. You're not comparing apples to apples—you're comparing three different fruit salads made with overlapping ingredients. Why GA4 Numbers Are Lower Google Analytics 4 consistently reports lower numbers than advertising platforms because: Ad blockers hit GA4 hardest: 31.5% of users globally run ad blockers that specifically target Google Analytics scripts. Facebook CAPI and server-side tracking bypass these blocks. Cookie rejection bias: When users reject cookies, GA4 stops tracking entirely. Your "conversions" in GA4 represent only cookie-accepting users (10-25% depending on region), not total conversions. Safari ITP restrictions: Safari caps GA4 cookies at 7 days, breaking attribution for longer purchase cycles. A user who...

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Cherry Tree by Seresa - https://seresa.io/seed/common-tracking-problems/numbers-never-match