In October 2025, Google Analytics 4 rolled out automatic cost data import for Meta and TikTok ads. Setup takes 10 minutes, and you're done. No more CSV uploads for these two platforms. But this native solution covers exactly 2 platforms with exactly 3 metrics (cost, clicks, impressions) and 24 months of historical data. If you only run Meta and TikTok ads and basic tracking is enough, GA4's free native import works perfectly. Why pay for tools you don't need? But if you're managing Google Ads, LinkedIn, Microsoft Advertising, or need conversion data beyond those three numbers, you're looking at zero coverage.
This breaks down exactly when each option makes sense for your situation.
What GA4's Native Import Actually Does
Google's native cost import automatically syncs data from Meta and TikTok ad accounts into GA4. The process is:
- GA4 Admin → Data Import
- Authenticate your account
- Match UTM parameters
- Data flows within 24 hours
It backfills up to 24 months of history and updates daily automatically.
You get:
- Cross-platform reporting (Meta + TikTok with Google Ads)
- No manual exports
- Zero additional cost
- Automatic daily updates
But you don't get:
- Only three metrics: cost, clicks, impressions
- No platform conversion data
- No creative performance
- No audience breakdowns
- No engagement metrics
What GA4 Native Import Does Really Well
Before comparing tools, let's be clear about what GA4's native import genuinely solves:
- Zero maintenance. Once configured, it runs forever. No subscriptions to renew, no tools to update, no APIs to troubleshoot when platforms change. For small businesses without dedicated marketing ops, this is huge.
- True cross-platform view in GA4. If your team already uses GA4 for web analytics, seeing Meta and TikTok costs alongside Google Ads data in the same interface is legitimately valuable. No context switching, no learning new tools.
- Eliminates manual CSV hell. Anyone who's manually exported Facebook Ads data monthly, reformatted it, uploaded it to GA4, and dealt with "Invalid Date" errors knows how painful this is. GA4's native import completely removes this headache for Meta and TikTok.
- Solves the attribution question for basic reporting. When you see conversions in GA4 from Meta traffic, you can now see the cost that drove those conversions. For basic ROAS calculations across platforms, this is exactly what small businesses need.
- Actually free. Not "free trial then pay." Not "free tier with limits." Free. If you're already using GA4 and running Meta/TikTok ads, you literally spend $0 to get cost data flowing.
For businesses running under $5,000/month in Meta and TikTok ads combined, who just need to know "what did we spend and what was the return," this native integration is perfect. Google built something genuinely useful for its target audience.
Platform Coverage: Where the Gap Shows
GA4 covers:
- Meta Ads (Facebook & Instagram)
- TikTok Ads
- Possibly Pinterest, Reddit, Snap (inconsistent availability)
Dataslayer covers 45+: Google Ads, Meta, LinkedIn Ads, Microsoft Advertising, TikTok, Twitter/X, Snapchat, Pinterest, DV360, Criteo, Google Analytics 4, Google Search Console, YouTube, Shopify, WooCommerce, HubSpot, Salesforce, plus databases like MySQL and PostgreSQL.
Real numbers: You spend Google Ads ($5k/month), LinkedIn ($2k), Microsoft Advertising ($1.5k), Meta ($3k), TikTok ($1k). Total: $12,500 monthly. GA4's native import covers $4,000, that's 32%. You're missing 68% of your ad spend.
The 24-Month Historical Limit
GA4 backfills 24 months maximum. For most businesses, two years of trend data is plenty.
Where it breaks:
- Comparing 2022 vs 2025 campaigns
- Onboarding clients with 3+ years of history
- Building predictive models requiring extensive training data
- Multi-year financial reporting for boards or investors
Dataslayer has no limits. If the platform API has it, you can pull it.
Three Metrics vs Everything
GA4 pulls cost, clicks, impressions. That's it.
Missing from native import:
- Platform conversions (Meta's tracked purchases, TikTok's sign-ups)
- Engagement (likes, shares, video completion rates)
- Campaign structure details (ad set performance, bid strategies)
- Creative performance by individual ad
- Audience segments (age, gender, location, interests)
- Placement breakdowns (feed vs stories, Instagram vs Facebook)
Facebook Ads has 150+ metrics through its API. TikTok has 100+. GA4 gives you 3.
Example: You need to know which ad creative drives lowest cost per purchase for women 25-34 in NYC. GA4 native import can't answer this. Dataslayer can pull the exact breakdown.
Quick Comparison
When GA4's Free Option Makes Sense
Use GA4 native import if:
- You only run Meta and TikTok. These are your only paid channels. You're not planning to expand. The free option is perfect.
- Basic metrics work for your business. You're tracking overall spend and CPC. You don't need platform conversion data or detailed breakdowns for optimization.
- Everyone uses GA4 anyway. Your team already lives in GA4 for reporting. Adding another tool creates unnecessary complexity.
- Budget is very tight. Early-stage startups watching every dollar might prioritize saving €300-€600 annually.
- Two years covers your needs. The 24-month backfill gives you everything needed for trend analysis.
Example: Small restaurant runs Instagram ads for weekly specials ($400/month) and Facebook ads for catering ($400/month). They check GA4 weekly to confirm cost per website visit stays under $2. GA4's native import handles this perfectly at zero cost.
When You Need Comprehensive Automation
You need tools beyond GA4 when:
- Multiple platforms. Running 3+ ad platforms means GA4 only covers a fraction. You need visibility across Google Ads, LinkedIn, Microsoft Advertising, etc.
- Detailed optimization. Campaign optimization requires conversion data, engagement rates, audience demographics, creative performance, way beyond cost/clicks/impressions.
- Client reporting. Agencies need customizable dashboards in Google Sheets, Looker Studio, Power BI. GA4 native import only goes to GA4.
- Many ad accounts. GA4 supports one connection per property. Managing 15 clients means 15 separate GA4 properties. Dataslayer handles 5-unlimited accounts under one subscription.
- Historical depth matters. Multi-year analysis, client onboarding with existing history, or predictive modeling need unlimited access.
- Speed prevents waste. High-budget campaigns benefit from hourly monitoring to catch targeting errors before they burn thousands.
What Automation Actually Costs
The ROI math is straightforward. Take a marketing team managing 5 platforms (Google Ads, Meta, LinkedIn, Microsoft Advertising, TikTok) with 15 ad accounts total:
Without automation: Manual reporting takes 6 hours weekly = 24 hours monthly. At $75/hour average marketer salary, that's $1,800 in labor cost per month.
With Dataslayer Small Agency (€49/month = $53): Automated data pulls reduce reporting time by 90%. You're saving $1,750 monthly, or $21,000 annually.
For freelancers, the math is simpler: 2 hours monthly exporting data manually = $100-$200 opportunity cost. Tool at €25/month pays for itself immediately.
For agencies managing 50+ client accounts across all platforms, the labor savings jump to $2,000-$4,000 monthly in recovered billable time, ROI of 750-1400%.
Using Both Together
You can run GA4 native import alongside automation tools:
Use GA4 for high-level executive dashboards showing total spend across Meta/TikTok/Google Ads. Use Dataslayer for detailed client reports, campaign optimization, and platforms GA4 doesn't cover.
Warning: GA4 doesn't deduplicate automatically. If you import Meta costs through both methods, you'll double-count spend. Delete one source to avoid this.
Common Questions
Can I import other platforms into GA4?
Only manually through CSV uploads. You export from LinkedIn or Microsoft Advertising, format correctly, upload to GA4. Limited to last 90 days. For multiple platforms, this becomes completely impractical.
Does native import replace automation tools?
Only if you exclusively need Meta and TikTok with three metrics. Otherwise, no.
Why pay when GA4 is free?
GA4's import is free because Google controls both ends. Automation tools maintain 45+ API integrations, handle data transformation, offer multiple destinations, and update constantly when platforms change APIs. You're paying for infrastructure across dozens of platforms.
Can I switch to GA4 to save money?
Check these: (1) Only need Meta/TikTok? (2) Cost/clicks/impressions enough? (3) 24 months sufficient? (4) Only need data in GA4? (5) Daily updates okay?
If yes to all five, switch and save money. If no to any, you'll probably need automation anyway.
What happens to historical data if I cancel tools?
Data already in Google Sheets, Looker Studio, BigQuery, or Power BI stays there, just stops updating. Export critical historical data to platforms you own.
GA4's native import is a genuinely solid addition for its target audience: small businesses running only Meta and TikTok who need basic cost visibility. It's free, automatic, and solves real problems.
But it's deliberately limited. Two platforms, three metrics, 24 months. Most marketing operations need more, multiple platforms, detailed metrics for optimization, client dashboards, unlimited historical access.
The decision isn't "Is GA4 good?" It is. The decision is "Does it cover what I actually need?"
For more on connecting all your marketing data, see our complete guide to marketing data integration.
Try Dataslayer free for 15 days to connect 45+ platforms to Google Sheets, Looker Studio, BigQuery, or Power BI.
