How to switch from Google Analytics and keep your history
You do not have to leave Google Analytics in one afternoon. The calm way is to save what you need, run Hitsteps next to it for two weeks, and remove the old tag only when the new numbers answer your questions. Here is how, including the part most guides skip: what happens to your history.
- Hitsteps cannot import Google Analytics data, so you save your history first
- Both tools run side by side, with no change to your Google Analytics setup
- First data in minutes. 7-day Pro trial, no card needed
The short version
Six steps, in order. The rest of this page is each one written out.
- Write down the reports you really use.
- Save the history you want to keep.
- Add the Hitsteps code next to the Google Analytics code.
- Set up what you used before.
- Compare the same two weeks in both tools.
- Remove the Google Analytics tag when the new tool answers your questions.
Write down what you actually use
Open Google Analytics and list the reports you looked at last month. It is usually fewer than you expect: where visitors came from, which pages they read, and one or two conversions. Write each one as a question, such as "Which source sent the most visitors last week?" or "Did the pricing page get more visits after the redesign?"
This list is your test. If Hitsteps answers every line by the end of step 5, you can switch with confidence. If one line has no answer, you find out before you remove anything.
Save your history
Hitsteps does not import Google Analytics data. It starts counting the day its code goes live, so save the history you want while Google Analytics still has it.
- Download the reports you use. In a Google Analytics report, click Share this report, choose Download File, then pick CSV, PDF or Google Sheets. Set the date range first, for example the last 12 months. You need at least the Viewer role on the property.
- Mind the retention setting. Google Analytics keeps event-level data for 2 or 14 months, depending on your setting. The setting does not shorten standard reports, but it limits explorations and funnel reports. If you rely on those, export them first.
- Large sites can link BigQuery. Google offers a raw event export to BigQuery. It records from the day you link it and cannot fill in the past, so it protects the future, not last year. For most small sites, saved reports are enough.
Add Hitsteps next to Google Analytics
Create a Hitsteps account, add your site and install the tracking code. You do not need to touch Google Analytics first: the two codes work independently. Choose the route that matches your site:
- A script tag in your site template. The code is in your site's Settings, under Tracking Code.
- The WordPress plugin or the Shopify app.
- Google Tag Manager, if that is where Google Analytics lives today. Add Hitsteps as a second tag.
- Wix and other platforms, in the setup guide.
Then open your own site in a private window, click through two or three pages and look for your visit in the live feed. You should see the page, the source and your device. If you do not, the troubleshooting section of the setup guide fixes most installs.
Set up what you used before
Most Google Analytics habits have a direct match in Hitsteps. Here is the short map.
| In Google Analytics | In Hitsteps |
|---|---|
| Realtime | Live visitor feed and live map, with each visit's page-by-page path |
| Users | Visitors |
| Sessions | Visits |
| Views | Pageviews |
| Traffic acquisition and campaigns | Sources and UTM campaigns, with first-touch and latest-touch views |
| Key events | Goals, from the Starter plan |
| Funnel exploration | Funnels, from the Pro plan |
| Age, gender and interest reports | Not offered. Hitsteps shows what visitors did, their source, device and approximate location |
The 7-day Pro trial includes goals, heatmaps and funnels, so use week one to try them. After the trial, goals start on the Starter plan, click heatmaps on Growth and funnels on Pro. The Free plan covers 1 site and 2,000 pageviews a month with 14 days of detailed history.
Compare the same two weeks
Put the same dates side by side. Start with trends and top pages, not exact totals. The numbers will not match, and that is normal: consent banners, ad blockers, bot filtering, time zones and the way each tool defines a visit all change the count. If one page looks far apart, open it yourself in a private window and see which tool noticed.
Then go back to your list from step 1 and mark each line answered or not.
Two weeks fits inside the Free plan's 14 days of detailed history, if your site stays under 2,000 pageviews a month. A longer comparison, or a busier site, needs a paid plan sized by monthly pageviews.
Remove Google Analytics when you are ready
There is no deadline. When Hitsteps answers your list, take the old tag out of every place it hides:
- your theme or site settings (look for a Google Analytics ID or a header scripts field)
- plugins that add it, such as Site Kit by Google or MonsterInsights
- a Google Tag Manager tag (remove the GA4 tag and keep the container if other tags use it)
- hard-coded gtag.js code in your templates (search for an ID that starts with G-)
Then clear your site cache, open the site in a private window and check the browser's network tab. Search for "google-analytics" and "gtag". If nothing loads, the old tag is gone.
Last, check that your cookie banner and privacy page still describe what your site does. If Google Analytics was the reason for a banner, that may change. The rules that apply depend on your site and your visitors, so ask your own adviser if you are unsure. Our CNIL self-assessment is a good starting checklist for EU sites.
When to keep Google Analytics too
Hitsteps does not replace everything Google Analytics does. Keep it running for that job if you:
- build Google Ads audiences or remarketing lists from Google Analytics
- feed Google Analytics data into BigQuery or Looker Studio reports your team depends on
- need age, gender or interest reports
Many sites run both for months. Use Hitsteps for the live view and the individual visit, and Google Analytics for the jobs only it does.
Frequently asked questions
Can I import my Google Analytics data into Hitsteps?
No. Hitsteps does not import Google Analytics data, so it starts counting from the day the code is installed. Save the reports you need first (step 2).
Do I have to delete Google Analytics?
No. Removing the tag stops new data. You can run both for as long as you like.
Why do the numbers not match?
Each tool counts differently. Consent banners, ad blockers, bot filtering, time zones and the definition of a visit all change the totals. Compare trends and top pages, not exact numbers.
How long should I run both?
Two weeks is enough for most sites. If your traffic swings with campaigns or the day of the week, run a full cycle. The Free plan keeps 14 days of detailed history, so a longer comparison needs a paid plan with more history (Starter keeps 30 days).
Will I still need a cookie banner?
That depends on your site, your visitors and the other tools on the page. Hitsteps has privacy settings you can configure, including IP anonymization, opt-out, Do Not Track handling and consent-related modes, but we cannot give legal advice. See the CNIL self-assessment for a starting checklist.
Does it work if Google Analytics runs through Tag Manager?
Yes. Add Hitsteps as a second tag in the same container, or install it directly on the site.
What does Hitsteps cost?
The Free plan covers 1 site with 2,000 pageviews a month. Paid plans start at $4.99 a month, and a 7-day Pro trial starts without a credit card.
Start free. Keep Google Analytics running.
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Sources
- Google Analytics is a trademark of Google LLC. Hitsteps is not affiliated with or endorsed by Google.
- Google Analytics facts checked 7 November 2026: Share and export reports, Data retention and Set up BigQuery Export.