[GA4] Play integration

This article is for Android app owners who want to use their Google Play in-app purchase and subscription data in Google Analytics

The integration with Google Play allows you to access your in-app purchase and subscription event data from Play in Google Analytics. You can use this information, for example, to define audiences or measure the performance of ad campaigns (if you have linked your ad accounts).

Reports

This integration adds in-app purchase and subscription metrics to the reports. You can, for example, view the In-app purchases report.

Limits

Links between Google Analytics 4 app data streams and Play apps are matched on a 1:1 (data stream:app) basis using the app package name:

• You can only link one Google Analytics 4 app data stream to one Play app. This rule applies across all your Google Analytics 4 properties; a global uniqueness check will prevent you from creating a second link.  
• You can add multiple app data streams to the same Google Analytics 4 property. This means, for example, you can link all your games to one Analytics property and your business apps to another. 

You can structure your Google Analytics and Google Play accounts in any way you like. For example, you can link Analytics data streams to Play apps in different developer accounts, and link Play apps to data streams in different Analytics accounts.

Data availability

• Data ingestion in Analytics starts when you create the Play link. 
• Data ingestion stops:
  • If you unpublish or remove the app from Play.
  • If you unlink your Analytics app data stream from your Play app.
  • If you move the Play app to a different Play developer account.

Links to Play created in Analytics are independent from, and not affected by:

• Existing links between Google Analytics 4 properties and Firebase projects.
• Changes to links between Play developer accounts and Firebase apps.

When related events are triggered

The following diagram explains when events related to in-app purchases and subscriptions are triggered. Learn more about the events and their parameters

Prerequisites

Basics

To create a Play link in Analytics:

• You need to have created a data stream for the Android app you want to link to. The package name of the app registered in Analytics and Play must match. Learn more about creating data streams.
• You need a Play developer account with one or more Play apps that are:
   
  • Set up on your app dashboard and distributed to one of the Google Play tracks (Internal, Closed, Open testing, or Production).
  • Reviewed and published in Play. Published apps display one of the following statuses: Internal (not Draft Internal Testing), Closed testing, Open testing, or Production. 

Permissions

To create a Play link, you need the Editor role on the Google Analytics 4 property, and you need Admin permissions on the Play developer account. 

To delete a link, you need the Editor role on the Google Analytics 4 property.

Create links

1. In Admin, under Product links, click Google Play links.
2. In the link table, click Link. 
3. If you have Admin permissions on one or more Play developer accounts, click Choose app then select the app you want to link to.
4. Click Next.
5. Verify the auto-selected app data stream and click Next.
6. Review your configuration settings and click Submit.

You can't edit Play links. If you need to make a change to a link, delete the existing link and create a new one.

Related resources

Learn more about managing apps in the Play Console.