Update time: October 30, 2024
If you landed on this page, you (most likely) have been using Google Analytics for your website, and now you’re trying to figure out what to use in China. Maybe your data has been unreliable since the GFW started interfering. Maybe you’re worried about the legal risks of sending user data overseas. Or maybe you just can’t access the GA dashboard without a VPN anymore, and you’re tired of the hassle.
If my guess was correct, you have come to the right place.
The reality is that Google Analytics doesn’t work well in China. The Great Firewall blocks the tracking requests intermittently, which means your data is incomplete at best and misleading at worst. And with China’s data privacy regulations (like the PIPL), sending analytics data overseas carries real legal risk that many companies would rather avoid.
So, what are your options? In this article, I’ll walk you through four Chinese analytics tools that can replace Google Analytics — their pros, their cons, and which one might be right for your situation.
Why Google Analytics Struggles in China
Before I dive into the alternatives, let’s quickly recap the core problem. If you’re already living it, feel free to skip ahead. But understanding the context helps you evaluate the alternatives better.
There are three main issues:
- Data loss from the GFW. Google Analytics sends tracking requests to Google’s servers, which are blocked or throttled by the Great Firewall of China. The result? A significant portion of your traffic from mainland China never gets recorded. I’ve seen cases where data loss exceeds 30-40%. That’s not a margin of error — that’s a blind spot.
- Legal risks from overseas data transmission. China’s Personal Information Protection Law (PIPL) requires that user data collected in China be stored and processed locally. Sending it to Google’s servers abroad puts you in a legally gray area that most companies, especially enterprise ones, want nothing to do with.
- VPN dependency for access. Even if you somehow get the data into GA, you still need a VPN to open the dashboard. That’s a practical headache for local teams who need to check reports daily.
Now let’s look at the tools that solve these problems.
Baidu Analytics (Baidu Tongji)
Baidu Analytics, also known as Baidu Tongji, is Baidu’s free web analytics platform. Think of it as Google Analytics but built for the Chinese internet ecosystem. It’s the most widely used analytics tool in China, and for good reason — it’s free, it integrates with Baidu’s search engine, and it’s fully domestic.
| Detail | Info |
|---|---|
| Type | SaaS |
| Price | Free version + paid version |
| Key Features | Event tracking, e-commerce tracking, custom variables, heatmaps |
| Demo | tongji.baidu.com |
| Interface Language | Chinese |
Advantages:
- You get Baidu SEO keywords. This is the biggest draw. Since Baidu is the dominant search engine in China, Baidu Analytics shows you exactly which keywords users are searching to find your site — something Google Analytics simply can’t do for Baidu organic traffic.
- The free version goes a long way. For most small to medium businesses, the free tier is enough. You get visitor reports, traffic sources, content analysis, and conversion tracking without spending a dime.
- Integrated with Baidu SEM. If you’re running paid ads on Baidu, the analytics platform connects directly. No manual UTM tagging needed.
Disadvantages:
- The reporting interface is clunky. I’ll be honest — compared to GA4’s interface, Baidu Analytics feels dated. The reports are harder to navigate, and drilling down into specific segments takes more clicks than it should.
- Deep analysis is difficult. If you’re used to GA4’s explorations, custom segments, and free-form analysis, you’ll find Baidu Analytics limited. It’s good for surface-level reporting but not for advanced analysis.
Sensors Data
Sensors Data is a professional big data analytics and marketing technology provider in China. If you look at their product matrix, it looks a lot like Adobe’s — they have a marketing cloud, an analysis cloud, and a data platform that all work together.
What sets Sensors Data apart is their self-hosted option.
| Detail | Info |
|---|---|
| Type | SaaS + Self-hosted |
| Price | Paid only |
| Key Features | Event tracking, e-commerce tracking, custom variables — basically everything Google Analytics offers |
| Demo | sensorsdata.cn/demo |
| Interface Language | Chinese, English |
Advantages:
- Self-hosted = 100% data ownership. This is their core selling point, and it’s a big one. You install Sensors Data on your own servers in China. Your data never leaves your infrastructure. For enterprise companies with strict compliance requirements, this is often a deal-maker.
- Product matrix covers everything. They have separate products for analysis, marketing automation, user engagement, and more. If you need a full-stack analytics solution, Sensors Data can deliver it.
- It’s the most popular choice among Chinese enterprises right now. I’ve seen many mid-to-large companies adopt this approach because it balances functionality with compliance.
Disadvantages:
- Everything is paid. There’s no free tier. If you’re a small business or a solo operator, this probably isn’t the right tool for you.
- Implementation is more complex. Because it’s self-hosted, you need infrastructure to run it. That means more setup time and maintenance overhead compared to a SaaS tool.
Tools similar to Sensors Data include GrowingIO and Zhuge IO. If you’re exploring options, those are worth a look too — they follow a similar model.
Miaozhen Analysis
Miaozhen comes from the advertising measurement world. The company is better known for its ad verification and monitoring products, but they also offer an analytics product. Some companies use both — Miaozhen’s ad monitoring for campaign measurement and their analytics for site-side tracking..
| Detail | Info |
|---|---|
| Type | SaaS |
| Price | Paid only |
| Key Features | Event tracking, e-commerce tracking, custom variables — similar feature set to GA |
| Demo | Not available |
| Interface Language | Chinese |
Advantages:
- Integrated with ad measurement. If you’re already using Miaozhen for ad verification and campaign tracking, their analytics product fits naturally into your existing setup.
- Reliable for China-based tracking. As a Chinese company with domestic infrastructure, you won’t face the data loss issues that plague Google Analytics.
Disadvantages:
- No demo available — at least not publicly. You’d need to contact sales to see the product in action.
- Less community support. Compared to Baidu Analytics or Sensors Data, there are fewer tutorials, forum discussions, and third-party resources available online. This can make troubleshooting harder.
Umeng
Umeng is a company that originally built its reputation on mobile app analytics — and it still dominates that space in China. But they also have a web analytics product (which used to be CNZZ, a well-known web analytics tool that Umeng acquired).
| Detail | Info |
|---|---|
| Type | SaaS |
| Price | Paid |
| Key Features | Event tracking, e-commerce tracking, custom variables |
| Interface Language | Chinese |
Advantages:
- Strong in the mobile space. If you need to track both web and mobile app data in one place, Umeng is a solid choice. Their app analytics are among the best in China.
- Established platform. CNZZ (now Umeng Web) has been around for years. It’s a mature product with a large user base.
Disadvantages:
- The web product feels secondary. The mobile analytics side clearly gets more attention. The web analytics product works, but it doesn’t feel as polished or actively developed as the other tools on this list.
- Paid only. Like Sensors Data and Miaozhen, there’s no free tier.
Google Analytics in China: Final Words
Choosing the right analytics tool for China depends on what you actually need.
- If you’re a small business looking for something simple and free, Baidu Analytics is the most practical starting point. It integrates with Baidu’s search ecosystem, the free tier covers most basic needs, and it’s widely used.
- If you’re an enterprise worried about data compliance and want full control, Sensors Data with its self-hosted option is the strongest choice. It’s the most complete Google Analytics alternative on this list, and I’ve seen it work well for companies across different industries.
- If you’re already using Miaozhen for ad measurement, their analytics product is worth evaluating for consistency.
- And if you’re focused on mobile app analytics with some web tracking on the side, Umeng could be the right fit — just don’t expect the web product to be as polished as the app side.
I hope this guide helped you.