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name: ga4-limitations description: "What this MCP cannot do via the GA4 Data API, and where to go instead. Attempting these will either fail or produce meaningless aggregate data."

GA4 API Limitations

What this MCP cannot do via the GA4 Data API, and where to go instead. Attempting these will either fail or produce meaningless aggregate data.

Not available via this MCP

Analysis type	Why not available	Where to do it instead
Funnel analysis (drop-off by step)	runFunnelReport exists in the API but is not exposed by this MCP	GA4 UI → Explore → Funnel Exploration
Cohort retention (week N return rate)	runCohortReport not exposed	GA4 UI → Explore → Cohort Exploration
User path / flow analysis	Not available in aggregate API	GA4 UI → Explore → Path Exploration
Per-user event sequences	API returns aggregate rows only — no individual user journeys	BigQuery export (raw events)
Real-time custom breakdowns	Realtime API is limited to last 30 minutes, basic dimensions	GA4 UI → Realtime report
Raw event-level data	Data API aggregates; no row-level access	BigQuery export
Segment overlap / Venn analysis	Not a native API feature	BigQuery or GA4 Explore comparisons
Custom channel group definitions	Read-only via API; custom groups must be created in UI	GA4 UI → Admin → Custom Channel Groups

What IS available (and often underused)

• Period-over-period in one call: pass two date_ranges — GA4 returns both periods in a single response (use date_range_start/date_range_end for each; call twice if two-range isn't supported)
• Ecommerce metrics: full purchase funnel metrics (itemsViewed, itemsAddedToCart, itemsPurchased, purchaseRevenue, cartToViewRate) — aggregate only, not per-session funnel
• Search Console integration: available as a linked report in GA4 UI but the Search Console data is on a separate API — not queryable via this MCP (use Google Search Console API directly)
• Custom dimensions and metrics: available if defined in the property — they appear in the schema alongside standard fields
• Attribution modeling comparisons: not directly queryable — data-driven vs last-click is set at the property level, not a query-time parameter

When a user asks for funnel or cohort analysis

Tell them: the GA4 Data API returns aggregate metrics, not event sequences. For funnel drop-off between specific steps, use GA4 Explore → Funnel Exploration. For cohort retention (week 1 / week 2 return), use GA4 Explore → Cohort Exploration. These analyses require the GA4 UI or a BigQuery export, not the Data API.