GA4 Sampling & Cost Estimator

Estimate when Google Analytics 4 starts sampling your reports and where the standard tier hits its limits, based on your monthly event volume.

Total events across all reports in a typical month.

Rough share of events with a distinct value (e.g. unique URLs). 0.05 = 5%.

Likely to be sampled on standard GA4

15,000,000

estimated events per exploration query, against the 10,000,000 standard threshold

Standard sampling threshold

150% of the 10M threshold5,000,000 over

Monthly events

15,000,000

Est. events per query

15,000,000

Standard query limit

10,000,000

Est. unique values / day

25,000

Cardinality / "(other)" risk: Medium

You are above the 500 unique-values-per-day mark where GA4 treats a dimension as high-cardinality, so some long-tail values may move into "(other)".

How the tiers compare at this volume

GA4 standard (free)

Explorations sample above 10 million events per query. Cardinality limit of 50,000 values pushes the long tail into "(other)".

Analytics 360

Raises the per-query limit to as much as 1 billion events and lifts other limits. Sold on an annual contract through Google sales, so pricing varies and is not published publicly.

Zenovay

Reports are not sampled, so counts reflect the events that were actually recorded. Pricing is a flat plan fee rather than a number that climbs with volume. Plans have event allowances; check the pricing page for the fit.

Estimates are order-of-magnitude. Actual GA4 sampling depends on the specific query, date range, segments, and filters. Nothing here is sent to a server.

How to Use GA4 Sampling & Cost Estimator

  1. 1Enter your estimated monthly events (or sessions) from GA4 or your analytics report.
  2. 2Pick how heavily you use exploration reports, since those query more events at once.
  3. 3Review the estimated query event count against the standard 10 million sampling threshold.
  4. 4See whether you are likely to hit cardinality limits and the "(other)" row.
  5. 5Compare standard limits against Analytics 360 and a flat-priced alternative.
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Frequently Asked Questions

When does Google Analytics 4 start sampling reports?
In GA4, standard (free) properties apply sampling to exploration reports once a single query needs to scan more than 10 million events. Standard aggregated reports (the default reports) are generally unsampled, but explorations and detailed queries fall back to a sampled subset above that threshold, which is then scaled up to estimate the full dataset. Analytics 360 raises the per-query limit to as much as 1 billion events. This estimator compares your monthly event volume against the 10 million standard threshold so you can see how close you are.
How does this estimator calculate the query event count?
The math is simple and runs entirely in your browser. It starts from your monthly events (if you enter sessions instead, it multiplies by an events-per-session factor you control). It then estimates the events a typical exploration query has to scan by applying a date-range factor for how far back you usually look and an intensity factor for how heavily you use explorations. The result is an order-of-magnitude estimate, not an exact figure. GA4 sampling depends on the specific query, date range, segments, and filters, so treat this as a planning guide rather than a guarantee.
What is the cardinality limit and the "(other)" row?
GA4 groups rarely-seen dimension values into an "(other)" row when a dimension has too many unique values. Google documents that dimensions with more than 500 unique values in a single day are treated as high-cardinality, and there is an overall cardinality limit of 50,000 values, after which control kicks in. High-traffic sites with many unique page paths, product IDs, or custom parameters are the most likely to see data collapse into "(other)", which can hide the long tail in your reports. This tool flags when your volume makes that more likely.
How much does Google Analytics 360 cost?
Google does not publish a fixed public price for Analytics 360. It is sold through Google sales and partners on an annual contract, and the cost varies by data volume and the terms you negotiate. Because there is no single official figure, this tool does not quote a number for 360. If you are weighing it up, contact Google sales or a certified partner for a quote based on your traffic.
How is Zenovay different on sampling and pricing?
Zenovay does not sample your reports. Counts in the dashboard reflect the events that were actually recorded, rather than a scaled-up estimate from a subset. Pricing is a flat plan fee rather than a figure that climbs with data volume, so the number you see does not change as your traffic grows. Plans do have event allowances, and you can review those on the Zenovay pricing page to check the fit for your volume.
Does this tool send my data anywhere?
No. Every input and calculation stays in your browser. Nothing is uploaded, stored, or sent to a server. You can fill in the numbers, read the estimate, and close the tab with no trace left behind.