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Google Analytics vs Retina.js

Based on 1905 and 3 real audits

MetricGoogle AnalyticsRetina.jsWinner
Performance4142Retina.js
Accessibility8783Google Analytics
Best Practices8579Google Analytics
SEO9186Google Analytics
Security6458Google Analytics
TTFB401ms423msGoogle Analytics
Composite7372Google Analytics
Performance
Google Analytics
41
Retina.js
42
Accessibility
Google Analytics
87
Retina.js
83
Security
Google Analytics
64
Retina.js
58
SEO
Google Analytics
91
Retina.js
86
Composite
Google Analytics
73
Retina.js
72

Google Analytics outperforms Retina.js in 6 of 7 categories, with a stronger composite score (73 vs 72). Retina.js leads in performance.

When to choose Google Analytics

Choose Google Analytics when your primary concern is server response time and best practices. Its audit data shows consistent strength in these areas across the sampled sites.

When to choose Retina.js

Choose Retina.js when your primary concern is performance. Its audit data shows consistent strength in these areas across the sampled sites.

How this comparison was built

Scores are medians across 1905 audited Google Analytics sites and 3 audited Retina.js sites in the BeaverCheck database. Every audit runs the same 100+ checks — Lighthouse performance, security headers, accessibility, SEO, server response time — against a real URL. No vendor input, no sponsorship, no affiliate links. Read the full methodology →

Small sample: one or both technologies have fewer than 10 audited sites. Treat these numbers as directional — medians stabilize around 20–30 audits per side.

FAQ

Which is faster, Google Analytics or Retina.js?
Based on real BeaverCheck audits, Retina.js sites score higher on Lighthouse performance (42 vs 41 on average).
Which has better security, Google Analytics or Retina.js?
Google Analytics sites score higher on security analysis (64 vs 58 on average).
Which has better accessibility, Google Analytics or Retina.js?
Accessibility scores measured by Lighthouse WCAG 2.1 checks favor Google Analytics (87 vs 83). Both technologies can be made fully accessible with care — the difference reflects common patterns in the sampled sites, not inherent platform limits.
Which is better for SEO, Google Analytics or Retina.js?
Google Analytics sites score higher on Lighthouse SEO signals (91 vs 86 on average), which cover meta tags, crawlability, mobile friendliness, and structured data. Content strategy and backlinks still matter more than platform choice for ranking.
Which has faster server response (TTFB), Google Analytics or Retina.js?
Google Analytics sites show lower Time to First Byte (401 ms vs 423 ms on average). TTFB depends heavily on hosting and CDN setup rather than the technology itself, but the sampled sites suggest a meaningful difference in common deployment patterns.
Should I choose Google Analytics or Retina.js for my website?
Both platforms have trade-offs. Retina.js scores higher on overall composite score while Google Analytics may excel in metrics you care about most. Run a free BeaverCheck audit on a real site using each to compare the metrics relevant to your use case.

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