How to Compare Two Pages in Google Analytics

Comparing the performance of two different pages on your website is one of the fastest ways to understand what’s working - and what’s not. Whether you’re A/B testing landing pages, evaluating different blog formats, or optimizing product descriptions, putting page metrics side-by-side reveals which one better captures user attention and drives action. This guide will walk you through exactly how to compare any two pages in both Universal Analytics (UA) and Google Analytics 4, so you can stop guessing and start making data-driven improvements to your site.

Why Bother Comparing Pages in Google Analytics?

Diving into page comparisons gives you clear, actionable insights that can directly impact your goals. You move from abstract hunches like "I think users like video posts" to concrete evidence like "Page A with the embedded video has an average engagement time that is 90 seconds longer than Page B without it." Here are a few common scenarios where this analysis is invaluable:

• A/B Testing Content: You created two versions of a sales page - one with a short, punchy description and another with a detailed breakdown. Comparing them directly shows you which version leads to more ‘Add to Cart’ events.
• Understanding Content Effectiveness: Is a long-form, ultimate guide performing better than a quick, list-based article on the same topic? Compare their average engagement time and scroll depth to see which format holds readers' attention more effectively.
• Diagnosing Performance Issues: If you notice one product page has a much higher exit rate than a similar one, a side-by-side comparison can help you spot differences in user behavior that might explain why people are leaving.
• Optimizing Key Funnel Steps: Compare two versions of a signup or checkout page. The one with a lower drop-off rate and a higher conversion rate is your clear winner, giving you a template for what works.

Ultimately, page comparison is about taking two variables - in this case, two distinct URLs - and measuring them against the same set of outcomes to determine a winner.

Comparing Pages in Universal Analytics (Step-by-Step)

If you're still working with historical data from servers that haven't sunsetted or managing a property that hasn’t fully migrated, knowing how to do this in Universal Analytics is still essential. UA has a handy, built-in comparison feature right within its standard reports.

Step 1: Navigate to the “All Pages” Report

Once you’re in your Universal Analytics property, head over to the left-hand navigation menu and go to: Behavior > Site Content > All Pages. This report lists all the pages on your site, ranked by the number of pageviews they've received in your selected date range. This will be our home base for the comparison.

Step 2: Apply the Comparison Filter

Above the main data table, there's a search bar. Type the page path (the part of the URL after the domain, like /about-us or /blog/first-post) of the first page you want to analyze. Hit enter. Your report will now be filtered to show data only for that single page. Now for the comparison part. At the top of the report, still right above the graph, you’ll see the page you just filtered for. Next to it, there’s a link that reads “+ Add Segment”. Ignore that. Instead, you can simply apply an advanced filter. Click the "Advanced" link next to the main search bar for the data table. Here you can set filters to look at two pages side-by-side or you can also add a secondary dimension like page title as well.

Step 3: Analyze the Comparison View

Your data table will now update to show just those two pages, one on each row, making it incredibly easy to compare metrics line-by-line. Look for key differences in these metrics:

• Pageviews: The total number of times each page was viewed.
• Unique Pageviews: How many individual sessions included a view of this page.
• Avg. Time on Page: A clear indicator of how engaging the content is.
• Entrances: How many times this page was the first one a user saw in their session. Is it a good front door for your site?
• Bounce Rate: The percentage of single-page sessions in which the person left your site from the entrance page without any interaction. A lower bounce rate is usually better.
• % Exit: Of all the views on this page, what percentage of users left your website from this page? This is different from bounce rate, as it includes users who visited other pages first.

Comparing Pages in Google Analytics 4

In GA4, the process is a bit different because of its event-based model and the new interface. The standard reports aren’t quite as flexible for this task, but you have two powerful options: using Comparisons in the standard report or building a custom Exploration report.

Method 1: Using the “Add Comparison” Feature (The Easy Way)

This method is quick and lets you see the comparison right in the standard Pages and screens report. 1. Go to the report: In the left navigation, go to Reports > Engagement > Pages and screens. 2. Add comparisons: At the very top of the report, click the "Add comparison" button (it may look like an edit icon with a plus sign next to it). 3. Configure your first page: A sidebar will pop up. Under 'Build condition', select the dimension you want to use.

• Set Dimension = Page path and screen class
• Set Match Type = exactly matches (or contains if needed)
• Set Value = /your/first-page Click 'OK', then 'Apply'. You’ve now created a comparison segment for your first page. 4. Configure your second page: Click "+ Add new comparison" and repeat the process for your second page, using its page path (e.g., /your/second-page). Once you click 'Apply', GA4 will reload the report, displaying separate lines or columns for “All Users,” "Page A," and "Page B,” allowing for a direct comparison of metrics like Views, Users, and Average engagement time.

Method 2: Using a Free Form Exploration Report (The Powerful Way)

For more control and customization, the 'Explore' section is your best friend. This lets you build a clean report showing only the two pages you care about.

Step 1: Create a New Exploration Navigate to the "Explore" section in the left sidebar and click on "Blank new exploration."

Step 2: Import Your Dimensions & Metrics In the "Variables" column on the left, you need to import the data building blocks you'll use.

• Click the (+) icon next to "Dimensions," search for Page path and screen class, check the box, and click "Import."
• Click the (+) icon next to "Metrics," search for helpful metrics like Views, Total users, Engaged sessions, and Average engagement time. Select them all and click "Import."

Step 3: Build the Report Now, drag and drop these variables into the "Tab Settings" column.

• Drag Page path and screen class from "Variables" to "Rows."
• Drag your chosen metrics (e.g., Views, Average engagement time) from "Variables" to "Values." You’ll immediately see a table appear on the right, listing all your website's pages.

Step 4: Filter to Your Two Pages This is the final step to isolate just the two pages you're interested in.

• In the "Tab Settings" column, scroll down to the "Filters" section and drag Page path and screen class into it.
• Set the filter logic:
• Click Apply.

The table will now update to show only the performance data for your two specified pages, side-by-side. This clean, focused view is perfect for analysis and for sharing with your team.

Key Metrics to Focus On When Comparing Pages

Regardless of whether you use UA or GA4, knowing what metrics to analyze is crucial. Here are the most important ones:

• Views/Pageviews: This shows basic popularity. Is one page getting significantly more eyeballs than the other?
• Users: Tells you the reach of each page. Are you attracting more unique visitors to Page A or Page B?
• Average Engagement Time / Avg. Time on Page (UA): This is a direct measure of how captivating your content is. A longer average time strongly suggests the page is better at holding user interest.
• Engagement Rate / Bounce Rate (UA): GA4's Engagement Rate is the inverse of UA's Bounce Rate. A high engagement rate (or a low bounce rate) means users are interacting with the page or navigating to other pages, which is generally a positive signal.
• Conversations: Did viewers of the page go on to complete a key action, like a purchase or form submission? This is arguably the most important metric for any pages tied to business goals.

Common Pitfalls and How to Avoid Them

When comparing data, it’s easy to draw the wrong conclusions if you’re not careful. Watch out for these common mistakes:

• Making Decisions on Low Data: If each page has only a handful of views, any difference you see could just be random chance. Make sure you use a date range that provides a statistically significant amount of traffic before making major changes based on your analysis.
• Comparing Apples to Oranges: Be sure the pages you're comparing have a similar purpose or audience. Comparing your homepage's exit rate to an obscure support article's exit rate isn't a fair fight - users have completely different intents on each page.
• Forgetting About Traffic Sources: One page might look like it’s performing worse, but then you realize all its traffic is coming from a low-intent social media campaign, while the other page gets traffic from high-intent organic search. Always consider where the users are coming from.

Final Thoughts

Learning how to skillfully compare pages in Google Analytics transforms your data from a passive report into an active laboratory for improvement. By A/B testing, diagnosing issues, and understanding user engagement at the page level, you can build a more effective, user-friendly website backed by clear, quantitative evidence.

Instead of manually building comparisons in Google Analytics or getting lost in Exploration reports, what if you could just ask for your analysis in plain English? With Graphed, we make that possible. After securely connecting your Google Analytics account in a few clicks, you can ask questions like, "Compare views and engagement time between /blog/post-a and /blog/post-b last quarter" and get an instant, real-time chart. We automate the report-building so you can skip the setup and get straight to the insights you need to grow your business.