Google Tag vs Google Tag Manager: What's the Difference?
When installing Consent Studio, you'll be asked about your Google setup. Here's a quick guide to help you identify which tools you're using.
Google Tag Manager (GTM)
What it is: A container system that lets you manage multiple tracking scripts from a single interface.
How to identify it:
You have a GTM account at tagmanager.google.com
Your code includes
gtm.jsand a container ID likeGTM-XXXXXXXXYou manage your tags (GA4, Google Ads, Meta Pixel, etc.) through the GTM dashboard
Example code:
<!-- Google Tag Manager --> <script>(function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start': new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0], j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src= 'https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f); })(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-XXXXXXXX');</script>Google Tag (gtag.js)
What it is: A direct tracking script for Google services like Google Analytics 4 (GA4), Google Ads conversions, and the Google Conversion Linker.
Also known as:
GA4 (Google Analytics 4)
Google Analytics
Google Conversion Linker
How to identify it:
Your code includes
gtag.jsand a measurement ID likeG-XXXXXXXXXX(GA4) orAW-XXXXXXXXXX(Google Ads)You see
gtag('config', 'G-...')in your source codeYou copied the code directly from Google Analytics or Google Ads
Example code:
<!-- Google tag (gtag.js) --> <script async src="https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtag/js?id=G-XXXXXXXXXX"></script> <script> window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; function gtag(){dataLayer.push(arguments);} gtag('js', new Date()); gtag('config', 'G-XXXXXXXXXX'); </script>Can you use both?
Yes! It's common to have:
GTM + gtag inside GTM: Your GA4 tag is configured within Google Tag Manager
GTM + gtag in website code: GTM manages some tags, while gtag.js is added directly to your HTML
Why does this matter for Consent Studio?
Consent Studio uses Google Consent Mode v2 to communicate consent signals to Google services. The installation method depends on your setup:
Your Setup | Recommended Installation |
GTM only | GTM Community Template |
GTM + gtag in GTM | GTM Community Template |
GTM + gtag in website | Custom code (placed before GTM) |
gtag only (no GTM) | Custom code (placed before gtag) |
No Google services | Standalone code |
The installation wizard will guide you to the right solution based on your answers.
Still not sure?
Check your website's source code (right-click → View Page Source) and search for:
gtm.js→ You're using Google Tag Managergtag.js→ You're using Google Tag (gtag)Both → You're using both!
Need help? Contact us at [email protected]