What’s the Difference Between a GTM Web Container and Server Container?
Google Tag Manager (GTM) offers powerful tools for managing your website’s tracking tags, but if you’re diving deeper into advanced setups, you’ve likely come across the terms web container and server container. While both are part of GTM’s ecosystem, they serve very different purposes. In this post, we break down what each container does, how they differ, and when to use them.
What is a Web Container?
A web container is the standard GTM setup you typically place directly in your website’s frontend code. It’s responsible for firing tags (like Google Analytics, Google Ads, Meta Pixel, etc.) in the browser when users interact with your site.
- Runs client-side, directly in the browser
- Fast to implement and manage
- Supports most third-party tags
- Data can be blocked by ad blockers or browser restrictions
What is a Server Container?
A server container, on the other hand, runs in a controlled server-side environment. Instead of sending data directly from the user’s browser to analytics or advertising platforms, the browser sends data to your own tagging server first. From there, it can be processed and forwarded.
- Runs on a server (e.g. Google Cloud, AWS, or a custom setup)
- Provides more control over data collection and sharing
- Improves page performance by reducing third-party scripts
- Better data accuracy and resilience against browser limitations
The Benefits of Server-Side Tracking
Server-side tracking offers a number of clear advantages over client-side implementations:
- Improved data quality: Data is processed in a controlled environment, reducing the risk of loss or manipulation by browser extensions or blockers.
- Enhanced privacy compliance: You can limit the data shared with third parties and comply more effectively with GDPR and other regulations.
- Reduced third-party dependencies: Tags like Meta CAPI, GA4, or TikTok can be routed through your server, reducing reliance on browser scripts.
- Increased page speed: Fewer scripts running in the browser means faster load times and better Core Web Vitals.
- Extended cookie lifespan: Server-side setups can help maintain cookies longer than browsers typically allow, improving attribution accuracy.
Tools to Help You Set Up Server-Side GTM
While Google provides the basic server container setup via App Engine in Google Cloud Platform (GCP), there are tools and services that make implementation faster, easier, and more scalable—especially if you’re not a developer:
- Taggrs – A user-friendly, Dutch-built platform that lets you manage your GTM Server container with pre-configured templates and simplified data pipelines. Ideal for agencies and e-commerce.
- Stape.io – A plug-and-play solution that hosts your server container for you. Great if you want to avoid manual cloud setup.
- Google Cloud Platform (GCP) – The official option from Google. Flexible and powerful, but requires some technical knowledge to configure and maintain.
- VPS providers (like Hetzner or DigitalOcean) – If you want full control over your environment, you can also manually set up your container on your own virtual server.
Main Differences at a Glance
| Feature | Web Container | Server Container |
|---|---|---|
| Execution location | Browser (client-side) | Server (server-side) |
| Data control | Limited | High |
| Speed impact | Can slow down pages | Improves load times |
| Setup complexity | Simple | Advanced |
| Tag visibility | Visible to browser | Hidden from browser |
When Should You Use a Server Container?
Server-side tagging isn’t necessary for every business, but it makes sense when:
- You want to reduce page load times and improve Core Web Vitals
- You’re working with sensitive user data and need more control over what’s shared
- You’re seeing data loss due to ad blockers or browser privacy updates (like Safari’s ITP)
- You need cleaner, more reliable tracking (e.g. for Enhanced Conversions, Meta CAPI, etc.)
Conclusion
Both web containers and server containers play a role in a modern data strategy. A web container is great for quick deployments and general tracking, while a server container offers deeper control, privacy, and performance. Depending on your needs, combining both can be the ideal solution—using the web container to collect events and forward them to a secure, private server container that handles distribution.
