Google Ads reports more conversions than actually happened. With Google, doubling has two common causes — double measurement without deduplication, and how Google counts conversions. Here's how to tell them apart.
Cause 1: double measurement without deduplication
If a conversion is sent by both client-side (gtag / web GTM) and server-side and Google can't match them, it counts it twice. Fix: make sure both paths use the same order identifier (transaction_id) and the same conversion action so they can be deduplicated. The principle (with Meta as the example) is in deduplication.
Cause 2: the conversion-counting setting
Google Ads can count "every" conversion (including repeats from the same user) or "one". For purchases "every" is usually right, for leads "one". The wrong setting inflates numbers on repeat actions. Check it in the conversion action's settings.
What to check
- Is the conversion sent from multiple places (gtag and server-side)? Unify the identifier and conversion action.
- Is "count conversions" set according to the action type?
- Is the same conversion deployed twice (e.g. a GA4 import plus a direct tag)?
How to verify the fix
Compare the conversion count with the order count in your store — they should align (allowing for attribution windows). Why the numbers never fully match is in why GA4 and Google Ads don't match.