How to Safely Share Your Google Ads Account With an Agency

Part of our guide: B2B Google Ads →

Sooner or later someone outside your company will need to see your Google Ads account: a new agency, a freelancer, a consultant doing an audit, or a colleague in finance. Most business owners handle this the fast way and share their Google login. That is the one option you should never use.

Google Ads has two proper ways to give access, and both let you control what the other person can do and take access away in one click. Here's how each works, which one to pick, and how to keep your account safe.

Never share your Google login

Sharing your password gives the other person everything tied to that Google account: your email, your Drive, your billing, and full control of the ads account. You can't see what they did, and you can't remove their access without changing your password everywhere. If that person leaves the agency, your login leaves with them.

Every legitimate agency or consultant will ask for one of the two methods below instead. If someone asks for your password, treat it as a warning sign.

Option 1: Invite a user by email

This is the simplest way to give one person access.

How to do it:

1. Sign in to Google Ads and click Admin in the left menu.
2. Open Access and security, then the Users tab.
3. Click the blue plus button, enter the person's email address, and choose an access level.
4. Click Send invitation. They accept it from their own Google account.

Which access level to choose:

• Read only: they can see campaigns, reports and settings, but cannot change anything. Use this for audits and second opinions.
• Standard: they can edit campaigns, but cannot manage users or some account settings. Use this for someone who will run your ads day to day.
• Admin: full control, including adding and removing other users. Keep this for yourself and one trusted backup.
• Email only: they only receive reports and alerts by email.
• Billing: they can manage billing details. Most outside partners never need this.

Start with the lowest level that does the job. You can always raise it later.

Option 2: Accept a link from a manager account

Agencies usually work from a manager account, a dashboard that lets them see all their clients' accounts in one place. Instead of inviting each team member by email, the agency sends a link request to your account, and you accept it.

How to do it:

1. Find your customer ID, the 10 digit number at the top right of Google Ads, and send it to the agency.
2. The agency sends a link request from their manager account.
3. In your account, go to Admin, then Access and security, then the Managers tab.
4. Find the pending request and click Accept.

One thing to know: a linked manager account usually gets the ability to make changes, because Google doesn't let you pick a read only level for a manager link the way it does for a single user. That's why a trustworthy agency tells you in writing what it will and won't touch, and keeps to it. If you only want someone to look, inviting them as a Read only user (Option 1) gives you the tightest control.

Which option should you pick?

• One consultant doing an audit: invite them as a Read only user.
• An agency team running your account: accept their manager link, so their whole team works under one connection and you only have one link to remove when the work ends.
• A colleague who only needs reports: Email only access.

Keep control of billing

Whichever option you use, your payment method should stay in your name, on your card or your company's invoice. If an agency pays Google for you and bills you back, you may lose the account history if you ever part ways. Check Billing, then Settings, and make sure the payments profile belongs to your business.

How to remove access

Removing access takes seconds and doesn't affect your campaigns.

• For a user: go to Admin, then Access and security, then Users. Find the person, open the menu next to their name, and remove them.
• For a manager account: go to the Managers tab, find the link, and click Unlink.

Make it a habit to review this list every quarter. Old agency staff and former employees often keep access for years after the work ends.

Ready to get a second opinion on your account?

Our free Google Ads check works exactly as described above. You accept a link request from our manager account, which takes about two minutes. We only look, and we change nothing without your written OK. Within two business days you get a written report: what is wasting money, what is working and how to grow it, and every fix in order of value. You can unlink us whenever you like.

Get your free Google Ads check