Should I or my agency own my Google Ads account?

Why it matters

Your Google Ads account holds years of conversion data, search terms, negative keywords, audiences and Smart Bidding history. That history is what makes a mature account cheaper to run. If the agency controls the account and the relationship ends badly, you can lose access and start a new account with no history. Smart Bidding then has to learn from scratch. See how Smart Bidding learns.

What "owning" actually means in Google Ads

What Google's own rules say

• Access levels. Google Ads has Admin, Standard, Read only, Billing and Email only access. Only Admin users can give account access, change access levels, accept or reject manager link requests and unlink manager accounts. Google recommends having more than one admin (access levels).
• Manager ownership. A client account can have only one owner manager. A manager that creates a new account becomes its owner automatically. A manager that links to an existing account does not, unless the client enables it. The client account still owns its data, and client users can unlink an owner manager (ownership of client accounts).
• Monthly invoicing. Monthly invoicing or a credit line through a manager account needs manager ownership turned on. That is a legitimate reason for an agency to ask for ownership, as long as you keep your own Admin users.
• Your rights as a client. Under the Google third-party policy, agencies must give you your Google Ads customer ID on request, must tell you in writing about any management fee charged separately from ad costs, and, where their terms require monthly reports, must report costs, clicks and impressions at account level. Each advertiser needs its own separate account.

The right setup, step by step

1. Use a clinic-owned Google account, such as a marketing@ address on your domain, not a staff member's personal Gmail. Keep its recovery details with the owner.
2. Create the Google Ads account yourself and set up the payments profile in your clinic's legal name, so invoices match your trade licence.
3. Choose the time zone carefully. Standard accounts can no longer change their time zone, so pick Dubai time (or your emirate) at the start (time zone setting).
4. Add two Admin users from your side, for example the owner and the practice manager.
5. Accept the agency's manager link request. Decide whether to enable ownership. If the agency needs it for monthly invoicing, agree in the contract that ownership is turned off when the contract ends.
6. Own the tracking. Create Google Analytics and Tag Manager under your account and give the agency access. Same for your Google Business Profile: you stay primary owner; the agency gets a manager role.
7. Write it into the contract. Account, data, tracking, ad copy and landing pages belong to the clinic. Handover within a set number of days if either side ends the contract.

If the agency owns your account today

1. Log in and check Admin > Access and security. If you have no access, ask the agency for Admin access for your clinic's Google account.
2. Ask for your customer ID. The third-party policy says they must provide it.
3. Google's ownership transfer steps: an Admin invites the new owner's email with Admin access, the new owner accepts, and the old user is removed.
4. Once you are an Admin, review the Managers list. You can unlink a manager, including an owner manager, when you choose to.
5. Update the payments profile into your clinic's name with Google's billing help, so future invoices are yours.

Not sure your agency is doing a good job either? Read is my Google Ads agency doing a good job and agency or run Google Ads myself.

Want this done for you?

Access One is the UAE's first Healthcare Google Partner and Dubai's Google Ads agency for healthcare. We can check who controls your account, tracking and profile in a free audit. Get a free ads audit.

Frequently asked questions

What access level should my agency have?

Standard access lets them edit campaigns. Admin is needed to manage users and links. Many clinics give the agency Admin but keep two Admin users of their own.

Can my agency delete my Google Ads account history if I leave?

Google says the client account still owns its data, even when a manager owns the account. The practical risk is losing access. Keep your own Admin users so you can unlink the agency on your terms.

Does my agency have to show me what I spend on Google?

Google's third-party policy says agencies must disclose separate management fees in writing and, where their terms require monthly reports, report costs, clicks and impressions. With your own Admin access you can see spend directly.

Can I move my account to a new agency without losing data?

Yes. Unlink the old manager account and accept the new agency's link request. The campaigns and history stay in your account.

Sources

• Google Ads Help: About access levels
• Google Ads Help: Ownership of client accounts
• Google Ads Help: Transfer ownership of an account
• Google Ads Help: Time zone setting
• Google Ads Help: Payments profile users
• Google third-party policy
• Advertiser guide: Working with third parties
• Google Business Profile Help: Owners and managers
• Google Analytics Help: Access management

Published 26 Oct 2026 · Access One