You can have multiple Google Ads accounts under one email address—with no strict limit for most advertisers—but the best way to manage them efficiently and compliantly is through a Manager (MCC) account, which allows you to control unlimited client accounts from a single dashboard while maintaining separate billing, permissions, and performance tracking.

Key Takeaways

Google allows you to create and manage multiple Google Ads accounts with a single email address, and there is no official maximum limit for most advertisers.

A Manager account (MCC) is the recommended structure for agencies, franchises, or businesses managing multiple brands—enabling centralised control of unlimited accounts.

Each Google Ads account can have separate billing, meaning you can maintain distinct payment methods and invoices for different businesses or clients.

Google does not penalise having multiple accounts, but running duplicate or competing ads from multiple accounts for the same business can violate policies.

The optimal account structure depends on your specific situation—separate accounts work best when businesses, brands, or billing need to remain distinct.

How Many Google Ads Accounts Can I Manage Under One Business and What Is the Best Setup for Scaling?

The short answer? There’s no hard cap. Google doesn’t publish a maximum number of AdWords accounts you can own or manage through a single email address. For most advertisers, this means practical freedom to scale as business demands grow.

That said, freedom without structure leads to chaos. According to Statista, Google’s advertising revenue exceeded £190 billion in 2023, representing the world’s largest digital advertising platform. With that level of competition, proper account architecture isn’t optional—it’s essential for businesses competing for visibility.

The real question isn’t “can I have multiple accounts?” but rather “what structure makes sense for my situation?”

For most businesses managing more than two or three accounts, the answer is a Manager account (formerly known as My Client Centre or MCC). This sits above your individual Google Ads accounts and provides a unified command centre. One login. One dashboard. Unlimited sub-accounts beneath it.

Here’s what that looks like in practice: a marketing agency with 47 clients doesn’t juggle 47 separate logins. They link all client accounts to their MCC and switch between them in seconds. A franchise business with locations across Manchester, Birmingham, and Edinburgh can maintain separate performance data whilst viewing aggregate results instantly.

The MCC approach also future-proofs your setup. Adding account number 48? Link it to your existing MCC. No structural changes required.

Scaling your Google Ads presence?Orange Trail’s Performance Marketing services provide expert guidance on multi-account architecture that grows with your business.

Can I Have More Than One Google Ads Account?

Yes. Full stop.

This question comes up constantly because Google’s policies around account creation sound restrictive when you first read them. The reality is more nuanced—and more permissive—than most advertisers realise.

Google permits multiple accounts for legitimate business reasons. What they prohibit is gaming the system: creating duplicate accounts to circumvent a suspension, running identical ads from multiple accounts to dominate auction results unfairly, or using extra accounts to exceed spending limits artificially.

The distinction matters. A holding company with three distinct brands operating in different markets? Legitimate. An agency managing accounts for 200 clients? Legitimate. A single business creating four accounts to run the same ad four times and crowd out competitors? That’s where Google draws the line.

Understanding Google’s Official Policy on Multiple Accounts

GOOGLE’S MULTIPLE ACCOUNT POLICY:

• You CAN have multiple Google Ads accounts
• You CAN link them to the same email address
• You CAN use an MCC to manage unlimited accounts
• You CANNOT run duplicate ads for the same business from multiple accounts to game the auction
• You CANNOT circumvent suspensions by creating new accounts

The UK Government’s Competition and Markets Authority has examined digital advertising practices extensively, and Google’s multi-account policies align with broader fair competition principles. The platform welcomes advertisers who need multiple accounts for operational reasons whilst protecting auction integrity.

Can I Run Multiple Google Ads Accounts for Different Brands and Still Track Everything in One Place?

Absolutely—and this is precisely where MCC accounts demonstrate their value.

Picture this scenario: you’re the marketing director for a consumer goods company with three distinct brands. Brand A targets premium customers in the home décor space. Brand B competes in budget kitchenware. Brand C operates in an entirely different vertical—outdoor equipment. Each brand has its own website, its own audience, and its own advertising budget.

Without an MCC, you’d log into three separate accounts. You’d run three separate reports. You’d struggle to answer basic questions like “what’s our total Google Ads spend this month?” without opening a spreadsheet and manually combining figures.

With an MCC, all three accounts appear in one interface. Cross-account reporting lets you compare performance side-by-side. You can see which brand delivers the strongest return on ad spend (ROAS) without switching tabs. Shared negative keyword lists prevent wasted spend across all brands simultaneously.

The structure also supports granular access control. Your Brand A team sees only Brand A data. Your finance director sees everything. Your freelance PPC consultant gets read-only access to the specific accounts they’re auditing.

Managing ads for multiple brands?Orange Trail’s Google Ad Accounts provide the structure and support you need for multi-brand advertising.

What Is the Best Way to Structure Multiple Google Ads Accounts for an Agency or Franchise Business?

The optimal structure depends entirely on your business model. Agencies and franchises look similar from the outside—both manage multiple accounts—but their needs differ fundamentally.

Agency vs Franchise: Choosing the Right Account Structure

Factor	Agency Structure	Franchise Structure
Recommended Setup	Separate account per client under MCC	Can vary: single account with location extensions OR separate accounts per franchisee
Billing	Separate billing per client account	Can be centralised or distributed
Access Control	Granular permissions per client	Depends on franchise model
Reporting	Cross-account reporting via MCC	Unified or separate based on structure
Best For	Client confidentiality, clean handoffs	Balancing consistency vs local autonomy

For agencies, the imperative is clear separation. Client A should never accidentally see Client B’s data. When Client A leaves, you need to transfer their account cleanly without affecting anything else. Separate billing per client simplifies invoicing and eliminates awkward conversations about whose budget generated which charges.

For franchises, the calculation involves more variables. A centrally-controlled franchise might benefit from a single account with location targeting—this maximises shared learning across locations and simplifies budget management. An independently-owned franchise network might require separate accounts per franchisee, giving each owner visibility into their own performance and the ability to top up their own budget.

Research from Forbes suggests that businesses using structured, professionally managed advertising accounts see up to 30% improvement in ROAS compared to poorly organised account structures. The structure itself becomes a competitive advantage.

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When Should I Create Separate Google Ads Accounts Instead of Campaigns Within a Single Account?

This is where many advertisers get tangled. The instinct to create a new account for every new initiative is understandable but often misguided.

Google Ads accounts contain campaigns. Campaigns contain ad groups. Ad groups contain ads and keywords. This hierarchy exists precisely so you don’t need separate accounts for every product line or marketing objective.

Launching summer and winter promotions? Same account, different campaigns. Targeting B2B and B2C audiences? Same account, different campaigns. Advertising products across ten different categories? Same account, different campaigns—or even different ad groups within one campaign.

The threshold for needing separate accounts is higher than most people assume.

Decision Framework: Separate Accounts vs Separate Campaigns

CREATE SEPARATE ACCOUNTS WHEN:

✓ Different legal entities or businesses ✓ Separate billing/invoicing required ✓ Different teams need isolated access ✓ Client confidentiality is essential ✓ Potential future sale or transfer of one business ✓ Significantly different industries or audiences

USE CAMPAIGNS WITHIN ONE ACCOUNT WHEN:

Same business, different products/services ✓ Same billing acceptable ✓ Same team managing everything ✓ Shared audience data is beneficial ✓ Simplified reporting preferred

The shared data point deserves emphasis. When campaigns exist within one account, they benefit from collective conversion data. Google’s algorithms learn faster. Smart bidding performs better. Audience insights from Campaign A inform targeting in Campaign B automatically.

Split those into separate accounts and you fragment that learning. Each account starts from scratch, building its own conversion history independently.

How Do I Use a Manager Account to Control Several Google Ads Accounts Efficiently?

Setting up an MCC isn’t complicated, but using it well requires intentionality.

What Is a Manager (MCC) Account in Google Ads?

• Definition: A Manager account (formerly My Client Centre/MCC) is a Google Ads account type designed to manage multiple accounts from one login
• Capacity: Can manage unlimited sub-accounts
• Access Levels: Allows granular permission settings (admin, standard, read-only)
• Features: Cross-account reporting, shared budgets, automated rules across accounts
• Cost: Free to create and use—no additional fees from Google

The MCC sits hierarchically above regular Google Ads accounts. You can even create MCCs beneath MCCs for complex organisational structures. A global agency might have a top-level MCC, regional MCCs beneath it (EMEA, Americas, APAC), and client accounts beneath each regional MCC.

Setting Up Your First MCC Account

The process takes minutes. Visit ads.google.com/home/tools/manager-accounts and follow the prompts. You’ll create the MCC with its own unique email, then send link requests to existing Google Ads accounts you want to manage.

Account owners receive those requests and must accept them—MCC access requires permission, not just your request. Once linked, you control what level of access your MCC has: administrative (full control including user management), standard (campaign changes but no user management), or read-only (viewing and reporting only).

The power features emerge once you’ve linked several accounts. Cross-account reporting pulls data from all linked accounts into unified dashboards. Shared negative keyword lists let you block irrelevant search terms across your entire portfolio with one action. Automated rules can pause underperforming campaigns across multiple accounts simultaneously.

Are There Limits or Risks to Running Multiple Google Ads Accounts for One Company?

Limits? Practically none. Risks? A few worth understanding.

Google doesn’t impose a hard cap on accounts per company or accounts per email address. The platform is designed to accommodate advertisers at every scale, from sole traders running one account to enterprise organisations managing thousands.

The risks emerge not from quantity but from intent and behaviour.

Understanding Google’s Circumvention Policy

⚠️ POLICY VIOLATION RISKS:

• Creating new accounts to escape a suspension
• Running identical ads from multiple accounts to dominate auction
• Using multiple accounts to exceed spending limits artificially
• Attempting to get around disapproved ads by resubmitting via different accounts

These actions violate Google’s policies and can result in all associated accounts being suspended.

Google’s enforcement here is robust. Their systems detect connections between accounts—shared payment methods, shared IP addresses, shared tracking codes, identical ad creatives. If they determine you’re using multiple accounts to circumvent policies, the consequences extend beyond the offending account. They may suspend all related accounts, including legitimate ones.

The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) guidance on digital marketing emphasises transparency and fair practice. Google’s circumvention policies reflect similar principles: advertise legitimately across as many accounts as you need, but don’t manipulate the system.

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How Can an Agency Best Organise and Access Many Client Google Ads Accounts Securely?

Security becomes exponentially important as account numbers grow. One compromised credential shouldn’t expose 50 clients’ advertising budgets.

Security Best Practices for Multi-Account Management

• Use MCC accounts rather than sharing individual account logins
• Implement two-factor authentication on all accounts
• Grant minimum necessary permission levels
• Regularly audit user access and remove former employees/clients
• Document account ownership clearly in contracts
• Use Google’s account linking rather than credential sharing

The MCC structure inherently improves security. When team members leave, you revoke their MCC access once—not their access to dozens of individual accounts. When clients depart, you unlink their account from your MCC; they retain full ownership and control.

Credential sharing—giving a team member or contractor the actual login details for a client’s Google Ads account—creates audit nightmares. You can’t track who made which change. You can’t revoke access without changing the password and coordinating with everyone else who has it.

MCC linking eliminates these problems. Each user has their own credentials. All actions log against specific users. Access adjustments happen instantly without affecting anyone else.

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How Do I Avoid Policy Issues When Operating Several Google Ads Accounts in the Same Niche?

This concern arises most often among agencies and holding companies. If you manage Google Ads for three competing law firms, or five estate agents in the same city, are you violating policies?

Not inherently.

Google’s policies prohibit using multiple accounts you control for the same business to dominate auctions unfairly. They don’t prohibit an agency from managing accounts for multiple businesses in the same industry—even direct competitors.

The distinction: those are separate businesses with separate interests. You’re providing a service to each. The accounts don’t coordinate to manipulate results; they compete fairly within the auction like any other advertisers.

Where agencies must be careful is transparency and conflict management. Most reputable agencies disclose to clients when they manage competitors and implement ethical walls between account teams. This isn’t a Google policy requirement—it’s professional best practice.

The practical policy concern for same-niche accounts involves account hygiene. Ensure each account has distinct conversion tracking, distinct website destinations, and distinct billing. If Google’s automated systems see too many similarities, they might flag accounts for review even when nothing improper is occurring.

What Account Structure Should I Use in Google Ads for Multiple Locations and Product Lines?

Location-based businesses and multi-product companies face similar structural questions but optimal answers differ.

Location-Based Account Structures

Scenario	Recommended Structure	Rationale
Single business, multiple locations	One account with location extensions and location-targeted campaigns	Unified budgeting, shared data, simpler management
Franchise with independent owners	Separate accounts per franchisee under MCC	Separate billing, local autonomy, clean ownership
Regional subsidiaries	Separate accounts if different legal entities	Legal/financial separation, regional teams
Same business, multiple countries	Often separate accounts per major market	Currency differences, local compliance, market-specific strategies

A single restaurant group with five locations across London likely needs one account. Target each location with geo-specific campaigns. Use location extensions to show the nearest address. All learning compounds in one account.

A franchise model where each location is independently owned changes the calculation. Those owners need visibility into their specific performance. They want control over their budgets. When they sell their franchise, their Google Ads account should transfer with the business. Separate accounts—linked via MCC for brand-level oversight—suit this model.

Product Line Account Structures

For product lines, the bias should be toward campaign separation rather than account separation. Your outdoor furniture range and your indoor furniture range probably don’t need separate accounts. They share a brand, likely share a website, and benefit from shared audience data.

Create separate campaigns—or even separate campaign types—for each product line. Use portfolio bid strategies to optimise across them. Reserve account separation for genuinely distinct business units with different ownership, billing, or operational teams.

What Are the Best Practices for Billing and Permissions When Managing Multiple Google Ads Accounts?

Billing and permissions are where MCC convenience really shines—and where mistakes create lasting headaches.

Billing Options for Multiple Accounts

• Separate billing per account: Each account has its own payment method and invoices—ideal for agencies billing clients directly
• Consolidated billing: Available for eligible advertisers spending significant amounts—single invoice for multiple accounts
• Monthly invoicing: Available for qualifying accounts with established payment history
• Manager account billing: MCC can be set up to pay for sub-accounts, though separate billing is more common

Most agencies prefer separate billing. The client’s payment method sits on the client’s account. Charges appear on their statement, not yours. When the relationship ends, there’s no financial entanglement to unwind.

Some enterprise arrangements suit consolidated billing. If your organisation manages 30 internal accounts across different departments, receiving 30 separate invoices creates accounting overhead. Consolidated billing streamlines this into one monthly invoice covering all account spend.

Permission Levels Explained

Permission Level	Can View	Can Edit	Can Manage Users	Can Manage Billing
Admin	✅	✅	✅	✅
Standard	✅	✅	❌	❌
Read-only	✅	❌	❌	❌
Email-only	Reports only	❌	❌	❌

Apply the principle of least privilege. Your PPC specialist needs standard access—they’re making campaign changes daily. Your finance team needs read-only access for spend monitoring. Your client contact might only need email-only access for automated reporting.

Over-provisioning permissions creates risk without benefit. Someone with admin access could accidentally (or intentionally) revoke your own access. Standard access users might inadvertently change billing settings they don’t understand.

Can I Run Multiple AdWords Accounts at Once?

Yes, and there’s nothing technically or legally preventing simultaneous operation of numerous accounts.

Within an MCC dashboard, you can have multiple tabs open showing different linked accounts. Campaign changes can queue across accounts. You might adjust bids in Account A, switch tabs, launch a new campaign in Account B, then return to Account A to check results—all within one browser session.

For individual accounts (not linked via MCC), you’d sign into each separately. Google lets you stay signed into multiple Google accounts simultaneously using the account switcher. This works but becomes unwieldy beyond three or four accounts.

The MCC approach scales better. Whether you’re managing 5 or 500 accounts, the workflow remains consistent. One login, one interface, unlimited operational capacity.

Does Google Penalise Multiple Accounts?

No—not when those accounts operate legitimately.

This misconception persists because Google does suspend accounts that misuse the multi-account capability. The suspension isn’t for having multiple accounts; it’s for policy violations those accounts committed.

The Federal Trade Commission and its UK equivalent, the Competition and Markets Authority, emphasise transparency in digital advertising. Google’s policies align with these principles by permitting legitimate multi-account structures while prohibiting deceptive practices.

If you’re running multiple accounts for distinct businesses, distinct clients, or distinct operational purposes—and each account advertises legitimately within Google’s policies—you face no penalty risk from the account quantity itself.

How Do Agencies Manage Multiple Ad Accounts?

Professional agencies treat account management as a discipline, not an afterthought.

The foundation is always MCC. No serious agency manages client accounts by logging into each one individually with client-provided credentials. That approach doesn’t scale, creates security vulnerabilities, and makes reporting a manual nightmare.

Beyond MCC, agencies implement:

Standardised naming conventions. Every campaign follows a consistent format: [Client][Product][Campaign Type]_[Targeting]. This makes cross-account reporting comprehensible and allows team members to navigate unfamiliar accounts quickly.

Templated structures. New client accounts don’t start from scratch. Agencies maintain templates—campaign structures, ad copy frameworks, negative keyword lists—that accelerate setup and ensure best practices carry across accounts.

Automated reporting. Tools like Looker Studio (formerly Google Data Studio) connect to MCC accounts and generate client-ready reports automatically. No one manually exports data and builds spreadsheets.

Clear escalation paths. When an account faces suspension, disapproval, or policy review, defined processes ensure rapid response. The team member who notices the issue knows exactly who to alert and what steps to take.

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Can I Use One Login to Manage All My AdWords Accounts?

Yes, through an MCC account.

Link your various Google Ads accounts to one MCC, and you access everything with a single login. The MCC dashboard shows all linked accounts. Click any account to enter it. Make changes, run reports, adjust settings. Click back to the MCC level. Select another account. Repeat.

This single-login capability extends beyond convenience. It enables the cross-account features—unified reporting, shared resources, bulk actions—that make multi-account management practical at scale.

For accounts not linked to your MCC, you can still access them via Google’s account switcher, but you lose the integration benefits. Those accounts exist in isolation from your MCC ecosystem.

Is It Against Google Policy to Have More Than One Account?

No. This deserves repetition because the misconception causes unnecessary anxiety.

Google’s policies explicitly accommodate multiple accounts. Their MCC product wouldn’t exist if multiple accounts violated policy—the entire purpose of MCC is managing multiple accounts.

What violates policy is how you use multiple accounts, not that you have them. The prohibited behaviours are specific: circumventing suspensions, gaming auctions with duplicate ads, evading policy enforcement by resubmitting through fresh accounts.

Operate each account legitimately and you can maintain as many as your business requires.

What Are the Benefits of Using a Manager Account?

The benefits compound as account numbers grow, but even managing two accounts, MCC delivers advantages.

MCC ACCOUNT BENEFITS:

• Single dashboard for all accounts
• Cross-account performance reporting
• Streamlined user access management
• Shared negative keyword lists
• Automated rules across accounts
• Easier client onboarding/offboarding
• No additional cost from Google
• Scalable to unlimited accounts

The cross-account reporting alone justifies MCC adoption. Without it, understanding total spend, aggregate conversions, or portfolio-wide ROAS requires exporting data from each account and combining it manually. With MCC, these figures appear in unified dashboards automatically.

Shared negative keyword lists prevent wasted spend at scale. Identify an irrelevant search term and block it across all accounts simultaneously. Without MCC, you’d repeat that blocking action in every account individually.

User management becomes systematic rather than chaotic. Grant someone access to three specific accounts. Revoke that access when they leave. Track who has permission to what. All from one interface.

Are There Limits to How Many Accounts I Can Manage?

Practically, no.

Google doesn’t publish a maximum number of accounts one MCC can manage or one email can access. Enterprise MCCs manage thousands of accounts. Agency networks link hundreds of client accounts beneath regional MCCs beneath a global MCC.

The constraints are operational, not platform-imposed. At some scale, you’ll need dedicated tools, defined processes, and specialised team structures to manage effectively. The platform itself doesn’t cap you.

Scaling your Google Ads presence?Get a custom quote from Orange Trail for professional multi-account management and agency ad account access.

How Many Google Ads Accounts Can I Have with One Email?

There’s no published maximum, and practical limits haven’t been reported by advertisers.

You can link one email to multiple Google Ads accounts. Those accounts appear when you sign in—select which one to access. You can also link that same email to MCC accounts, giving you management access to every account beneath each MCC.

The architecture is flexible. Your email might be the admin on your personal Google Ads account, have standard access to two client accounts, and serve as the owner of an MCC managing fifteen more accounts. All accessible with one sign-in.

Conclusion: Structuring Your Google Ads Accounts for Success

The question “how many AdWords accounts can I have?” has a simple answer: as many as you need. Google imposes no practical limit for legitimate advertisers.

The more valuable question is how to structure those accounts for efficiency, security, and performance. That answer depends on your circumstances—but for anyone managing more than a handful of accounts, an MCC provides the foundation for scalable management.

Separate accounts suit distinct businesses, separate billing requirements, and situations demanding isolated access. Campaign separation within a single account suits different product lines, customer segments, or marketing initiatives within one business.

Security practices, permission discipline, and billing clarity become increasingly important as account numbers grow. The agencies and enterprises succeeding with Google Ads at scale don’t just accumulate accounts—they architect their account ecosystem intentionally.

Ready to optimise your Google Ads account structure?Get a custom quote from Orange Trail for expert guidance on multi-account management and agency ad account access.

Frequently Asked Questions About Google Ads Account Limits

How many Google Ads accounts can I have with one email?

There is no official maximum limit—you can link multiple Google Ads accounts to a single email address.

Can I run multiple AdWords accounts at once?

Yes, you can operate multiple Google Ads accounts simultaneously, ideally managed through an MCC for efficiency.

What is a manager (MCC) account in Google Ads?

An MCC is a free Google Ads account type that lets you manage unlimited sub-accounts from a single dashboard with centralised reporting and permissions.

Are there limits to how many accounts I can manage?

No practical limit exists—MCC accounts can manage unlimited sub-accounts, and individual emails can link to numerous accounts.

Can I have separate billing for each account?

Yes, each Google Ads account can have its own payment method and generate separate invoices.

Does Google penalise multiple accounts?

No, Google does not penalise legitimate multi-account use—only violations like circumventing suspensions or gaming the auction.

How do agencies manage multiple ad accounts?

Agencies use MCC accounts to manage client accounts centrally, with granular permissions, cross-account reporting, and streamlined workflows.

Can I use one login to manage all my AdWords accounts?

Yes, through an MCC account you can access and manage all linked accounts with a single login.

Is it against Google policy to have more than one account?

No, having multiple accounts is permitted—policy violations only occur when accounts are used to circumvent rules or deceive.

What are the benefits of using a manager account?

Benefits include centralised management, cross-account reporting, streamlined access control, shared resources, and unlimited scalability.

Can you get banned for making too many Gmail accounts?

Google may restrict account creation if they detect automated or abusive patterns, but creating accounts for legitimate purposes is permitted.

Is $20 a day good for Google Ads?

Budget adequacy depends on your industry’s cost-per-click and competition; $20 daily can work for low-competition niches but may limit reach in competitive markets.

What happens if I have multiple Google accounts?

Nothing negative—Google expects users to have multiple accounts for personal, business, and other purposes.

How do I keep two Google accounts separate?

Use different browsers, browser profiles, or incognito windows; Google’s account switcher also lets you maintain separate sessions.

Can I have two Google accounts with different email addresses?

Yes, each Google account has its own email address, and you can create as many as you legitimately need.