How to Connect Claude to Google Ads (2026 Guide)

Checked October 30-31, 2026 against Anthropic's, Google's and the tool vendors' documentation.

The short version: Claude can't see your Google Ads account on its own. You give it a plug-in called an MCP server. The fastest route is a remote server added as a custom connector in claude.ai or Claude Desktop: paste a URL, sign in, done, no code. Route two is Claude Code in the terminal (one command). Route three is a local server like the official Google Ads MCP, which needs a Google Cloud project and Python. If you run client accounts and want Claude to make changes only after you approve them, AdSparky takes about two minutes to connect in the browser and is in free beta: adsparky.com.

AdSparky is our product - I'm the founder, so I link a source for every claim about other tools and say where AdSparky falls short.

Three terms first#

MCP (Model Context Protocol) is the standard that lets an AI assistant connect to other software. A Google Ads MCP server takes requests from Claude and passes them to the Google Ads API, Google's official channel for reading data and making changes.

A connector is what Claude calls a plugged-in MCP server. You add it in settings, and from then on Claude can use its tools in any chat.

A remote server runs on the vendor's infrastructure on the internet; a local server runs on your computer. That's what decides whether you paste a URL or install things.

The three routes compared#

Route	What you need to know	Where it works	Read or write	Examples
Remote connector in claude.ai / Claude Desktop	Paste a URL and sign in	Browser, desktop app, mobile apps	Depends on server	AdSparky, Opteo, Optmyzr, Markifact, Adspirer
Claude Code (terminal)	Type one command	Terminal	Depends on server	Any remote server, also local ones
Local MCP server	Google Cloud project, OAuth, Python, editing a config file	Your computer	Official one: read only	Official Google Ads MCP

Route 1: remote connector in claude.ai or Claude Desktop (no code)#

This is the route for most PPC people. You need the MCP server URL from the tool vendor (usually in their dashboard or docs).

Steps per Anthropic's help center:

In Claude, open Customize, then Connectors.
Click "+ Add", then "Add custom connector".
Give it a name, for example "Google Ads", and paste the MCP server URL. Click "Continue".
Review the detected sign-in settings and choose when to authenticate (now or on first use).
Click "Add" and sign in through the window the vendor opens. For Google Ads that usually means signing in with Google and picking ad accounts.

Sign-in uses OAuth, the standard that gives an app access without handing it your password. Anthropic says Claude doesn't see your password in this flow.

Limits worth knowing, from Anthropic's docs:

On the Free plan you can add one custom connector.
On Team and Enterprise, the org owner (or on Enterprise, someone with the right role) adds the connector, then each member connects individually.
The server has to be reachable from the internet. You can't add a server running on your laptop this way.
A connector added in claude.ai also works in Claude Desktop and the mobile apps, because the connection runs from Anthropic's cloud.

Some tools are already in Claude's connector directory, so you can pick them from a list; per their sites that includes Optmyzr, Adspirer and Markifact. AdSparky isn't in the directory yet, so you add it by URL as above.

Connecting AdSparky step by step#

Sign up for the free beta and connect your Google Ads (and Meta Ads, if you run it) in the AdSparky panel.
In Claude: Customize, Connectors, "+ Add", "Add custom connector".
Name it "AdSparky" and paste https://adsparky.onrender.com/mcp.
Sign in with your AdSparky account and choose which clients the assistant can reach.
Open a new chat and type "intro" - you'll get a short tour of what you can ask.

That's it. No Google Cloud project, no API access application, no config files. The same URL works in ChatGPT, Claude Code and Codex.

For comparison, Opteo's docs use the same flow with https://api.opteo.com/mcp, signing in to Opteo.

Google Ads + Meta Adsclient accounts
AdSparkyhosted MCP server in the EU, preview and approval
Claude or ChatGPTchat in your browser

One connection: client accounts, AdSparky in the middle, your chat on top.

Route 2: Claude Code (one terminal command)#

Claude Code is the terminal version of Claude. For a remote server it's one command (syntax from the Claude Code docs):

claude mcp add --transport http adsparky https://adsparky.onrender.com/mcp

Then type /mcp inside Claude Code and sign in in the browser. Claude Code stores and refreshes the tokens itself. By default the server is scoped to the current project; add --scope user to have it everywhere.

This route makes sense if you already work in a terminal, or want to combine Google Ads with files on disk - exports, client notes, creative folders.

Route 3: a local MCP server (technical work)#

The example here is the official Google Ads MCP from Google. It's free, read only, and you run it yourself.

What you need (README and Google docs, as of October 30, 2026):

A Google Cloud project with the Google Ads API enabled and at least Explorer access to read real accounts. Enabling the API alone only gives you test accounts; you apply for a higher level in the Google Cloud console on the Google Ads API Overview page.
OAuth credentials (client ID and secret) or Application Default Credentials.
Python and pipx.
An entry in your MCP client's config.

Heads up: per Google's docs, developer tokens were retired on September 9, 2026 and access now depends on the Cloud project. The GitHub README still mentions a token, so trust Google's docs if they disagree.

In Claude Desktop you add a local server through the config file: Settings, Developer, Edit Config. On macOS that's ~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json, on Windows %APPDATA%\Claude\claude_desktop_config.json. Under mcpServers you add the launch command and the credential variables, then quit and reopen the app. The exact command and variable names are in the repo README.

In Claude Code: claude mcp add name -- launch-command (everything after -- goes to the server unchanged).

Full breakdown of the official server vs alternatives: best MCP server for Google Ads.

What needs coding and what doesn't#

Straight answer:

Remote connector: no coding. Paste, sign in.
Claude Code with a remote server: no coding, but you open a terminal and type a command.
Official Google Ads MCP: no code to write, but Google Cloud, OAuth, Python and a JSON file. The hardest route for a non-technical marketer.
Building your own MCP server: real programming. Worth it only with a developer on the team and very specific needs.

Why most agencies end up on route 1 with AdSparky#

Connecting is the easy part. What matters is what happens the first time Claude touches a client account. Here's why I think AdSparky is the most comfortable setup for agency work:

Every change is a dry run first (prepared and validated, not sent), then a before/after preview, then a human approves - in chat or in the panel's approval queue.
Nothing is ever deleted. AdSparky pauses. New campaigns are created paused.
Change history with who, when, why, and undo that's usually one step.
Per-client limits (budget caps, untouchable campaigns) the AI can only tighten from chat, plus a +30% / -50% budget guard per operation.
Google Ads and Meta Ads in one conversation, plus GA4, Tag Manager and Merchant Center.
A morning review across all your clients, with urgent items on top.
Client memory: what counts as a lead, what the client said no to.
EU hosting (Ireland and Frankfurt), encrypted keys, no training on your data.
Works in Claude, ChatGPT, Claude Code and Codex with the same URL.

To be fair: it's a beta, and you need a paid Claude or ChatGPT plan for day-to-day work.

When another route can work: you only need read access on one account and have a developer (official MCP), or your agency already runs on Opteo or Optmyzr (use their connector).

Check this before connecting a client account#

Does the server only read, or also write? The official Google Ads MCP only reads. Tools that write should have approvals.
Is there a preview before the change, and undo after?
Can the tool delete anything?
Where does the data go? Query results are also processed by your assistant provider (Anthropic) under your agreement with them.

Your first prompts after connecting#

Start with something read-only:

"List my Google Ads accounts."
"Which campaigns on account X spent over $300 in the last 30 days with no conversions?"
"Show the search terms from the last 14 days that cost the most and didn't convert."

Compare the numbers with the Google Ads UI once. If they match, Claude is reading the right account and date range. Then try your first change and watch the preview. Get AdSparky free during the beta.

FAQ#

Can I connect Claude to Google Ads for free?#

The official Google Ads MCP is free but read only and technical. On Claude's Free plan you can add one custom connector. For daily work across real accounts you'll want a paid Claude plan anyway. AdSparky itself is free during the beta.

Do I need a manager account (MCC)?#

Not always. With remote connectors you sign in with a Google account that has access to the ad accounts. An MCC (the manager account agencies use to run client accounts) makes multi-client work easier. The official MCP supports it via login_customer_id.

Can Claude change my campaigns on its own?#

Only if the MCP server has write tools. The official Google Ads MCP doesn't. In AdSparky, Claude prepares the change and you approve it - nothing goes live without that step.

Does the same connector work in ChatGPT?#

The AdSparky URL works in ChatGPT, Claude Code and Codex too. How you add a custom server in ChatGPT depends on your ChatGPT plan.

Does Claude Desktop work the same as claude.ai?#

Remote connectors added in claude.ai also work in Claude Desktop. Local servers from the config file only work in Claude Desktop and Claude Code on that one computer.

Sources#

All checked October 30-31, 2026.

Want Claude on your Google Ads and Meta Ads accounts without a terminal, with every change waiting for your approval? AdSparky is in free beta, no card: adsparky.com.