What are MCC Accounts and How to Set Them Up in 2025? 

Managing multiple Google Ads accounts can feel overwhelming. You often have to juggle several dashboards, adjust multiple settings, and perform repetitive tasks such as constantly logging in and out of different accounts. All of this slows down your workflow and increases the chances of mistakes.

However, it is to simplify this entire process, MCC accounts (also known as Manager accounts) exist. 

If you haven’t heard of them before and don’t know how to use or set up Google Ads Manager accounts, don’t worry. You are at the right place. 

Through this blog, we will be discussing: 

1. What are MCC accounts 
2. How to set them up 
3. What are the benefits of using MCC accounts (such as centralized management and time-saving) 
4. Their features
5. Best practices to follow and common mistakes to avoid when creating and using MCC accounts. 

So, are you ready? Let’s quickly start. 

What are MCC Accounts in Google Ads? 

An MCC account is basically an umbrella account that allows you to view and manage multiple Google Ads accounts (including other MCC accounts) from one interface. It provides a centralized, user-friendly dashboard where you can oversee campaigns, reports, users, billing, and more across all linked accounts.

Essentially, you can think of a Manager (MCC) account as a “parent” in the account hierarchy. It connects to multiple Google Ads accounts, which function as “child” accounts under its structure. This particular setup makes it easier to keep everything organized and under control.  

Important Note: MCC accounts are not an upgraded version of standard Google Ads accounts that advertisers typically use. Rather, they fall under a separate category of accounts that are used mainly for management purposes.

Who Should Use MCC Accounts? 

You can consider using MCC accounts if you: 

1. Manage more than one Google Ads account for your own business.
2. Are the owner of multiple brands or business units, and have Google Ads accounts for all of them.
3. Are an agency owner or a marketing professional who manages multiple client accounts.
4. Want a shared dashboard or digital workspace where your entire Google Ads or marketing agency can collaborate and manage accounts with ease. 
5. Want to track performance or conversions for many accounts from a single dashboard. 
6. Or use any other feature that you get with MCCs.

Also read: Google Ads Glossary: 100+ Key Terms Explained

How to Create Google Ads Manager Accounts? 

There are three methods in Google Ads to create a new Manager account. Let’s go through them. 

From The Manager Account Homepage

1. Go to the Google Ads Manager account home page. 
2. Then click on ‘Go to Manager Accounts.’
3. If you aren’t signed in, then sign in using the email address that you want to use to create your new MCC account. 

4. Then you will have to add the details of your Manager account. These would include:

• Your account’s display name. Remember, this will also be the name that your clients will see in their accounts. 

Note: Google no longer accepts or allows you to submit URLs as account names.

• Then specify how you intend to use this MCC account: whether to manage other people’s accounts or manage your own accounts. 
• Select your billing country and time zone. The time zone you select will apply to all your reporting and billing, and you cannot change it later. Thus, be sure of your choice. As a best practice, Google recommends selecting the time zone in which you work. This helps ensure data stays accurate and easy to review. 
• Further, select the currency for your MCC account. Here, please note that: 

a. Google recommends choosing the currency in which you operate your business. 

b. The client accounts linked to your MCC account will still be billed in their individual currencies. 

c. Whenever you check the performance or any budget report of a linked child account, you will have the option to view any cost-related information in your MCC account’s defined currency. 

• Then, click on ‘Explore your account’. 

That’s it. Your MCC account will be created. 

From the Sub-Account Settings Page

If you already have an existing Google Ads Manager account, then you can create a new one from the sub-account settings page in it. Here’s how: 

1. First, sign in to your Google Ads Manager account. 
2. Click the ‘Accounts’ section from the left-hand side menu and select ‘Sub-account settings.’

3. Click on the blue plus ‘+’ icon.

4. Then select ‘Create a new manager account.’

5. Then, you will essentially need to fill out the same details needed to create an MCC account as in the first method. This means you must add a name for your account, specify its purpose, select a country and time zone, etc. 

In this setup flow, you will also see an option to invite users and assign roles such as ‘Admin’, ‘Standard’, or ‘Read only.’ 

6. Once you fill in this information, complete the reCAPTCHA and click on ‘Save and Continue.’
7. After that, you can optionally: 

• Select any Google Ads account that you want to move and link with this new MCC account that you have just created. However, please note that once you link an account, any previous links from other MCC accounts will be removed by Google. 
• Or enter the customer IDs for those accounts that you want to link to your newly created Manager account. 

Note: You can also link to an existing Google Ads account to your MCC by following this pathway:  Log in to Google Ads Manager > Accounts > Performance/Sub-account settings > Click on the blue plus ‘+’ button > Select ‘Link an existing account’ > Add the account ID and select the MCC account you would like to link it to > Send Request. Then, depending on whether the invited account is an individual Google Ads account or another MCC, the admin of that account must accept or decline the link request from the ‘Managers’ tab under ‘Access and Security.’ Once accepted, the account links to your MCC automatically. Read more on this Google Page.

8. Click on ‘Done.’

This will complete the creation of your new MCC account.  

From the Performance Page

You can also create a new MCC account from an existing Manager account through the ‘Performance’ page. Here’s how: 

1. Inside your Google Ads Manager account, click on ‘Accounts’ from the left-hand side menu. 
2. Click on ‘Performance.’

3. Then select ‘Create a new manager account.’ 
4. From this step onward, the MCC account creation flow will be identical to the one we followed earlier in the ‘Sub-account section.’ 
5. Follow the on-screen instructions, and your MCC account will be created successfully.

MCC Account Limits 

It’s important to note that Manager accounts also have certain limits with regard to how many accounts you can link under them. These limits are based on different factors such as your total monthly spend, account activity, and past cancellations. 

Maximum Linked Accounts: 

Every MCC account can be linked to a maximum of 85,000 non-manager accounts. This number includes both active and inactive or cancelled accounts. 

Note: Cancelled accounts do not count toward the limit of active accounts.

Active Account Limits Based on Spend:

Your MCC account’s limit for active linked accounts depends on: 

1. The aggregated monthly spend of all the client accounts linked to it over the last 12 months
2. The highest total spend of any month from that 12-month period is used to determine the maximum number of active accounts your MCC can link to. 

Highest Monthly Spend (Last 12 Months)	Active Account Limit	Total Account Limit
Less than $10,000 USD	50	85,000
$10,000 to less than $500,000 USD	2,500	85,000
More than $500,000 USD	N/A (full limit applies)	85,000

Google reviews these limits regularly. Also, this calculation happens at the top-level manager account, which is the highest in the hierarchy. All other linked (child) accounts count toward the limit. 

Important Notes: 

• If your maximum account limit decreases, but you already have more accounts than Google’s limit allows, you can still retain those extra accounts. However, Google will not allow you to link or create any new accounts until you fall back under the limit. 
• If your spend increases, Google will increase your active account limit during its next review cycle. Moreover, that updated limit will stay at that level for the next 12 months, even if your spending drops later.
• For new MCC accounts that don’t have 12 months of spend, Google will use whatever spend data is available. 
• If your MCC has no spend at all, its active account limit will be set to 50 by default. 

Features of MCC Accounts

Here are some of the most important features of an MCC account: 

1. Single Dashboard Access: You can easily access all the child Google Ads or sub-manager accounts from one central dashboard. 
2. Campaign and Account Management: Google supports creating, editing, and managing ad campaigns for all linked accounts directly from your MCC interface. 
3. Cross-Account Reporting: Generate performance reports for multiple linked accounts at the same time. Easily view each account’s key performance indicators and even compare results side-by-side for different accounts from a single location. 
4. Create New Google Ads Accounts: Set up new Google Ads accounts for your business or clients directly from your MCC, which are automatically linked to it. 
5. Share Campaign Elements and Assets: Leverage the ability to copy and paste entire campaigns, ad groups, ads, keywords, and other assets across all connected accounts. 
6. Consolidated Billing: Centralize billing for multiple Google Ads accounts. Easily link all your accounts to a single payment profile and receive a monthly invoice that displays the aggregated charges from all accounts.
7. Invite Other Users: You can also invite other members to your MCC account and assign them roles to manage or view the account. 

Benefits of Using an MCC Account 

Let’s now go through the benefits of using MCC accounts.

1. Faster and Better Account Management: MCC accounts reduce the time and effort spent switching between multiple Google Ads accounts. With everything accessible from one unified dashboard, your day-to-day tasks become quicker, and your workflow stays smooth.
2. Reduced Errors: Managing all accounts, campaigns, and settings from a single dashboard minimizes the risk of mistakes. This helps maintain consistent performance for clients and supports a strong professional reputation.
3. Easier Scaling for Agencies and Large Teams: Whenever you onboard a new client or even create a Google Ads account for your business, an MCC structure will help you scale effortlessly. You can add, remove, or organize accounts easily, and that too without rebuilding your entire structure again. 
4. Better Financial Planning: Centralized billing in MCC saves time and reduces accounting errors. You only need to manage one invoice rather than dealing with separate bills for each account. This makes Google Ads budgeting easier for every client or brand you manage. 
5. Simplified Team Collaboration: The ability to invite users and assign them different permissions and roles on MCC enables your entire team to work from the same unified structure. This streamlines collaboration, reduces confusion, and helps to avoid duplicate work.

Best Practices for Using MCC Accounts

We will now go through some best practices for using MCC accounts. 

1. Separate MCC Accounts For Different Purposes: Create separate MCCs for your personal business and client accounts. Google allows you to create 20 Google Ad accounts (including MCCs) using the same email, so setting them up is simple. Managing separate Manager accounts will help you maintain a more professional and organized setup, which will also prevent any potential errors and confusion. 
2. Use the Right Access Levels: Ensure that you assign only the required access to each user from your MCC. 

So, for example, if somebody only wants to read performance reports and summarize the key findings, then you should give them the ‘Read only’ access. At the same time, if there’s a trusted team lead who has to edit campaign settings across multiple client accounts, assign the ‘Admin’ access to them. 

This will reduce the scope of errors, protect sensitive data, and keep all Google Ads accounts secure. 

3. Leverage Shared Assets: Make the most of MCC’s ability to share assets across all linked accounts. This is especially useful for agencies or freelancers managing accounts within the same niche.

Example: If you manage Google Ads for multiple e-commerce apparel clients, you can create a master negative keyword list with terms like “fashion design jobs” or “DIY clothing tutorials.” These searches won’t generate meaningful leads and will waste ad spend, so applying the same list across all accounts keeps your targeting consistent and saves time.

Similarly, you can share placement exclusion lists for those websites that you know are of low quality or don’t convert well. 

4. Implement MCC Level Automation: Use the MCC as the central place for automation. Run scripts for checking the health of all accounts or even setting up alerts related to spending. Leverage automated rules to execute different types of tasks, such as pausing ads during holidays or adjusting bids when performance drops. 

These automations help you save time and effort and maintain control over all linked accounts. 

5. Conduct Period Audits: Regularly audit your Manager account to ensure its structure and access permissions are still accurate. If you notice any accounts that are inactive or no longer under your management, unlink them after taking any necessary data backups. Likewise, if you need to add new users or remove old ones, update your access settings during these audits. This helps keep your MCC clean, secure, and aligned with your current workflow.

Note: Manager (MCC) accounts is a vast topic, and it has many features as well as sub-topics. As per the intended length of this blog, we have only covered the most important parts. However, if you wish to enhance your understanding of MCC accounts further, visit this Google help page.

Conclusion and Key Takeaways

Managing multiple Google Ads accounts becomes far more efficient and organized when you use an MCC (Manager) account. 

The key takeaways from this blog include:

• MCC accounts act as umbrella accounts that let you manage multiple Google Ads accounts from one unified dashboard.
• They are ideal for businesses, agencies, and professionals handling several accounts or brands simultaneously.
• Creating an MCC can be done through various Google Ads pathways, each requiring basic setup details like time zone and access preferences.
• MCC accounts have specific linking limits based on spend, activity, and overall account structure.
• MCC accounts offer helpful features like centralized access, cross-account reporting, shared assets, and simplified billing.
• Using an MCC improves day-to-day Google Ads account management by reducing errors, saving time, and making it easier to grow and organize multiple accounts.
• To get the most out of your MCC, keep your accounts organized, assign access carefully, and set up automations for repetitive tasks.

Hope this blog helped you. Good luck! 

FAQs

1. What is an MCC (Manager) account in Google Ads?

An MCC account lets you view and manage multiple Google Ads accounts, including other MCC accounts, from a single dashboard.

2. Can I link both new and existing Google Ads accounts to my MCC?

Yes. You can create a new Google Ads account from your MCC or link any existing account. You can also link other manager accounts if needed.

3. Does linking to an MCC change the client account’s login or billing details?

No. Linking does not change the account’s login, user credentials, or payment methods. The original account remains intact and fully functional.

4. How many MCC accounts can a single Google Ads account be linked to?

A single Google Ads account can be directly linked to no more than five manager accounts at one time.

5. Can multiple manager accounts manage an MCC account?

No. A manager account can only have one direct parent MCC above it. 

6. What should I do if I can’t create an MCC account?

Start by checking that you’re signed in with the correct Google Account and that your internet connection is stable. Clearing your browser’s cache and cookies and switching to a different browser can also fix unexpected errors. If none of these steps work, the best option is to contact Google Ads support for further assistance.