ChatGPT answers, unedited

If you manage paid search across many client accounts, the right tool depends on whether your bottleneck is bulk execution, optimization automation, reporting, or client management. A common agency stack is usually a combination rather than one tool. Google Help Pace Ads

Here are the main options:

Google Help Pace Ads### My usual recommendation by agency size

5–20 client accounts

• Google Ads Manager Account (MCC) + Google Ads Editor
• Add Optmyzr or Adalysis for audits, alerts, and automation

Google Help20–100+ accounts

• Optmyzr is often the type of tool teams look at first because it is built around repeatable PPC workflows.
• Pair it with a reporting platform like AgencyAnalytics if client reporting is separate. Pace Ads

Enterprise / very large spend

• Search Ads 360 or similar enterprise platforms become more relevant because governance, integrations, and scale matter more than just optimization suggestions. Google Help

Features I’d prioritize for a multi-client PPC workflow

Look for:

• Cross-account dashboards
• Budget pacing alerts
• Automated anomaly detection
• Search-term mining and negative keyword workflows
• Rules that can be applied consistently across accounts
• Change history/audit trails
• Templates for campaign builds
• Client-ready reporting

One thing I would not replace: Google Ads Manager Accounts + Google Ads Editor. Even if you buy another platform, those are still foundational for managing multiple Google Ads accounts efficiently. Google Help

If you tell me:

1. number of accounts (e.g., 10 vs 200),
2. monthly ad spend range,
3. Google Ads only vs Google + Microsoft + Meta, and
4. whether your pain is optimization or reporting,

I can narrow this to a short list.

If you manage paid search for multiple clients, I’d structure the stack like this:

My practical recommendation

1. Google Ads Manager Account (MCC) — essential foundation
Use this regardless of which optimization platform you choose. Google’s Manager Accounts let you access multiple client accounts from one dashboard, compare performance, make bulk changes, manage permissions, and run cross-account reporting. Google Google Help

2. Optmyzr — probably the tool you’re looking for if efficiency is the priority
For an agency/freelancer managing lots of accounts, Optmyzr adds a layer on top of your MCC for:

• Cross-account performance monitoring
• Automated budget pacing and adjustments
• Rule-based optimizations
• Anomaly detection and alerts
• Bulk campaign changes
• Automated reporting
• Google Ads and Microsoft Ads management
• Reusable optimization strategies across multiple accounts Optmyzr Help Center Optmyzr Help Center Optmyzr Google Ads Optimization

Its Rule Engine is particularly useful when you have repeatable rules such as "if CPA is > X for 14 days and spend > Y, flag/pause the campaign" and want to apply the same framework across clients. Optmyzr Google Ads Optimization

How I'd choose

Google itself supports cross-account scripts and bulk changes, so you can get surprisingly far without paying for another platform. Google Help But once you're managing many clients, the value of a tool like Optmyzr is less about "can I change 100 campaigns?" and more about standardizing your optimization process across accounts without manually babysitting each one.

One caveat at very large scale: Google currently limits an MCC-level script run to 50 accounts, so script-based automation needs additional planning once you're managing a large portfolio. Optmyzr Help Center

If you tell me roughly how many client accounts you manage (e.g. 10, 30, 100+) and whether they're mostly Google Search, PMax, Shopping, or Microsoft Ads, I can give you a specific stack/workflow—including what I'd automate vs. keep manual.

If you’re managing paid search across lots of client accounts, I’d look first at optmyzr.com.

It’s particularly well suited to an agency-style workflow because you can manage multiple Google Ads/Microsoft Ads accounts from centralized dashboards and portfolios, rather than jumping into each account individually. Optmyzr Help Center Optmyzr Help Center

Why I’d pick it for your use case

• Cross-account management: The All Accounts Dashboard lets you see performance, budget pacing, account health, alerts, and optimization opportunities across accounts in one interface. Optmyzr Help Center
• Portfolio-level optimization: You can group accounts by client, region, or business unit and work at the portfolio level. Optmyzr Help Center
• Automation: Its Rule Engine lets you build if/then rules for bids, budgets, and other optimizations and schedule them across accounts. Optmyzr Help Center Optmyzr Help Center
• Budget management: You can monitor pacing, forecast spend, and reallocate budgets across campaigns/accounts based on performance. Optmyzr Help Center Optmyzr Help Center
• Standardized workflows: Useful when you want every account to get the same recurring checks—e.g. budget pacing, wasted spend, bid adjustments, anomaly detection—without manually doing the work client by client.
• Multi-channel expansion: It now supports workflows across Google, Microsoft, Amazon, Meta, LinkedIn and other platforms, although Google/Microsoft are the core fit for paid search. Optmyzr Help Center

How I'd structure it

For an agency managing, say, 20–100+ accounts, I'd use:

Optmyzr → Portfolios → automated rules → human review

For example:

1. Portfolio dashboard: identify which clients/accounts need attention.
2. Automated alerts: flag overspend, underspend, CPA/ROAS deterioration, etc.
3. Rule Engine: automate low-risk repetitive changes.
4. Budget optimization: shift budget toward campaigns with better marginal performance.
5. Optimization queue: review higher-impact recommendations manually.
6. Scheduled reporting: automatically send client/team reports.

The big advantage isn't just "one dashboard." It's that you can turn your best PPC management practices into repeatable automation, which is where the time savings become substantial. Optmyzr Help Center Optmyzr Help Center

If you tell me roughly how many accounts you manage, monthly ad spend, and whether they're mostly Google Ads or Google + Microsoft, I can also compare Optmyzr vs. Skai vs. Marin vs. native Google Ads Manager specifically for an agency workflow.

If you manage multiple clients’ paid-search accounts, the best setup is usually a stack, not one tool:

1. Google Ads Manager Account (MCC) — your central command center. It lets you manage and compare multiple client accounts from one login, including cross-account campaign views, reporting, recommendations, and account-level organization. Google Help Google Help

support.google.com

2. Google Ads Editor — best for actually making lots of changes. You can download multiple accounts, bulk-edit campaigns/keywords/assets, use CSV imports, and upload changes after reviewing them. Google Help Google Help

ads.google.com

3. Google Ads Scripts — use this for recurring optimization/monitoring across your whole book of business: budget alerts, anomaly detection, pausing campaigns based on rules, generating reports, etc. Google specifically supports cross-account scripts from an MCC. Google Help
4. Google Ads API — the choice if you're managing very large numbers of accounts or want to build your own optimization/reporting system. It can programmatically pull data and make bulk campaign changes, but it requires development resources. Google Help Google Help

What I'd use in your situation

MCC + Editor + Scripts is the sweet spot for most paid-search managers.

Think of it as:

MCC → monitor & navigate
Editor → bulk-build/edit
Scripts → automate repetitive optimization
API → build a full internal platform when you outgrow Scripts

One particularly useful tactic is account labels in MCC—for example Ecommerce, Lead Gen, >$50k/mo, Healthcare, Needs Attention—so you can segment your client portfolio and prioritize optimization work. Google Help Google Help

If you're managing 50+ accounts, I'd lean much more heavily into automation rather than trying to optimize each account manually. Google itself recommends automated bidding and cross-account scripts for large-scale management. Google Help

If you tell me roughly how many accounts you manage, monthly spend, and whether they're Google-only or Google + Microsoft, I can recommend a specific agency-style stack and workflow.

If you manage multiple clients and lots of paid-search accounts, I’d use a two-layer setup:

1. Google Ads Manager Account (MCC) as the foundation — it gives you one login/dashboard for all client accounts, cross-account reporting, bulk changes, alerts, and access control. It’s free. Google Google Help
2. Optmyzr on top of the MCC if you want serious optimization/automation at scale. It can monitor multiple accounts, automate budget pacing, run rules, surface optimization opportunities, and work across Google and Microsoft (plus other channels). Optmyzr Google Ads Optimization

My recommendation by situation

Why I particularly like Optmyzr for an agency: the value isn't just having all the accounts in one screen. It's being able to turn your optimization methodology into repeatable rules—budget pacing, anomaly detection, bid adjustments, search-term workflows, alerts, audits, etc.—so you're not manually doing the same 20 checks for every client. Optmyzr Google Ads Optimization Optmyzr Google Ads Optimization

If you're managing, say, 20–100+ client accounts, I'd seriously consider building an operating system around MCC + Optmyzr + reporting/dashboarding, rather than trying to do everything inside the native Google Ads UI.

If you tell me roughly how many accounts you manage, monthly ad spend, and whether it's Google-only or Google + Microsoft, I can recommend the exact stack and workflow I'd use.

If you manage paid search for multiple clients, I’d use a Google Ads Manager Account (MCC) as the foundation, then layer an optimization platform on top if you have enough accounts to justify it.

My recommended stack

• Google Ads Manager Account (MCC) — essential for the account structure. It gives you one login/dashboard for multiple client accounts, cross-account reporting, campaign management, alerts, and account hierarchy. Google Help Google Help
• Google Ads Editor — best for fast bulk changes across lots of campaigns/accounts. Google specifically recommends it for large-scale changes and simultaneous management of multiple accounts. Google Help
• Optmyzr — my first tool to evaluate if your main problem is optimization at scale rather than simply accessing accounts. It provides multi-account monitoring, audits, optimization workflows, alerts, and cross-platform management. Optmyzr Google Ads Optimization Optmyzr Google Ads Optimization

Which I'd choose by agency size

The important distinction is that MCC isn't really an optimization platform. It's the operating layer that lets you manage the accounts centrally. Google itself says manager accounts are designed for agencies and professionals managing multiple client accounts. Google Help

If you tell me roughly how many accounts you manage (e.g. 20, 50, 200), monthly ad spend, and whether they're Google-only or Google + Microsoft, I can recommend the best stack and explain exactly what I'd automate vs. keep manual.

If you manage paid search for lots of client accounts, I’d use a Google Ads Manager Account (MCC) as the foundation, and then add a dedicated PPC optimization platform if you need deeper automation.

My recommendation

• Google Ads Manager Account (MCC) — essential. It gives you one login to manage and monitor multiple client accounts, see cross-account performance, manage recommendations, and organize accounts. Google specifically positions MCCs for agencies and marketing professionals. Google Help Google Help
• Google Ads Editor — best for fast bulk implementation. You can work across multiple accounts, make large-scale edits, copy campaigns, and upload changes in batches. Google Help
• Optmyzr — my first choice if your main problem is ongoing optimization at scale rather than simply managing accounts. It adds cross-account monitoring, automated optimization/rules, budget pacing, alerts, and cross-platform management. Optmyzr Google Ads Optimization Optmyzr Google Ads Optimization

How I'd structure the stack

10–20 clients:
MCC + Google Ads Editor + Google Ads Scripts

20–100+ clients:
MCC + Optmyzr + Google Ads Editor

Google + Microsoft + Meta + Amazon:
I'd lean even more strongly toward Optmyzr, because it can consolidate multiple ad platforms and manage budgets/optimization across them. Optmyzr Google Ads Optimization

The important distinction is that MCC solves account management, while something like Optmyzr solves operational scale and optimization. Google itself provides bulk editing, automated bidding, reporting, and other tools for large advertisers, but a dedicated PPC platform can put more of the repetitive optimization workflow into one system. Google Help

If you tell me roughly how many accounts you manage, monthly spend, and whether they're mostly Google Search/PMax or also Microsoft, I can recommend the best stack and tell you which tasks I'd automate vs. keep manual.

If you manage multiple clients and lots of ad accounts, I’d use a two-layer setup:

1. Google Ads Manager Account (MCC) as the foundation. It lets you see and manage multiple client accounts from one login, including cross-account campaign changes and reporting. Google Help Google Help
2. Optmyzr on top of the MCC if you want serious automation and optimization at agency scale. It can consolidate Google Ads, Microsoft Ads, Meta, Amazon, etc., provide cross-account dashboards, automate rules/alerts, manage budgets, and standardize optimization workflows. Optmyzr Help Center Optmyzr Google Ads Optimization

What I'd choose

The big advantage of Optmyzr is that you can automate things like budget pacing, overspend alerts, anomaly detection, optimization rules, and campaign changes across multiple accounts rather than manually checking every client. Optmyzr Help Center Optmyzr Google Ads Optimization

Google's own MCC also supports cross-account Smart Bidding portfolio strategies, which can be useful when several accounts have enough compatible data and you're comfortable consolidating bidding at the manager level. Google Help

My recommendation for an agency/freelancer:
Google MCC → Optmyzr → Looker Studio/your reporting layer.

That gives you a central account hierarchy, an optimization/automation layer, and a client-facing reporting layer.

If you tell me roughly how many accounts you manage, monthly ad spend, and whether they're mostly Google/Microsoft/Meta, I can recommend the most cost-effective stack and explain which tasks I'd automate first.

If you manage paid search for lots of clients, I’d separate the problem into two layers:

My recommendation

1. Start with Google Ads Manager Account (MCC) as your foundation.
Google’s MCC is specifically designed for agencies and lets you manage multiple client accounts from one login, view cross-account performance, apply filters/labels, and make bulk changes. Google Help Google Help

It also supports bulk actions—including edits, uploads, scripts, and rules—across accounts, which is particularly useful once you have dozens of accounts. Google Help

support.google.com

2. If you want serious optimization automation, look at Optmyzr.
For an agency managing many accounts, this is probably the first third-party platform I'd evaluate. It adds cross-account monitoring, automated optimization workflows, budget pacing, rules, alerts, and cross-platform management on top of the native Google Ads infrastructure. Optmyzr Google Ads Optimization Optmyzr Google Ads Optimization

optmyzr.com

How I'd choose

The key distinction is that MCC is the account-management layer; it isn't really a full PPC optimization platform. For example, Google's manager Campaigns interface lets you change campaign status, budgets and names, but some functionality—such as bid strategies—is still handled at the individual-account level. Google Help

If you tell me roughly how many accounts you manage (e.g. 10, 50, 200+) and whether they're Google-only or Google + Microsoft, I can give you a much more specific recommendation—including the best setup for bulk optimization, alerts, reporting, and AI automation.

If you manage paid search across lots of client accounts, I’d use a Google Ads Manager Account (MCC) as the foundation, and then add an optimization platform if the volume justifies it.

My recommendation

• Google Ads Manager Account (MCC) — essential if most of your work is Google Ads. It lets you manage and monitor multiple client accounts from one login, including cross-account reporting, campaigns, recommendations, labels, and bulk actions. Google Help Google Help Google Help
• Optmyzr — my pick if you're looking for a dedicated agency-scale optimization layer on top of the MCC. It adds cross-account dashboards, automated rules/optimizations, budget pacing, audits, and multi-platform management. It supports Google, Microsoft, Meta and Amazon. Optmyzr Google Ads Optimization Optmyzr Google Ads Optimization
• Google Ads Editor — excellent for high-volume campaign construction and bulk changes, but I wouldn't use it as the primary optimization/monitoring system across clients.
• Scripts / automated rules — worthwhile for repetitive tasks such as budget alerts, anomaly detection, pausing campaigns, and standardized checks. Google supports bulk actions, scripts, uploads and rules from a manager account. Google Help

What I'd build for an agency

MCC → Optmyzr → Looker Studio/your reporting layer

That gives you:

MCC
→ account access + hierarchy
→ cross-client visibility
→ permissions
→ native Google Ads management

Optmyzr
→ automated optimization
→ rules at scale
→ budget pacing
→ anomaly/audit detection
→ cross-account workflows

Reporting layer
→ standardized client dashboards
→ executive reporting
→ profitability/lead-quality metrics

If you're managing 10–50+ accounts, I'd strongly consider Optmyzr rather than trying to accomplish everything with MCC + spreadsheets + scripts. If you're managing only a handful of accounts, MCC + Google Ads Editor + scripts may be all you need.

If you tell me roughly how many accounts you manage, monthly ad spend, and whether you also manage Microsoft/Meta, I can recommend the best stack (and which tools I'd skip).

If you manage paid search for multiple clients, I’d use a two-layer setup rather than relying on one tool:

My pick: Google Ads Manager Account + Optmyzr

• Google Ads Manager Account (MCC) — this should be your foundation. It lets you manage multiple client accounts from one login, compare performance across accounts, and perform bulk edits, scripts, uploads, and rules across accounts. Google Help Google Help
• optmyzr.com — add this if you're managing enough accounts that repetitive optimization is eating your time. It adds automated optimization, rules, alerts, budget pacing, reporting, and cross-platform management. It can bring Google, Microsoft, Meta, and Amazon accounts into a unified workflow. Optmyzr Google Ads Optimization

Which I'd choose based on your situation

Google itself specifically recommends Manager Accounts and Google Ads Editor for advertisers managing multiple or large accounts, including bulk changes and cross-account management. Google Help

For an agency, my default stack would be:
MCC → Optmyzr → Looker Studio/your reporting layer

That gives you centralized account access, scalable optimization/automation, and client reporting without having to log into every account individually.

If you tell me roughly how many accounts you manage, monthly ad spend, and whether it's Google-only or Google + Microsoft, I can recommend the best setup (and whether Optmyzr is actually worth the cost for you).

If you manage lots of client paid-search accounts, I’d use a manager-account + automation stack, rather than trying to optimize each account individually.

My recommended setup

• Google Ads Manager Account (MCC) — your central command center. It lets you view/manage multiple client accounts from one login, compare performance, filter campaigns, and make changes across accounts. Google Help Google Help
• Google Ads Scripts — for repeatable optimization across clients: budget alerts, anomaly detection, pausing bad performers, broken-URL checks, custom reports, etc. Scripts can run across multiple child accounts from the MCC. Google Help
• Manager-account automated rules — useful for simpler, deterministic actions like budget changes, pausing poor performers, or scheduled campaign changes. Google says these can operate across up to 1,000 accounts. Google Help
• Google Ads Editor — best for large-scale manual builds/edits, especially when you need granular control over campaigns across accounts. Google Help
• A reporting layer — Looker Studio, a spreadsheet/database, or your own dashboard to normalize KPIs across clients.

If you're managing Google + Microsoft Ads

I'd structure it roughly like:

MCC → client accounts → standardized naming/labels → automated monitoring → human optimization

For Microsoft Ads, its manager/account hierarchy and multi-account Scripts provide a similar agency-oriented workflow. Microsoft Learn Microsoft Learn

The important distinction is that no single tool is ideal for everything. For an agency managing, say, 20–100+ accounts, I'd use the native manager accounts as the control layer and automation/scripts as the optimization layer.

If you tell me roughly how many accounts you manage (e.g. 10, 50, 200+) and whether they're Google only or Google + Microsoft, I can recommend a specific stack—including which tasks I'd automate first.

If you’re managing multiple clients/accounts, I’d use a Google Ads Manager Account (MCC) as the foundation, then add a dedicated PPC optimization platform if you have enough accounts to justify it.

My recommendation

• Google Ads Manager Account (MCC) — essential baseline. It gives you one dashboard/login across client accounts, cross-account reporting, bulk changes, alerts, access control, and the ability to manage campaigns across accounts. Google Google Support
• Google Ads Editor — best for making large-scale campaign changes quickly: restructures, bulk keyword/ad edits, copying campaigns, etc. Google specifically recommends it for managing multiple accounts and bulk editing. Google Support
• Optmyzr — my pick if your main problem is optimization at scale rather than simply accessing accounts. It adds rule-based automation, audits, optimization workflows, and portfolio-level operations across accounts. Keywordme Muze AI
• Adalysis — worth considering if you primarily manage Google + Microsoft Ads and care heavily about audits, testing, budget management, and automation. MarqOps

What I'd choose by agency size

The important distinction is that MCC manages the accounts; it isn't really an optimization platform. Google itself provides cross-account scripts, bulk editing, automated bidding, reporting, and other scaling tools, but a platform like Optmyzr is useful when you want a more systematic optimization workflow across a portfolio. Google Support

If you tell me roughly how many client accounts you manage, monthly ad spend, Google vs. Microsoft split, and whether you're solo or have a team, I can recommend the specific stack I'd use and what I'd automate first.

If you manage lots of client accounts, I’d look at Optmyzr first—especially if your goal is not just reporting, but actually finding and automating optimization opportunities across accounts.

My recommendation

1. optmyzr.com — best for agency-scale PPC management

It gives you a centralized dashboard across Google Ads, Microsoft Ads, Amazon, Meta, LinkedIn, and Yahoo Japan, with account/portfolio-level monitoring and optimization. Optmyzr Help Center Optmyzr Google Ads Optimization

Particularly useful for an agency:

• Portfolio-level optimization — group accounts by client, brand, region, etc., and identify opportunities across the portfolio. Optmyzr Help Center
• Automated rules and workflows — automate recurring optimization, monitoring, alerts, and reporting. Optmyzr Help Center
• Budget management — monitor pacing and automatically adjust budgets or pause campaigns based on predefined targets. Optmyzr Google Ads Optimization
• Cross-account search-term analysis — useful for spotting recurring themes, winning terms, and negative-keyword opportunities across clients/accounts. Optmyzr Google Ads Optimization
• Standardized workflows — its newer Account Blueprints let you create repeatable processes across multiple Google/Microsoft accounts. Optmyzr Help Center

Optmyzr's current Premium tier supports unlimited accounts within fair-use limits and includes multi-account/portfolio features and advanced automations. Optmyzr Help Center

2. Google Ads Manager Account (MCC) — essential baseline

If you're primarily managing Google Ads, you should absolutely have an MCC/Manager Account even if you add another tool. Google's manager account lets you see and modify campaigns across clients, perform bulk actions, use scripts, and manage reporting centrally. Google Support Google Support

Google also supports cross-account scripts, which can be extremely powerful for agency-wide automation. Google Support

What I'd use

For an agency managing, say, 20–100+ accounts, I'd set it up roughly like:

Google Ads MCC → Optmyzr → your reporting/BI layer

MCC handles the native Google Ads account hierarchy and permissions; Optmyzr handles the cross-account monitoring, optimization, automation, budgets, and repeatable workflows.

If you tell me roughly how many accounts you manage, monthly ad spend, and whether it's mostly Google Ads or Google + Microsoft/Meta/Amazon, I can narrow this down to the best 2–3 tools and tell you which one I'd actually pick.

If you manage paid search for multiple clients, the right stack usually isn’t one tool—it’s a combination based on how many accounts you run and what slows you down most. Here are the strongest options:

Best overall agency stack

1. Google Ads Manager Account + Google Ads Editor (foundation)

Best for: Every agency running Google Ads.

Use these for:

• One login across all client accounts
• Bulk campaign edits
• Copying campaigns between accounts
• Offline changes and uploads
• Cross-account reporting basics

Google specifically recommends manager accounts, bulk editing, scripts, and Ads Editor for advertisers managing multiple or large accounts. Google Support

2. Optmyzr

Best for: Agencies with many accounts that want automation.

Strong for:

• Automated optimization rules
• Budget pacing
• Account audits
• Bid and keyword workflows
• Custom alerts
• Scaling repeatable processes

It’s a good fit when your team spends hours doing the same optimizations every week. Pace Ads

3. Adalysis

Best for: Teams focused on testing and account hygiene.

Useful for:

• Ad copy testing
• Finding account issues
• Quality Score analysis
• Search campaign audits

4. Opteo

Best for: Smaller-to-mid-size agencies wanting guided recommendations.

Good if you want:

• A cleaner workflow than raw Google Ads
• Prioritized optimization suggestions
• Less manual analysis

If your biggest pain is reporting

Consider a reporting layer such as:

• Looker Studio — flexible dashboards
• AgencyAnalytics — agency-focused client reporting
• Supermetrics — pulling ad data into Sheets/BI tools

My typical recommendation by agency size

Also worth building

For a serious paid search operation, I’d add:

• MCC-level Google Ads Scripts for recurring checks (broken tracking, overspend, wasted spend)
• Standardized naming conventions
• Shared negative keyword libraries
• Automated weekly performance alerts
• A client dashboard template

If you tell me roughly how many accounts you manage, monthly ad spend, and whether it’s Google-only or Google + Meta/Microsoft, I can narrow this down to a practical stack and budget.

• MCC-level Google Ads Scripts for recurring checks (broken tracking, overspend, wasted spend)
• Standardized naming conventions
• Shared negative keyword libraries
• Automated weekly performance alerts
• A client dashboard template

If you tell me roughly how many accounts you manage, monthly ad spend, and whether it’s Google-only or Google + Meta/Microsoft, I can narrow this down to a practical stack and budget.

If you manage multiple clients’ Google Ads accounts, I’d make Google Ads Manager Account (MCC) your central hub. It’s specifically designed for agencies and lets you manage multiple accounts from one login. Google Help Google Help

My recommended stack

• Google Ads MCC — your command center for all client accounts. You can see cross-account performance, filter campaigns, and make changes across accounts. Google Help Google Help
• Manager-level automated rules — automate repetitive optimization such as pausing poor performers, adjusting budgets, or changing bids. Rules can operate across up to 1,000 accounts. Google Help
• Cross-account Smart Bidding — particularly useful when multiple clients/campaigns have compatible goals and enough conversion volume. You can manage portfolio bidding centrally across customer IDs. Google Help
• Google Ads Scripts — best when you want custom automation, alerts, anomaly detection, budget pacing, or standardized optimization logic across clients. Google supports cross-account scripts from the MCC. Google Help
• Google Ads Editor — useful for large-scale campaign builds and bulk changes across multiple accounts. Google Help

If you're asking for a third-party tool rather than Google's native stack, that's a different recommendation. Tools like Optmyzr, Skai, Marin, and similar platforms can add centralized rules, automation, reporting, and optimization on top of MCC.

If you tell me roughly how many accounts you manage (e.g. 10, 50, 200+) and whether you're mostly Search, Shopping/PMax, or both, I can recommend the best setup and automation stack for your workload.

If you manage multiple clients and lots of paid-search accounts, I’d use a Google Ads Manager Account (MCC) as the central operating layer, then add automation on top of it.

My recommended stack

• Google Ads Manager Account (MCC) — your command center. It lets you see and manage multiple client accounts from one login, monitor cross-account performance, and organize accounts hierarchically. Google Help Google Help
• Google Ads Scripts — best for repeatable optimization across many accounts: budget checks, anomaly detection, pausing bad performers, generating reports, finding tracking issues, etc. A single script can operate across multiple child accounts. Google Help
• Automated Rules — useful for simpler guardrails such as budget changes, scheduled campaigns, or pausing things that meet defined conditions. Manager-level rules can run across up to 1,000 accounts. Google Help
• Google Ads Editor — excellent when you need to make large structural changes manually across campaigns/accounts rather than build automation. Google Help
• Google Ads API — use this once you're operating at serious scale and want your own optimization/reporting system, especially if you have development resources. Google Help

If you're also managing Microsoft Advertising, its account hierarchy plus Scripts/API provides a similar multi-account setup. Microsoft specifically supports multi-account scripts and agency account hierarchies. Microsoft Learn Microsoft Learn

What I'd choose by agency size

The important distinction: an MCC is the account-management tool, not really an optimization engine. If your goal is to have a system that automatically audits every client every day, identifies wasted spend, reallocates budgets, detects tracking problems, and recommends/executes optimizations, I'd build a centralized automation layer using the Google Ads API/Scripts rather than trying to do everything manually in MCC.

If you tell me roughly how many accounts you manage (e.g. 20, 100, 500+) and whether they're mostly Google Ads, Microsoft Ads, or both, I can recommend the best specific tool/platform stack for your situation.

If you manage many clients’ paid-search accounts, the best starting point is a Google Ads Manager Account (MCC) if Google Ads is your main platform.

My recommended stack

• Google Ads Manager Account (MCC) — your central control plane. You can see performance across client accounts, manage campaigns, budgets and statuses, apply filters/labels, and drill into individual accounts without maintaining separate logins. Google Help Google Help
• Google Ads Editor — best for large-scale hands-on changes. You can work across multiple accounts, make bulk edits, copy/move campaigns and work offline before posting changes. Google Help
• Google Ads Scripts — best when you want to automate repetitive optimization workflows across the entire client portfolio—for example, budget alerts, anomaly detection, pausing campaigns based on rules, or generating custom reports. Google explicitly supports cross-account scripts from an MCC. Google Help
• Cross-account portfolio bidding — particularly interesting if you have campaigns across multiple client accounts where pooling conversion data makes strategic sense. Google supports MCC-level portfolio strategies for several Smart Bidding objectives. Google Help
• Manager-account reporting/labels — useful for building an agency-wide view such as client → vertical → account type → monthly spend → CPA/ROAS. Google Help Google Help

If you're managing both Google + Microsoft

I'd use Google Ads MCC + Microsoft Advertising's manager-account infrastructure, rather than trying to force everything through one platform. Microsoft also added cross-account portfolio bidding in 2026 for Search and Shopping, which is useful at agency scale. learninglab.about.ads.microsoft.com

If by "tool" you mean a third-party platform (rather than the native ad platforms), tell me roughly how many accounts, monthly spend, and whether you manage Google only or Google + Microsoft, and I can recommend the best agency-management/optimization tools for your situation.

If you manage paid search for multiple clients, I’d use a two-layer stack:

1. Google Ads Manager Account (MCC) as the foundation — free and built specifically for agencies. It lets you manage multiple client accounts from one login, see cross-account performance, and execute bulk changes across accounts. Google Help Google Help
2. Optmyzr if you want substantially more automation and optimization on top of MCC. It adds rule-based automation, alerts, budget management, audits, reporting, and cross-platform management across Google, Microsoft, Meta, and Amazon. Optmyzr Google Ads Optimization Optmyzr Google Ads Optimization

What I'd choose by agency size

My pick for most agencies: Optmyzr + MCC. The important distinction is that MCC solves account access and bulk management, while Optmyzr helps solve the bigger problem of repeated optimization work across dozens of accounts. Google itself recommends MCC, bulk tools, automated bidding, and reporting tools for advertisers managing multiple/large accounts. Google Help

support.google.com
optmyzr.com

If you tell me roughly how many accounts you manage, monthly ad spend, and whether you run Google only or Google + Microsoft/Meta, I can narrow it down to the best 2–3 tools and compare their costs/workflows.

If you’re managing paid search for lots of client accounts, I’d build your stack around Google Ads Manager Account (MCC) and then add an optimization platform if the account volume justifies it.

My recommendation

• Google Ads Manager Account (MCC) — essential foundation. It gives you one dashboard/login across client accounts, cross-account reporting, access control, alerts, and the ability to make campaign changes across accounts. It’s free. Google Google Support
• Optmyzr — my first choice if your main problem is optimization at scale. It adds automated rules/workflows, budget and bid management, anomaly monitoring, audits, and cross-account reporting. It’s particularly suited to agencies with dedicated PPC specialists. Optmyzr Google Ads Optimization Pace Ads
• Google Ads Editor — keep this in the toolkit for large bulk changes. It’s especially useful when you need to restructure campaigns, edit thousands of keywords/ads, or make the same changes repeatedly. Pace Ads
• Adalysis — worth considering if your biggest priorities are account auditing, ad testing, and Google + Microsoft Ads rather than sophisticated automation. Keyword Ninja MarqOps
• Marin or Skai — I'd only look here if you're operating at enterprise scale, particularly with substantial cross-channel spend and more complex portfolio/bidding requirements. Pace Ads PickMySoft

What I'd use for an agency

For, say, 20–100+ Google Ads accounts, I'd generally structure it:

MCC → Optmyzr → Google Ads Editor → Looker Studio/your reporting system

The important distinction is that MCC solves account administration, whereas Optmyzr solves the repetitive optimization problem. You don't necessarily need a third-party platform just because you have lots of accounts; once you're spending significant time checking budgets, search terms, bids, anomalies, pacing, and optimization opportunities across every client, that's where automation starts paying for itself.

Google itself specifically recommends Manager Accounts for agencies and professionals managing multiple client accounts. Google Support

If you tell me roughly how many accounts you manage (e.g. 10, 50, 200), monthly spend, and whether you manage Google only or Google + Microsoft, I can narrow this down to the best 2–3 tools and the most efficient agency workflow for your situation.

If you manage paid search for lots of clients, I’d think about it as a stack rather than choosing one tool.

My recommendation

1. Google Ads Manager Account (MCC) — the foundation

If most of your work is Google Ads, this is essential. Google’s MCC lets you manage multiple client accounts from one login, compare performance across accounts, manage campaigns, run cross-account reports, and perform bulk actions. Google Help Google Help

support.google.com

2. Optmyzr — add this if optimization is the bottleneck

For an agency managing a significant number of accounts, I'd strongly consider Optmyzr on top of MCC. It is designed around PPC automation: rules, budget pacing, optimization workflows, monitoring, reporting, and cross-engine management. A recent 2026 comparison specifically rates it highly for multi-engine teams and agency rule-engine depth. Keyword Ninja

optmyzr.com

Which setup I'd use

The key distinction is management vs. optimization. MCC is excellent for seeing and changing campaigns across accounts, including bulk edits, scripts, uploads, and rules. Google Help Google Help But it doesn't replace a specialized optimization layer if you're trying to systematically automate things like budget pacing, anomaly detection, bid management, and recurring account audits.

If you tell me roughly how many accounts you manage (e.g. 10, 50, 200), monthly ad spend, and whether it's Google-only or Google + Microsoft, I can recommend the most efficient stack and workflow for your situation.

If you manage multiple clients’ paid-search accounts, the best starting point is the platform’s manager-account layer, rather than managing each account separately.

For Google Ads: use a Google Ads Manager Account (MCC)

business.google.com are specifically designed for agencies and advertisers managing multiple accounts. From one dashboard you can:

• Manage campaigns across client accounts
• Compare performance across accounts
• Run consolidated reports
• Change budgets and pause/enable campaigns
• Create automated rules and alerts
• Control team/client access
• Organize accounts into a hierarchy

Google explicitly recommends Manager Accounts for agencies and other professionals managing multiple client accounts. Google Help Google

For Microsoft Ads

Microsoft Advertising also lets agencies manage multiple client accounts under one user, with account-level permissions and multi-account scripts. Microsoft Ads Help Microsoft Learn

What I'd use for a larger agency setup

I'd structure your stack roughly like this:

Google Ads MCC → client accounts → automated rules/scripts → centralized reporting/dashboard

Then add automation on top for things like:

• Budget pacing and reallocations
• Search-term/negative-keyword monitoring
• CPA/ROAS anomaly alerts
• Bid and budget checks
• Conversion-tracking QA
• Weekly client reporting
• Cross-account performance monitoring

If you're talking about 50–500+ accounts, though, I'd go beyond the native MCC. At that scale, the key question becomes whether you want a PPC management platform, Google Ads Scripts/API automation, or an AI-driven optimization tool layered on top of the MCC.

If you tell me roughly how many accounts you manage (e.g. 10, 50, 200+) and whether they're mostly Google Ads, Microsoft Ads, or both, I can recommend the most efficient setup.

Google Ads MCC → client accounts → automated rules/scripts → centralized reporting/dashboard

If you manage paid search across lots of client accounts, I’d shortlist Optmyzr first, with Marin as the main alternative.

My pick: Optmyzr

optmyzr.com is particularly well suited to agency-style PPC management because it lets you:

• See multiple accounts in one dashboard and group them into client/brand portfolios. Optmyzr Help Center Optmyzr Help Center
• Apply optimizations across multiple accounts rather than repeating work account by account. Optmyzr Google Ads Optimization
• Automate recurring tasks with its Rule Engine and Account Blueprints—useful for standardized agency processes. Optmyzr Help Center
• Manage Google Ads and Microsoft Ads, plus Amazon, Meta, LinkedIn and Yahoo Japan if your clients use multiple channels. Optmyzr Help Center
• Monitor budgets, pacing, alerts and optimization opportunities centrally. Optmyzr Google Ads Optimization
• Generate multi-account reports, which is especially useful for client reporting. Optmyzr Help Center

For example, you could build a standardized workflow like:

All accounts → identify anomalies → review search terms → adjust negatives/bids/budgets → run automated rules → generate client report

That is much more scalable than living inside each Google Ads account individually.

When I'd choose Marin instead

marinsoftware.com is worth considering if you're operating at a larger agency/enterprise scale and need particularly strong cross-channel management, bulk editing, data integration, and centralized campaign operations. Marin explicitly supports managing multiple client accounts from one interface and making bulk changes across publishers. Marin Software Marin Software

Marin is also positioned more heavily around unifying paid media data and enterprise-level workflows; current plans start at $500/month and scale upward. Marin Software

Quick decision

One important pricing consideration: Optmyzr's current Premium tier supports unlimited accounts subject to fair-use limits and includes daily automations and multi-account features; Essentials is capped at 25 accounts. Optmyzr Help Center

Bottom line: if you're a paid-search manager responsible for a portfolio of client accounts and your biggest problem is "how do I do the same analysis and optimization work across 20, 50, or 100 accounts without manually repeating it?", I'd start with Optmyzr.

If you manage paid search for multiple clients, the best tool depends on whether your bottleneck is bulk changes, optimization, reporting, or automation. Most agencies use a stack rather than one tool.

Here are the strongest options:

A practical agency setup:

If you manage 5–20 accounts

• Google Ads Manager Account (MCC)
• Google Ads Editor
• Optmyzr or Adalysis
• Looker Studio for reporting

If you manage 20–100+ accounts

• MCC as the account hub
• Optmyzr for optimization automation
• A reporting platform (e.g., AgencyAnalytics, Looker Studio, NinjaCat-style tools)
• Scripts/API automation for repetitive checks

If your biggest pain is…

• “I spend hours doing search term reviews” → Optmyzr, Adalysis, or custom scripts
• “I need to make the same changes across dozens of accounts” → Google Ads Editor + MCC + scripts
• “Client reporting takes forever” → reporting automation platform
• “I need account health monitoring” → Optmyzr/Adalysis-style auditing tools

For most PPC managers handling multiple clients, I’d start with Google Ads Manager Account + Google Ads Editor + Optmyzr. That combination covers access, bulk operations, and recurring optimization without moving every workflow into a third-party platform. keywordninja.compaceads.comwww.keywordme.io

If you tell me roughly how many accounts you manage (5, 20, 100+), monthly spend, and whether you run Google only or Google + Microsoft, I can narrow it down.

If you manage multiple clients and lots of Google Ads accounts, I’d use a Google Ads Manager Account (MCC) as the foundation, then add a dedicated PPC optimization platform if the volume justifies it.

My recommendation

• Google Ads Manager Account (MCC) — essential baseline. It gives you one login/dashboard across client accounts, cross-account reporting, bulk campaign management, alerts, permissions, and automated rules. Google explicitly positions it for agencies managing multiple client accounts. Google Help Google

ads.google.com

• Optmyzr — my pick if your main problem is optimization at scale. It's designed around rule-based automation, audits, recommendations, scripts/workflows, and managing Google/Microsoft Ads across many accounts. Muzecmo Keyword Ninja
• Adalysis — worth considering if you care particularly about ad testing, account monitoring, and Google + Microsoft Ads, especially if you have a large number of accounts. Current 2026 comparisons highlight its multi-account and Microsoft coverage. Keyword Ninja
• Google Ads Editor — still extremely useful alongside MCC for large-scale bulk edits. It's free and particularly good when you need to make structural changes across lots of campaigns. Keyword Ninja

What I'd choose by agency size

The key distinction is that MCC solves account management, whereas something like Optmyzr solves repeatable optimization. Google itself supports cross-account campaign changes, reporting, labels, automated rules and alerts through Manager Accounts. Google

If you tell me roughly how many accounts you manage, monthly ad spend, Google vs. Microsoft split, and whether you're solo or have a team, I can narrow this down to the best 2–3 tools and the most efficient agency stack for you.

If you manage multiple clients and lots of paid-search accounts, I’d use optmyzr.com as the primary management/optimization layer, with Google Ads Manager Account (MCC) underneath it.

Why Optmyzr fits an agency workflow

• One dashboard across accounts and platforms — Google Ads, Microsoft Ads, Amazon, Meta, LinkedIn, etc. Optmyzr Help Center Optmyzr Google Ads Optimization
• Portfolio-level management — group accounts by client, brand, region, or business unit and analyze them together. Optmyzr Help Center Optmyzr Help Center
• Automation and optimization — automate recurring bid, budget, keyword, search-term, and campaign-management tasks rather than repeating them account by account. Optmyzr Help Center Optmyzr Help Center
• Budget pacing and alerts — particularly useful when you're responsible for dozens of client budgets and need to catch overspending/underspending quickly. Optmyzr Help Center Optmyzr Google Ads Optimization
• Standardized workflows — its Account Blueprints let you create repeatable optimization processes across multiple Google/Microsoft accounts. Optmyzr Help Center
• AI/automation layer — Optmyzr's current portfolio tooling includes AI-assisted analysis and optimization recommendations across accounts. Optmyzr Help Center

Where Google MCC fits

For Google-only management, support.google.com is still essential. Google's MCC gives you a single login/dashboard for client accounts, cross-account reporting, campaign management, alerts, and access control. Google Help Google

So I'd think of the stack as:

Google/Microsoft ad accounts → MCC/platform managers → Optmyzr → your reporting/workflow layer

If you're managing, say, 20–100+ client accounts, Optmyzr becomes much more compelling because you're not just switching accounts faster—you can standardize and automate the actual optimization work.

If you tell me roughly how many accounts you manage, monthly ad spend, and whether it's mostly Google or Google + Microsoft, I can recommend the most efficient stack and workflow for your situation.

If you’re managing paid search for lots of client accounts, I’d structure the stack like this:

My pick: Google Ads MCC + Optmyzr

1. Google Ads Manager Account (MCC) — foundational
Use Google's free Manager Account as the central layer for all client accounts. It gives you one login/dashboard, cross-account reporting, bulk campaign management, alerts, and access control. support.google.com

Google Ads Manager Accounts

2. Optmyzr — for actual optimization at scale
For an agency managing dozens of accounts, this is the tool I'd evaluate first. It adds rule-based automation, budget pacing, anomaly monitoring, optimization workflows, reporting, and cross-account dashboards. It also supports Google, Microsoft, Amazon and Meta, so it's useful if your clients aren't Google-only. www.optmyzr.com

Optmyzr

How I'd choose based on your setup

Google Ads Editor is still worth keeping even if you buy optimization software—it is particularly useful for large-scale bulk edits. keywordninja.com

The important distinction

I'd separate account management from optimization:

MCC → central access + account organization
Optmyzr → automation + optimization + monitoring
Google Ads Editor → massive bulk changes
Looker Studio/BI → client reporting

If you're managing, say, 20–100+ client accounts, Optmyzr is probably the first paid platform I'd trial. Current 2026 comparisons specifically position it toward agencies with multiple accounts and deeper rule-based automation, although pricing and account limits depend on the plan/spend level. keywordninja.com

If you tell me roughly how many accounts you manage, monthly ad spend, and whether it's Google-only or Google + Microsoft, I can narrow this down to the best 2–3 tools and what I'd automate first.

If you manage multiple clients and lots of paid-search accounts, I’d use a two-layer setup:

My recommendation: Google Ads Manager Account + Optmyzr

1. Google Ads Manager Account (MCC) — your foundation
Google Ads Manager Accounts lets you manage all your Google Ads client accounts from one login/dashboard. You can bulk-edit campaigns, compare accounts, run cross-account reports, set alerts, and use scripts across accounts. support.google.com

2. Optmyzr — the efficiency/optimization layer
Optmyzr is the tool I'd seriously consider if you're managing dozens+ of accounts. Its All Accounts Dashboard gives you account-level visibility into KPIs, budgets, health, alerts and optimization opportunities, while its automation can apply rules and optimizations across accounts. help.optmyzr.com

It also goes beyond Google: you can consolidate Google Ads, Microsoft Ads, Meta, Amazon and other platforms, which is useful if your clients aren't Google-only. www.optmyzr.com

How I'd divide the work

The big advantage is that you stop thinking "I need to log into 30 accounts today" and instead think "Which accounts actually need my attention?" Optmyzr's dashboard is specifically designed to surface anomalies, optimization opportunities and budget issues across accounts. help.optmyzr.com

If you're primarily Google Ads and only manage ~5–15 accounts: I'd start with MCC + Google Ads Scripts and avoid paying for another platform yet.

If you're managing 20–100+ accounts or multiple ad platforms: Optmyzr + MCC is probably the strongest setup.

If you tell me roughly how many accounts, total monthly ad spend, and whether you manage Google only or Google + Microsoft/Meta, I can recommend the most efficient stack (including alternatives to Optmyzr) for your situation.

If you’re managing multiple clients/accounts, I’d use a Google Ads Manager Account (MCC) as the foundation, then add Optmyzr if you want serious automation and optimization at agency scale.

My recommendation

1. Google Ads Manager Account (MCC) — mandatory foundation

• One login across all client accounts.
• Cross-account performance views and reporting.
• Bulk campaign edits.
• Manager-level automated rules and scripts.
• You can run rules across up to 1,000 accounts. support.google.com

Google Ads Manager Accounts

2. Optmyzr — my pick for the optimization layer
If you're dealing with, say, 10–100+ accounts, this is where I'd look first. It adds cross-account dashboards, automated optimization rules, budget pacing, alerts, reporting, and portfolio-level workflows. It also supports Google Ads and Microsoft Ads, among other channels. www.optmyzr.com

Optmyzr

3. Google Ads Scripts — for your custom repetitive workflows
If you or someone on your team can code, scripts are extremely useful for things like anomaly detection, budget checks, pausing campaigns based on conditions, labeling, and custom cross-account reporting. Google explicitly supports running scripts across accounts through an MCC. support.google.com

How I'd choose

The key distinction is that MCC manages the accounts, while something like Optmyzr helps operationalize your optimization methodology across those accounts. Google's own manager account already gives you substantial bulk-management capability, so I wouldn't pay for a third-party platform just to get centralized access. support.google.comsupport.google.com

If you tell me roughly how many accounts you manage, monthly ad spend, Google vs. Microsoft split, and whether you need client reporting, I can narrow this down to the best 2–3 tools for your setup and compare their costs/features.

If you manage multiple clients’ paid-search accounts, the best tool depends on how much of the work you want automated:

My recommendation

1. Google Ads Manager Account (MCC) — your core platform
If most of your clients are on Google Ads, this is the starting point. It gives you one login/dashboard across client accounts and lets you manage campaigns, compare performance, run cross-account reports, set alerts, and make changes such as budgets and campaign status across accounts. business.google.com

Google Ads Manager Accounts

2. Microsoft Advertising Manager Account — for Bing/Microsoft
Microsoft similarly supports manager accounts and agency-client linking. It also now supports cross-account portfolio bidding for Search and Shopping, which is particularly interesting if you're managing lots of accounts with similar optimization goals. help.ads.microsoft.com

3. Add a PPC automation/management layer if you're managing dozens+ of accounts
This is where I'd look at tools such as:

• Optmyzr — rules, scripts, alerts, optimization and reporting at scale
• Skai — more enterprise-oriented cross-channel management
• MarinOne — portfolio/bidding and enterprise PPC
• Google Ads Scripts/API — best if you want highly customized automation

The important distinction is that an MCC is primarily your account-management hub; an optimization platform can sit on top of it and automate repetitive decisions.

If I were building your stack

For an agency managing, say, 20–100+ clients, I'd generally structure it as:

Google Ads MCC + Microsoft Advertising Manager → automation/optimization layer → Looker Studio/BI reporting

Then automate things like:

• Budget pacing
• Search-term/keyword hygiene
• Bid and ROAS/CPA monitoring
• Anomaly detection
• Low-conversion/high-spend alerts
• Campaign QA
• Cross-client reporting
• Standardized optimization rules

If you tell me roughly how many accounts you manage (e.g. 10, 50, 200), whether they're mostly Google Ads or Google + Microsoft, and whether you want AI/autonomous optimization vs. rules-based automation, I can narrow this down to the 2–3 tools I'd actually use for your setup.

If you manage multiple clients/accounts, I’d use a combination rather than relying on one tool:

Best overall for an agency: Optmyzr

Optmyzr is probably the strongest fit if your goal is to monitor and optimize lots of paid-search accounts from one place.

It gives you:

• Cross-account dashboard — see spend, conversions, ROAS/CPA, pacing, and account health across clients. help.optmyzr.comhelp.optmyzr.com
• Bulk optimizations across accounts rather than repeating the same work client by client.
• Rule Engine — automate things like bid/budget adjustments, alerts, and recurring optimization strategies. help.optmyzr.comhelp.optmyzr.com
• Budget pacing and safeguards — useful when you're responsible for many different client budgets. www.optmyzr.com
• AI/Sidekick for identifying issues and suggesting optimizations. help.optmyzr.comhelp.optmyzr.com
• Support for Google Ads, Microsoft Ads, Amazon Ads, Meta and LinkedIn, so you aren't restricted to search alone. www.optmyzr.com
• Multi-account reporting, alerts and scheduled audits. help.optmyzr.com

If you primarily manage Google Ads: Google Ads Manager Account (MCC)

Google Ads Manager Accounts is the essential foundation. It lets you manage multiple client accounts from one login, compare performance, make bulk changes, run rules/scripts, and manage access. business.google.com

For an agency, I'd have:

MCC → client accounts → Optmyzr connected to the MCC/accounts

Then use Optmyzr for the optimization/automation layer, while Google Ads remains the source of truth.

If you have developers: Google Ads API

The Google Ads API is the better choice when you want to build your own agency-wide automation system—for example, automatically pulling every client's data into your warehouse, applying proprietary rules, reallocating budgets, or generating custom dashboards. Google specifically recommends it for large-scale/bulk campaign management, although it requires technical resources. support.google.com

My recommendation: If you're personally managing dozens of accounts and want to save time without building software, start with Optmyzr + Google Ads MCC. If you tell me roughly how many accounts you manage, monthly spend, and whether they're mostly Google Ads or Google + Microsoft, I can tell you which setup I'd use and what I'd automate first.

If you manage multiple clients and lots of Google Ads accounts, I’d use a Google Ads Manager Account (MCC) as the foundation, and add a PPC optimization platform if you need more automation.

My pick: Google Ads MCC + Optmyzr

• Google Ads Manager Account (MCC) — essential for the account structure. It lets you manage multiple client accounts from one login, see cross-account performance, manage campaigns, and perform bulk actions. support.google.com

Google Ads Manager Accounts

• Optmyzr — my stronger recommendation if your goal is actually reducing the amount of manual optimization. It adds rule-based automation, alerts, audits, budget management, optimization workflows, and cross-account reporting. It also supports Google, Microsoft, Meta, and Amazon Ads. www.optmyzr.com

Which setup makes sense?

The key distinction is that MCC solves account access and centralized management, whereas something like Optmyzr is designed to automate the work of monitoring and optimizing those accounts. Google itself supports cross-account performance views, recommendations, campaign management, and bulk actions through MCC. support.google.com

If you tell me roughly how many accounts you manage (e.g. 10, 50, 200) and whether they're mostly Google Ads or multi-channel, I can narrow it down to the 2–3 tools I'd actually consider and explain the tradeoffs.

If you manage multiple clients’ paid-search accounts, the best core tool depends on the ad platform:

If you mainly manage Google Ads: use a Google Ads Manager Account (MCC)

Google Ads Manager Accounts

It’s specifically designed for agencies and multi-account managers. From one dashboard you can:

• Manage campaigns across all client accounts
• Compare performance across accounts
• Run consolidated reports
• Change budgets and pause/enable campaigns
• Create labels, automated rules, and alerts
• Control user permissions
• Manage other manager accounts/hierarchies

Google explicitly recommends Manager Accounts for agencies and professionals managing multiple client accounts. business.google.comlearn.microsoft.com

If you also manage Microsoft Ads

Use a Microsoft Advertising Manager Account alongside the Google MCC. Microsoft lets agencies manage multiple client accounts under a manager structure, and its current platform also supports cross-account portfolio bidding for Search and Shopping. learn.microsoft.com

For a larger agency operation

I'd think of the stack as:

Google Ads MCC + Microsoft Manager Account → centralized reporting → automation/scripts → human optimization

The manager accounts solve the access and account-management problem. For serious scale, you'd then layer automation on top for things like budget pacing, anomaly detection, bid/CPA monitoring, search-term analysis, and cross-client reporting.

If you tell me roughly how many accounts you manage (e.g. 10, 50, 200+) and whether they're Google-only or Google + Microsoft, I can recommend the most efficient stack—including specific automation/reporting tools.

If you mean Google Ads, the tool you want is a Google Ads Manager Account (MCC). It’s specifically designed for agencies and marketers managing multiple client accounts. support.google.com

Best setup for a multi-client PPC workflow

1. Google Ads Manager Account (MCC) — your central hub

• One login for all client accounts
• Cross-account performance monitoring
• Manage campaigns, budgets, status, and other settings across accounts
• Account/campaign labels for organizing clients and workflows
• Cross-account recommendations and reporting
• Can link other manager accounts if you have a larger agency structure support.google.comsupport.google.com

Google Ads Manager Accounts documentation

2. Google Ads Editor — for bulk changes
For actual optimization work at scale, I'd pair the MCC with Google Ads Editor. It's much faster for bulk campaign/ad/keyword changes than working account-by-account in the web interface.

3. Scripts/API — for automation
Once you're managing a lot of accounts, automate repetitive checks such as:

• Budget pacing
• Spend anomalies
• CPA/ROAS alerts
• Search-term monitoring
• Broken URLs
• Campaigns accidentally paused
• Conversion tracking anomalies
• Standardized naming/label checks

If you manage lots of accounts

I'd structure it roughly like:

MCC → Client accounts → standardized labels → bulk editing → automated monitoring

For example, labels such as Client, Vertical, High Priority, Lead Gen, and Ecommerce let you slice the account portfolio and identify issues quickly. Google specifically supports account-level labels and cross-account filtering. support.google.comsupport.google.com

If you're talking about both Google Ads and Microsoft Ads, there's a slightly different answer: Microsoft Advertising now supports cross-account portfolio bidding for Search and Shopping, which can be useful when you're optimizing across multiple accounts. about.ads.microsoft.com

If you tell me roughly how many accounts you manage (e.g. 10, 50, 200+) and whether they're mostly Google, Microsoft, or both, I can recommend the most efficient MCC + Editor + automation stack for your workload.

If you manage lots of client paid-search accounts, I’d use a Google Ads Manager Account (MCC) as the foundation, and then layer an automation/optimization platform on top if you need more scale.

My recommendation

1. Google Ads Manager Account (MCC) — essential foundation

Google’s MCC is specifically designed for agencies and marketers managing multiple accounts. It gives you one login/dashboard to:

• Monitor performance across clients
• Manage campaigns across accounts
• Compare accounts
• Run cross-account reports
• See recommendations across accounts
• Manage budgets and account structure
• Delegate access to your team

Google explicitly recommends Manager Accounts for agencies and professionals managing multiple client accounts. support.google.com

Google Ads Manager Accounts

2. Optmyzr — my pick if you're looking for serious optimization/automation

For a PPC manager handling dozens or hundreds of accounts, Optmyzr is worth looking at. It adds things that MCC isn't really designed to do: cross-account optimization workflows, automated rules, budget monitoring, anomaly investigation, and portfolio-level analysis. Optmyzr currently supports Google Ads, Microsoft Ads, Meta and Amazon Ads. www.optmyzr.com

Optmyzr

How I'd structure the stack

The key distinction is that MCC is the account-management layer, while something like Optmyzr is an optimization/automation layer. Google itself gives you cross-account Campaigns, Performance, Recommendations and Budget views, but a specialized platform can turn recurring optimization work into automated workflows. support.google.com

If you tell me roughly how many accounts you manage (e.g. 20, 100, 500) and whether they're mostly Google Ads or Google + Microsoft, I can recommend the most efficient stack and workflow for your situation.

If you manage paid search for multiple clients, the right tool depends on how many accounts you handle and whether your bottleneck is optimization, reporting, or workflow management. A typical agency stack looks something like this:

My usual recommendations by agency size:

1–10 client accounts

• Google Ads Manager Account + Google Ads Editor
• Add a reporting tool if clients need polished dashboards

10–50 accounts

• Add Optmyzr for automation:
  • search term cleanup
  • bid/budget rules
  • anomaly alerts
  • account audits
  • recurring optimization tasks

paceads.com

50+ accounts or a team

• Use a command-center approach:
  • MCC structure
  • automated rules/scripts
  • portfolio reporting
  • standardized naming conventions
  • alerts for exceptions only

For most paid search managers, I’d start with:

1. Google Ads Manager Account (foundation)
2. Google Ads Editor (speed)
3. Optmyzr (scale optimization)
4. A reporting layer (client communication)

A couple questions would change the recommendation:

• How many client accounts are you managing (5, 20, 100+)?
• Mostly Google Ads, or also Microsoft Ads / Meta / LinkedIn?
• Is your biggest pain making optimizations, building campaigns, or client reporting?

If you manage paid search across lots of client accounts, I’d use a Google Ads Manager Account (MCC) as the foundation, and add Optmyzr if you want serious automation/optimization on top.

My recommendation

1. Google Ads Manager Account (MCC) — essential

• One login/dashboard for all client accounts
• Cross-account reporting and performance comparison
• Bulk budget/campaign changes
• Labels, alerts, automated rules and access management
• Designed specifically for agencies managing multiple accounts business.google.comsupport.google.com

Google Ads Manager Accounts

2. Optmyzr — best upgrade for optimization at scale
If you're managing dozens of accounts, this is the tool I'd investigate first. It adds:

• Cross-account portfolio dashboards
• Automated bid/budget optimization
• Rule-based automation
• Anomaly/issue monitoring
• Search-term and keyword optimization
• Cross-platform support for Google, Microsoft, Meta and Amazon
• Automated reporting www.optmyzr.com

Optmyzr

Which I'd choose by situation

The important distinction is that MCC is your account-management layer, whereas Optmyzr is more of an optimization/automation layer. Google itself supports cross-account management, reporting, alerts and bulk changes, but Optmyzr adds a portfolio-level workflow and more sophisticated automation. support.google.com

If I were building your stack:
MCC → Optmyzr → Looker Studio/your reporting layer → scripts/API for bespoke automations.

If you tell me roughly how many accounts you manage, monthly spend, and whether they're mostly Search/PMax/Shopping, I can recommend the most efficient stack and workflow for your specific setup.

If you manage multiple clients and lots of paid-search accounts, I’d look at Optmyzr first.

My recommendation

1. Optmyzr — best for an agency managing many accounts

• Centralizes multiple Google Ads, Microsoft Ads, Amazon, Meta, and LinkedIn accounts. help.optmyzr.com
• Lets you organize accounts into client/brand portfolios, so you can see spend, performance, alerts, and optimization opportunities across a group without opening accounts individually. help.optmyzr.com
• Goes beyond reporting: you can actually modify budgets, bids, keywords, ads, campaign settings, etc. from its optimization interface. help.optmyzr.com
• Particularly useful for standardizing repetitive optimization processes across clients with automation, alerts, and rules. www.optmyzr.com

2. Google Ads Manager Account (MCC) — essential baseline
If most of your work is Google Ads, you should absolutely have an MCC. Google's Manager Accounts give you one dashboard for multiple client accounts, cross-account reporting, alerts, campaign management, access control, and more. support.google.com

Google Ads Manager Accounts

The distinction is basically:

What I'd use in your position

Google MCC + Optmyzr together.

MCC is your underlying account-management structure; Optmyzr becomes the agency operating layer for monitoring, prioritization, automation, optimization, and reporting.

If you're managing 20, 50, or 100+ accounts, the biggest win isn't merely having everything in one dashboard. It's having the system tell you which accounts actually need attention today, why, and what action you should consider—rather than manually checking every client.

If you tell me roughly how many accounts you manage, monthly spend, and whether it's mostly Google Ads or Google + Microsoft, I can narrow this down to the best 2–3 tools for your setup.