Google Ads MCP server: hosted or self-hosted? Google's open-source server vs Fezola

Google publishes an open-source Google Ads MCP server that you run yourself, and Fezola offers a hosted one. If you are comfortable installing, configuring and securing software, Google's server is a solid, free option. If you want to sign in with Google, paste one URL into Claude and ask about several ad accounts, a hosted server saves the setup. Both exist today, and the right choice depends on who runs the server. ChatGPT accepts custom MCP servers on Business and Enterprise/Edu plans (Pro read-only), so Claude is the easiest way in.

The two options

Google's open-source server (googleads/google-ads-mcp, Apache-2.0). According to its README as of November 2026:

• You run it yourself: locally through pipx, as a local HTTP endpoint, or deployed on your own Google Cloud (Cloud Run). It is not described as hosted by Google.
• You provide credentials: a Google Cloud OAuth client for remote use, Application Default Credentials with the Google Ads scope, or an existing google-ads.yaml. For manager accounts, an optional login customer ID.
• Tools: a GAQL search, get_resource_metadata, list_accessible_customers, create_asset, upload_video_asset (local mode only), manage_labels and manage_label_associations.
• Write tools are on in the default configuration and can be switched off in tools_config.yaml. Mutating tools default to a propose-and-confirm flow that validates before committing.

Fezola, hosted:

• You sign in with Google in Fezola (Sources, Add source, Google Ads), then add Fezola to Claude with https://api.fezola.com/mcp: see how to add a custom connector to Claude.
• Tools: google_ads_list_accounts, google_ads_campaign_performance, google_ads_search (GAQL, SELECT only), google_ads_keyword_ideas, and for changes google_ads_mutate, google_ads_set_status and google_ads_set_budget.
• Several Google accounts can be connected, and every ad account they reach, including client accounts of manager accounts, appears in one list.

Side by side

How to choose

• Choose Google's server if you need to audit or modify the code, keep everything inside your own infrastructure, or already run Google Cloud tooling.
• Choose a hosted server if you want it working in minutes, with several ad accounts or client accounts without managing credentials yourself.

Whichever you pick, check what it lets the assistant change before you connect it. Writing can spend real money. With Fezola, new campaigns are meant to start paused, validateOnly lets Google check a change without applying it, and the writing tools are marked destructive so assistants ask for approval. There is no spending cap on Fezola's side. Details in Google Ads in Claude and ChatGPT.

Third-party hosted servers also exist. Compare what each lets the assistant change, who holds your tokens, and how you revoke access before you decide.

What's next

Fezola's direction is simple: if a tool only has an API, we build the connector. Mail, Google Chat, Telegram, Google Calendar, Notion and Google Ads are available today. Others are being prepared and have no release date.