The short answer
You should. Your business should own the Google Ads account, the Meta ad account, the Business Manager, the pixel and the analytics property. The agency gets manager access, which you can remove at any time, and ad spend is billed to your card by Google and Meta directly. If your agency built everything in its own name, you lose your data when you leave. This is one of the first questions to ask any PPC agency in Dubai.
Why ownership matters
Every month an account runs, it builds history: conversion data, audiences, quality scores and what worked. That history makes the next month cheaper. When an agency owns the account and you leave, you start from zero.
How it should be set up
- Google Ads: the account is created under your company, with billing on your payment method. The agency links its manager account (MCC) and gets standard or admin access.
- Meta: the ad account and pixel live in your Business Manager. The agency is added as a partner.
- Google Analytics and Tag Manager: owned by your company Google account, with agency user access.
- Landing pages and domains: on your domain, not the agency's.
How to check today
- Google Ads: Admin, then Access and security. Is someone from your company an admin?
2Billing: is the payment method your company card or invoice?
- Meta: Business settings, then Ad accounts. Does your business own it, or is it shared from the agency?
Red flags
- The agency says the account is its "intellectual property".
- You only see the account through reports, never directly.
- Ad spend is invoiced by the agency with a markup instead of billed by Google.
If your agency owns the account
Ask in writing for admin access and a billing transfer. Most agencies will agree. If one refuses, open a new account in your name, set up tracking properly and rebuild. You lose history, but you stop the problem getting worse.
Where Big AL fits
At Big AL Consulting every account stays in the client's name from day one, and ad spend is billed directly by the platforms. We are a Google Partner since 2021 and manage AED 5M+ in Google Ads a year. See how agencies compare on this in our ranking of the best Google Ads agencies in Dubai.
Sources & References
Official references used in this article.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. Who should own the Google Ads account?
The business should. The agency should get manager access through its own Google Ads manager account (MCC), which you can remove at any time.
Q. What happens if the agency owns my account?
When you leave, you may lose the account history, conversion data and audiences that make campaigns work. Some agencies also refuse to hand accounts over.
Q. How do I check who owns my Google Ads account?
In Google Ads, go to Admin, then Access and security. Check who has admin access and whether the account is billed to your company. On Meta, check Business settings for who owns the ad account.
Q. Can I move an agency-owned account to my name?
Often yes. Ask the agency to add you as admin and move billing to your payment method. If they refuse, create a new account in your name and rebuild.
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