How to Cancel Google Ads in 2026 (Pause vs Close Account + Stop Billing)
Updated 2026-03-03 · 6 min read
💸 Pausing Is NOT Canceling
Pausing campaigns stops your ads from running, but Google can still charge you for clicks that occurred before the pause. If you want to stop ALL billing permanently, you need to cancel your Google Ads account — not just pause campaigns.
Option 1: Pause All Campaigns (Temporary)
Go to ads.google.com
Click Campaigns in the left menu
Select all campaigns (checkbox at top)
Click Edit → Pause
Campaigns stop running immediately — no new clicks or charges
Your account, data, and campaign settings are preserved
You can resume anytime by enabling campaigns again
Option 2: Cancel Google Ads Account (Permanent)
Go to ads.google.com
Click Admin (wrench icon) → Preferences
Scroll to Account status
Click Cancel my account
Confirm cancellation
All campaigns stop running
You'll still be charged for any outstanding balance (clicks already accrued)
Account data is preserved for 15 months — you can reactivate if needed
⚠️ You May Still Get a Final Bill
Google Ads bills in arrears. If your campaigns ran before you canceled, you'll receive a final invoice within 30 days for any accrued charges. This is normal — it's not a billing error. Check your Billing & payments section for the final amount.
Remove Payment Method
Go to Billing & payments in Google Ads
Click Payment methods
Remove your credit card or bank account
Note: You cannot remove a payment method while there's an outstanding balance
Pay any remaining balance first, then remove the payment method
Cancel Google Ads Smart Campaigns
If Google set up "Smart Campaigns" for your business (often during Google Business Profile setup):
Go to ads.google.com
Switch to Smart mode if prompted
Find your active campaigns
Click the three dots → Pause or Remove
Then cancel the account as described above
Common Google Ads Billing Traps
Auto-applied recommendations: Google automatically applies "suggestions" that can increase your spend. Check Recommendations → Auto-apply and turn everything off.
Performance Max campaigns: These are notoriously hard to control — they spend across Search, Display, YouTube, Gmail, and Maps with minimal targeting control
$500 coupons: Google offers "$500 in free ads" but requires you to spend $500 first. If you forgot about this, you might be paying for ads you set up months ago.
Display Network spending: Search campaigns with Display Network enabled often waste 40-60% of budget on low-quality display placements
Request a Refund
Overcharges or billing errors: Contact Google Ads support via the help button in ads.google.com
Invalid clicks: Google automatically credits invalid clicks, but you can request a manual review
Unused promotional credit: Non-refundable — credits expire and cannot be cashed out
Remaining account balance (prepaid): Request a refund of any prepaid balance when closing
Alternatives to Google Ads
SEO (free): Organic search traffic is free and compounds over time. Takes longer but no ongoing ad spend.
Microsoft Ads (Bing): Lower CPCs, less competition, imports Google Ads campaigns with one click
Meta Ads (Facebook/Instagram): Better for visual products and brand awareness
Organic social: TikTok, Instagram Reels, YouTube Shorts — free reach if your content resonates
Bottom line: If you're done with Google Ads, cancel the account — don't just pause campaigns and forget. Remove your payment method after paying any final balance. And check for auto-applied recommendations that might have been silently increasing your spend.
💡 Ad spend isn't the only recurring charge to watch
Upload your bank statement to JustCancel and find every subscription — ad platforms, SaaS tools, hosting, and services you forgot about.