Agency ad account vs. self-service: which setup fits?

Separate the account setup from campaign management

There are two decisions: where the advertiser account sits and who operates the campaigns. An agency can provide agreed account support while your own buyer runs the ads. It can also manage agreed campaign work. A directly held account does not prevent you from hiring a campaign manager.

AdsGorilla calls these service scopes Self Managed and Fully Managed. Neither label, on its own, establishes legal ownership, unrestricted administrative access or a right to transfer the account. Those points need their own written confirmation.

Compare the responsibilities side by side

Use this comparison to prepare questions, not to assume that every provider offers the same arrangement. Platform eligibility, permissions, payment methods and the service agreement determine what is actually available.

On a narrow screen, scroll the table sideways to compare.

Compare the full cost of the same scope

Ask for the ad credit, fee added to that credit, payment charges and any separate management or membership cost. Do not compare a funding-support fee with a quote that includes a media-buying team as if they were the same service.

For example, the AdsGorilla Google Self Managed calculator shows $1,000 of credit plus a 10% service fee: $1,100 before any separately confirmed payment charges. That example describes a funding calculation, not an estimate of campaign results or a universal rate for every platform.

Match the setup to an actual operating need

A direct setup may fit a team that can establish its own eligible account, handle platform billing and keep its records organized. An agency service may fit a team that wants a reviewed setup and an agreed contact for account operations. Managed campaign work is a separate choice based on the skills and capacity of your team.

• Already have a buyer? Compare account access, funding and operational support.
• Need campaign work? Define deliverables, approvals, reporting and exclusions.
• Managing several brands? Keep each brand, account, asset and funding reference distinct.

Get five answers before you fund the account

Request a record of the account arrangement, the permissions your team receives, the scope and price, the funding verification steps, and what happens when the service ends. Check that the explanation matches the written agreement rather than relying on a label such as “premium” or “agency”.

• Which account and assets will we use, and who controls access?
• What is included in the fee, and what is charged separately?
• What can be exported, transferred or reviewed for refund at the end?

Agency access does not remove platform rules

Your business, ads, destination and verification still have to meet the relevant platform requirements. No account arrangement guarantees ad approval, delivery or immunity from restrictions. Disclose an existing restriction for review; do not treat a new account as a way around enforcement.