SEO Tools

Google Search Console review

Google's free service showing how a site appears in Google Search, with indexing, performance and link data.

Researched by Max Benz · Facts checked October 24, 2026 · How we research

Google Search Console at a glance

Category
SEO Tools
Starting price
Free
Pricing model
free
Public pricing
Yes
Free plan
Yes
Free trial
No
Contract
none
G2 rating
4.7 (511 reviews)
Headquarters
Mountain View, US (Google)

Who Google Search Console is for

Choose Google Search Console if

  • Every site owner as the first-party source of Google query and click data.
  • Teams that need a free baseline next to a paid SEO suite.

Look elsewhere if

  • Competitor research or third-party keyword volumes (shows only your own site)
  • Teams needing rank tracking beyond Google or white-label reporting.

Google Search Console pricing

Google Search Console plans as published on October 24, 2026
PlanPriceUnitNotes
Search ConsoleFreeper propertyNo paid tier

Described by Google as a free service.

What Google Search Console really costs

Per seat per month
$0.
Billing
Free.
20 users per year
$0 (free; up to 100 non-owner users per property)

Google Search Console features by buying criteria

Google Search Console features, checked October 24, 2026
CriterionWhat we found
Keyword research databaseShows queries that triggered your own site only.
Technical site auditIndexing and crawl issue reports, re-indexing requests, alerts.
Backlink index and analysisLinks report of sites linking to yours.
Rank trackingPerformance report: impressions, clicks, queries; filter by date and search type (web, image, video, news)
Reporting and white labelExport button on many reports.
Project and credit limitsUp to 100 non-owner users per property; 500 combined verified and delegated owners.
Pricing model and transparencyFree.
Target company sizeAll sizes.

What reviewers say about Google Search Console

Praised for

  • Free first-party keyword and ranking data.

Common complaints

  • Data limitations and accuracy questioned.
  • Interface hard for beginners.

Themes paraphrased from public reviews on G2 and similar sites, not quotes.

What most Google Search Console reviews leave out

  • Four permission levels: owner, full, restricted, associate.
  • Property needs at least one verified owner.
  • Up to 100 non-owner users per property.
  • Exports show ~ or - values as zeros.
  • Performance report supports hourly 24-hour view with preliminary data.

Google Search Console alternatives

  • SemrushMarketing teams that want keyword, audit, backlink and AI visibility tools in one login.
    EUR 112.52/month billed annually (SEO plan), EUR 134 billed monthly
  • AhrefsSEO and link-building teams who value backlink and competitor data.
    $29/month (Starter); $129/month (Lite)
  • SE RankingSmall agencies that need white-label reports and many client projects (via Agency Pack)
    EUR 87.20/month billed annually (Core); EUR 109/month billed monthly
  • MangoolsFreelancers and small sites that mainly need keyword research and rank tracking.
    Not verified: not confirmed by the vendor; third-party listings cite about $29.90/month (Basic, annual billing)
  • ClearscopeContent teams and agencies that want unlimited users on a flat monthly price.
    $129/month (Essentials)
  • Moz ProSmall businesses (about 58% of G2 reviewers)
    $49/month monthly or $39/month annual (Starter, third-party sources)

Sources

Every fact on this page comes from Google Search Console's own pricing, product or documentation pages, G2 and company records, checked on October 24, 2026. Unknown values are left out instead of estimated.

Sources (4)
  1. overview and cost (support.google.com)
  2. performance report (support.google.com)
  3. users and permissions (support.google.com)
  4. g2.com