SEO Tools
Google Search Console review
Google's free service showing how a site appears in Google Search, with indexing, performance and link data.
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)
Buying Google Search Console: security, admin and contract
- Contract
- Free, no contract.
Questions to ask Google Search Console before you sign
- Which plan includes SAML SSO, and what does it cost for our seat count?
- Is SCIM provisioning included, or a paid add-on?
- Which plan includes audit logs, and how long are they kept?
- Where is our data stored, and can we choose the region?
- Can we sign your standard DPA without changes?
- What will the price be at renewal, and is the increase capped?
Questions are listed where Google Search Console's public pages leave the answer open.
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
| Plan | Price | Unit | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Search Console | Free | per property | No paid tier |
Described by Google as a free service.
Google Search Console features by buying criteria
| Criterion | What we found |
|---|---|
| Keyword research database | Shows queries that triggered your own site only. |
| Technical site audit | Indexing and crawl issue reports, re-indexing requests, alerts. |
| Backlink index and analysis | Links report of sites linking to yours. |
| Rank tracking | Performance report: impressions, clicks, queries; filter by date and search type (web, image, video, news) |
| Reporting and white label | Export button on many reports. |
| Project and credit limits | Up to 100 non-owner users per property; 500 combined verified and delegated owners. |
| Pricing model and transparency | Free. |
| Target company size | All 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.