Google faces developer token application backlog as new API tier debuts – PPC Land

Google introduces Explorer Access level for Ads API while application delays affect developers seeking Basic and Standard access amid surging interest.
Google acknowledged significant delays in processing developer token access applications for its Google Ads API on February 6, 2026, revealing a backlog that has affected review timelines for Basic Access and Standard Access level requests. The announcement coincided with the debut of Explorer Access, a new intermediate tier designed to provide production account capabilities without requiring formal application approval.
According to Anash P. Oommen, writing on behalf of the Google Ads API Team, the company has added reviewers to process applications and clear the backlog. “We have heard from the developer community that the applications for developer token access levels are taking longer than usual,” Oommen stated. “We are aware of this issue, and have added additional reviewers to process the applications and clear the backlog.”
The delays stem from increased interest in Google Ads API access following recent platform releases. The company cited the introduction of Explorer Access for the Google Ads API, the Google Ads API MCP server, and the Google Ads API Developer Assistant as catalysts driving application volume beyond normal processing capacity. Fast-tracked processing has already begun for some applications, with certain developers receiving approval notices ahead of the broader backlog resolution.
Explorer Access represents a fundamental shift in how Google provisions API access to developers. The new tier automatically upgrades certain developer tokens from Test Account Access level without requiring application submission or review. Unlike Test Account Access, which restricts developers to test environments, Explorer Access enables interaction with production accounts serving real advertisements to live audiences.
The automatic provisioning mechanism bypasses traditional application workflows entirely. According to Google’s documentation, developers who complete the initial Google Ads API sign-up may receive automatic upgrades to Explorer Access in certain cases. The company did not specify criteria determining which tokens receive automatic upgrades, leaving developers uncertain about qualification factors.
Production account access through Explorer Access operates under a 2,880 operations per day limit. This quota suffices for basic automation workflows but constrains developers building tools serving multiple clients or managing large-scale advertising operations. Test accounts maintain the standard 15,000 operations per day allocation, creating a performance paradox where test environments offer greater operational capacity than production access.
Feature restrictions differentiate Explorer Access from higher tiers. The level blocks account creation through CustomerService.CreateCustomerClient, preventing developers from programmatically establishing new Google Ads accounts. User management capabilities remain unavailable, restricting access to CustomerUserAccessInvitationService and CustomerUserAccessService methods that control account permissions and access grants.
Planning services face comprehensive restrictions under Explorer Access. KeywordPlanService, KeywordPlanIdeaService, and related planning resources become inaccessible, eliminating capabilities for keyword research, forecasting, and campaign planning through the API. AudienceInsightsService and ReachPlanService similarly remain blocked, preventing developers from accessing audience intelligence and reach forecasting tools.
Billing and payment operations require Basic Access or higher. PaymentsAccountService, BillingSetupService, AccountBudgetProposalService, and InvoiceService remain unavailable under Explorer Access, forcing developers to manage financial operations through the Google Ads web interface rather than programmatic workflows.
The four-tier access structure creates distinct operational boundaries. Test Account Access limits developers to test environments with 15,000 daily operations but zero production capabilities. Explorer Access introduces production access at 2,880 operations per day with substantial feature restrictions. Basic Access removes most feature restrictions while maintaining the 15,000 operations daily limit. Standard Access eliminates operation caps entirely for most services while granting full feature availability.
Application requirements vary significantly across access levels. Test Account Access requires only completing the initial Google Ads API sign-up through the web interface. Explorer Access may arrive automatically after sign-up without additional steps. Basic Access demands formal application submission through dedicated forms, with Google targeting two business days for reviews. Standard Access requires Basic Access as a prerequisite, followed by separate application demonstrating need for unlimited operations, with reviews typically completing within 10 business days.
The Basic Access application process requires specific prerequisites. Developers must possess existing Test Account Access developer tokens and maintain current API Contact Email addresses in the API center. All active Google Ads accounts must link to the Google Ads manager account holding the developer token. Without valid, regularly monitored email addresses, the application process cannot proceed to completion.
Standard Access targets developers requiring unlimited API operations. According to Google’s documentation, large companies and tools serving many users qualify for this tier. The application process demands demonstration of operational scale justifying unlimited access. For external tools, Google requires demo sign-in access and compliance verification with Required Minimum Functionality standards.
Developers can accelerate their Basic Access applications through several actions. Listing managed accounts as children under the Google Ads Manager account from which they signed up for developer tokens demonstrates operational scope. Completing advertiser verification for one or more accounts under the API Manager account establishes legitimacy and reduces review friction.
OAuth App verification through Google Cloud projects provides substantial application support. Developers who previously completed this verification process for other Google APIs should include their Google Cloud project numbers in Basic Access applications. New Google Cloud projects benefit from completing OAuth App verification before submitting applications, with project numbers shared during the review process.
Application clarity directly impacts review speed. Google explicitly rejects applications lacking clear, specific use case details explaining why current access levels prove insufficient. The company expects multi-sentence explanations helping reviewers understand both business models and API implementation approaches. Vague applications face rejection without consideration.
The Explorer Access introduction aligns with Google’s broader API accessibility strategy. The Google Ads API MCP server, released October 7, 2025, enables AI applications to query advertising campaigns through natural language interfaces. The server operates in read-only mode initially, providing reporting and diagnostic capabilities without account modification risks.
Google launched version 23 of its Google Ads API on January 28, 2026, introducing granular channel-level reporting for Performance Max campaigns. The update provides developers with unprecedented visibility into campaign distribution across Google Search, YouTube, Display, Gmail, Maps, and Discover. This functionality operates at campaign, asset group, and asset levels, enabling precise creative performance tracking across advertising environments.
Version 22 of the Google Ads API, released October 15, 2025, introduced targetless bidding goals for App campaigns alongside generative AI capabilities through AssetGenerationService. The release expanded Demand Gen automation with Target CPC bidding and video generation capabilities while enhancing Performance Max transparency through new reporting segments.
Documentation improvements announced August 14, 2025, established foundation for more effective feature discovery. The overhaul unified reference materials, improved campaign type discovery, and introduced seamless protocol switching between gRPC and REST implementations. These enhancements reduced developer friction when implementing new features across the expanding API surface area.
Permissible use restrictions apply exclusively to Basic Access and Standard Access tokens. The classification determines which API features developer tokens can utilize. “Ad creation/management” grants access to all services for creating and managing campaigns, ad groups, ads, and keywords. “Reporting” restricts tokens to GoogleAdsService.Search and GoogleAdsService.SearchStream requests plus read-only calls. “Researching keywords and recommendations” limits access to RecommendationService, KeywordPlanIdeaService, and KeywordPlanService.
Developers holding Basic Access or Standard Access can modify permissible use designations through dedicated application forms. The process enables developers to expand feature access or grant clients tool permissions. Permissible use changes require formal approval rather than automatic processing, adding review time to implementation schedules.
Rate limits apply regardless of access level. System limits restrict operations per hour, preventing individual developers from overwhelming API infrastructure. Individual services enforce additional quota restrictions based on product design limitations, policy requirements, and performance considerations. The API quotas documentation provides comprehensive restriction details across different services and resources.
The backlog resolution timeline remains unspecified. Google’s announcement confirmed fast-tracking for certain applications without detailing selection criteria or expected completion dates for remaining requests. Developers awaiting Basic Access approvals face uncertainty about when their applications will receive review, complicating project planning and client commitments.
For developers currently operating under Explorer Access, Google recommends continuing with that tier if it meets operational needs. The 2,880 operations per day limit combined with campaign management and reporting features provides sufficient capacity for many use cases. Upgrading to Basic Access becomes necessary only when developers consistently exceed daily quotas, plan for growth expecting quota breaches, or require features unavailable under Explorer Access.
The application delays illuminate tensions between platform accessibility and operational capacity. Google’s documentation received comprehensive restructuring to reduce implementation barriers, while API capabilities expanded through regular version releases introducing features like AI Max for Search campaigns and enhanced Performance Max reporting. Increased developer interest resulting from these improvements now strains the review infrastructure supporting access applications.
The developer community expressed frustration with review delays through feedback channels monitored by Google’s API team. Extended application timelines disrupt project schedules, client onboarding processes, and business planning for agencies and marketing technology vendors building Google Ads integrations. The backlog particularly affects developers seeking Standard Access, where 10 business day target timelines have extended significantly beyond normal parameters.
Explorer Access partially addresses immediate access needs by eliminating application requirements for production account capabilities. Developers can begin building and testing production workflows immediately after receiving automatic upgrades, accelerating time-to-market for new tools and integrations. However, the 2,880 operations daily limit creates scaling constraints that force eventual Basic Access applications for growth-oriented projects.
The quota structure creates strategic planning challenges. Developers building tools for single clients or small account portfolios can operate indefinitely under Explorer Access quotas. Multi-client tools serving agencies or SaaS platforms require Basic Access from inception to accommodate aggregate API usage across customer bases. This bifurcation means Explorer Access serves proof-of-concept and limited-scale implementations while production-grade tools require navigating the backlogged application process.
Security verification processes compound access application complexity. Developers using Google Cloud projects for other APIs benefit from existing OAuth App verification when applying for Basic Access. New implementers must complete verification separately, adding weeks to overall implementation timelines even before Google’s review backlog factors into planning. The verification requirement ensures security standards but creates friction for developers entering the Google advertising ecosystem.
Advertiser verification requirements add another layer to application preparation. Developers must complete verification for accounts under their API Manager accounts or link already-verified accounts from different manager account structures. This requirement demonstrates legitimate business operations while preventing fraudulent or malicious API access attempts. However, verification processes vary by jurisdiction and account type, introducing variable timelines that developers must accommodate.
Who: Google’s Ads API Team, led by Anash P. Oommen, announced the application backlog affecting developers seeking Basic Access and Standard Access levels for Google Ads API. The announcement impacts advertising technology developers, marketing agencies, and companies building programmatic campaign management tools.
What: Google acknowledged significant delays in processing developer token access applications while introducing Explorer Access, a new automatic tier providing production account capabilities with 2,880 operations per day and feature restrictions. The company added reviewers to clear the backlog and fast-tracked certain applications.
When: The announcement occurred on February 6, 2026, through the Google Ads Developer Blog. Application delays intensified following recent releases including the MCP server, API Developer Assistant, and Explorer Access introduction. Review timelines for Basic Access applications exceed the typical two business day target, while Standard Access reviews extend beyond the standard 10 business day window.
Where: The issue affects developers globally applying for Google Ads API access through the web interface and API center. Applications process through Google’s developer token review infrastructure, with delays impacting developers across all regions and markets.
Why: Increased developer interest in Google Ads API access following the release of Explorer Access, the MCP server, and the Developer Assistant drove application volume beyond normal processing capacity. The backlog reflects surging demand for programmatic advertising automation capabilities as AI integration and conversational interfaces gain adoption in marketing technology workflows. Explorer Access introduction aims to reduce application volume by automatically providing production capabilities for certain developers without requiring formal review processes.
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