// GMC pricing
Google Merchant Center cost — what you actually pay
Merchant Center itself is free. But getting products in front of buyers has real costs. Here's the honest breakdown of what each piece costs and where merchants get surprised.
Is Merchant Center free?
Yes. Creating a Merchant Center account, uploading product feeds, and showing products in free listings cost nothing. Paid Shopping ads are separate.
What costs money around it
- Shopping ads — pay per click via Google Ads. Average CPC $0.50–$3 depending on category.
- Feed plugins — Shopify Google & YouTube app is free. Third-party tools like WooFeed, ELEX, CTX: $5–$30/mo.
- Compliance & reinstatement help — specialist consultants charge $200–$2000 per suspension case. We charge $29.99/mo for unlimited self-serve scans.
- Product photography — reviewers reject stock images. Pro photos cost $20–$100 each.
- Domain & SSL — $10–$50/yr. SSL is required.
- Third-party trust services — Trustpilot Plus ~$200/mo, DMCA Pro $10/mo, ScamAdviser certification free.
Hidden costs that surprise merchants
- Suspension cooldown — a suspended account can mean 6 months of lost ad revenue while you wait. For mid-size stores that's $5k–$50k.
- Wasted ad spend on disapproved products — campaigns keep running but items don't show. You pay for nothing.
- Re-launching a new domain — after a permanent suspension you sometimes need a fresh domain. Cost: weeks of SEO equity gone.