Google Ads vs Microsoft Ads: Which Should You Use?

Choosing between Google Ads vs Microsoft Ads is less about picking a winner and more about knowing what each platform does well. Google gives you the largest search audience plus YouTube, Display and Maps, while Microsoft Ads reaches searchers on Bing and its partner sites with targeting options Google does not offer. This guide compares both platforms feature by feature and shows you how to decide where your budget goes first.

Google Ads vs Microsoft Ads at a Glance

Microsoft Ads is the current name for what many people still call Bing Ads, so if you are searching “Bing Ads vs Google Ads,” this is the same comparison. Here is how the two platforms line up today.

Reach and Networks: Where Your Ads Can Appear

Google Ads

Google’s Search Network covers Google Search results, the Shopping tab, Google Images and Google Maps. Search partners, which are on by default and can be turned off, extend your ads to third-party sites and YouTube search results. Beyond search, you can run campaigns on YouTube, the Display Network, Discover and Gmail.

Google also shows ads with AI Overviews. Google’s help center says text and Shopping ads from Search, Shopping and Performance Max campaigns are eligible, and you cannot opt out. Ads inside AI Overviews are limited to English in a list of markets that includes the US, Canada and Australia.

Microsoft Ads

Microsoft’s own documentation on the Microsoft Advertising Network lists Microsoft Bing, AOL, Yahoo, DuckDuckGo and Ecosia as places search ads can appear, along with other partners. Audience ads run on MSN, Microsoft Start, Microsoft Edge, Outlook.com and publisher partners.

Microsoft also serves ads in Copilot. Eligible formats include Responsive Search ads, Dynamic Search ads, Shopping and Performance Max product ads, and multimedia ads. All eligible campaigns are opted in automatically, you cannot opt out, and there is no separate Copilot targeting. Your negative keywords still apply.

Audience Differences You Should Plan For

The two platforms reach overlapping but not identical people. Microsoft’s inventory is tied to its own products, including the Edge browser, Outlook.com and MSN, and Microsoft’s own search ads page presents its audience figures for PC (desktop) searches. Google adds YouTube and Maps, which matter for local and video-led campaigns.

Rather than relying on general claims about who uses each search engine, check your own data:

• Look at the Bing and Yahoo organic traffic in your analytics. If those visitors convert well, paid search there is worth testing.
• Compare device mix. If most of your conversions happen on desktop, Microsoft Ads deserves a test.
• Review your geography. Search engine usage varies by country, so test in the markets you actually sell to.

CPC and Competition: What Actually Drives Cost

You will often hear that Microsoft Ads clicks are cheaper. Sometimes they are, but there is no universal rule, and we will not quote averages that do not apply to your account. In both platforms, cost per click comes from an auction. What you pay depends on:

• How many advertisers bid on the same keywords in that auction
• Your ad relevance, expected click-through rate and landing page experience
• Your bid strategy and the conversion data behind it
• Location, device and time of day

The practical approach is to check estimates in both keyword planning tools, then run a controlled test with the same keywords, ads and landing pages. Judge results by cost per lead or return on ad spend, not by cost per click alone. A cheaper click that never converts is still wasted money.

LinkedIn Profile Targeting in Microsoft Ads

This is the clearest feature Google cannot match. Microsoft describes itself as the only advertising platform, other than LinkedIn, that lets you target based on LinkedIn profile information. As of its current LinkedIn profile targeting documentation, you can target three dimensions:

• Company: up to 1,000 companies per ad group or campaign
• Industry: for example finance or broadcast media
• Job function: for example sales, accounting or purchasing

It works with Search, Dynamic Search ads, Shopping, Audience and Performance Max campaigns, although Microsoft notes that not every account can use it with Performance Max yet. Availability also varies by market.

One detail catches people out: on search campaigns, LinkedIn targeting is “bid only.” It does not narrow your audience. Instead, you raise bids for people who match, for example IT decision makers at companies on your target list. That makes it a strong fit for B2B lead generation, software and professional services.

Performance Max on Both Platforms

Both platforms now offer Performance Max, a goal-based campaign type that uses automation to serve ads across many placements from one campaign.

• Google Performance Max runs across YouTube, Display, Search, Discover, Gmail and Maps. Google has added channel performance reporting, asset group reporting, brand exclusions and negative keywords to give you more control.
• Microsoft Performance Max serves across the Microsoft Advertising Network, including search and audience placements. It is available in all Microsoft Advertising markets, and a Merchant Center store is only needed if you want product ads. Microsoft notes it does not currently support video assets.

On both platforms, Performance Max depends on accurate conversion tracking. Microsoft also recommends giving these campaigns more budget than your historical standalone campaigns, because a tight budget limits how well the system can learn. If your tracking is weak, fix it before you launch.

Moving Campaigns Across with Google Import

You do not have to rebuild your account from scratch. Microsoft Ads includes a Google import tool:

1. In Microsoft Ads, go to Import and choose Import from Google Ads.
2. Sign in to your Google account and select the campaigns you want.
3. Choose your import options, such as bids, budgets, targeting and assets, and associate your UET tag.
4. Review the summary and errors, then confirm.
5. Decide whether to import once or schedule recurring imports (daily, weekly or monthly).

Microsoft’s guide to what gets imported from Google Ads explains the details. Search, Shopping and Performance Max campaigns import, and Demand Gen campaigns come across as Audience campaigns. Some items do not transfer, including customer lists, affinity audiences, automated rules, IP exclusions and video files.

After any import, review the account by hand. Check that utm_source changed from google to bing, that unsupported bid strategies did not fall back to something you did not want, and that location targets mapped correctly. Be careful with scheduled imports too: if updates to existing items are on, changes you make in Microsoft Ads can be overwritten by the next sync.

When to Use Each, and How to Run Both

Start with Google Ads if

• You need the largest possible search volume, especially on mobile
• You rely on local intent, Maps visibility or YouTube video
• You are just starting with paid search and can only manage one platform well

Add or prioritize Microsoft Ads if

• You sell B2B and want LinkedIn company, industry or job function targeting
• Your conversions skew toward desktop users
• Your Google campaigns are already profitable and you want more volume from similar intent
• Your analytics already show converting traffic from Bing or Yahoo

Running both without wasting budget

• Track properly on each platform. Install the Google tag and the Microsoft UET tag, and use the same conversion definitions on both.
• Respect consent rules. Microsoft has enforced Consent Mode for UET since May 5, 2025 for advertisers with users in the EEA, the UK and Switzerland. Google requires consent signals for EEA traffic too.
• Start Microsoft Ads from your best Google campaigns. Import proven campaigns, then adjust bids and negatives based on Microsoft’s own search terms.
• Compare on the same metric. Use cost per lead or return on ad spend, with consistent attribution in your analytics.

If you want help setting this up, our Microsoft Ads management service builds and optimizes campaigns alongside your existing PPC management, and you keep both ad accounts in your own name. Already running both? A PPC audit will show where budget is leaking on each platform.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Microsoft Ads the same as Bing Ads?

Yes. Bing Ads was renamed Microsoft Advertising, and most people now call it Microsoft Ads. The platform still powers paid search on Bing, and its documentation lists partners such as Yahoo, AOL, DuckDuckGo and Ecosia. It also runs audience ads on Microsoft properties like MSN, Microsoft Edge and Outlook.com, plus ads in Copilot.

Is Microsoft Ads cheaper than Google Ads?

It can be for some keywords, but it depends on your industry, market and how many advertisers compete in each auction. Do not rely on general averages. Run the same keywords, ads and landing pages on both platforms for a fair test, then compare cost per lead or return on ad spend rather than cost per click.

Can I import my Google Ads campaigns into Microsoft Ads?

Yes. Microsoft Ads has a built-in Google import tool that brings over campaigns, ad groups, keywords, ads, budgets, many assets and some audiences. You can import once or on a schedule. Some items, such as customer lists and automated rules, do not transfer, so always review the account after importing.

Can I target LinkedIn users with Microsoft Ads?

Yes. Microsoft Ads offers LinkedIn profile targeting by company, industry and job function on Search, Shopping, Audience and Performance Max campaigns, depending on market availability. On search campaigns it works as a bid adjustment rather than a restriction, so you bid more for matching users without excluding everyone else.

Should a small business run both Google Ads and Microsoft Ads?

Most small businesses should start with one platform, usually Google Ads, and get conversion tracking and profitability right first. Once you have a proven campaign, importing it into Microsoft Ads is a low-effort way to test extra volume. Keep both only if Microsoft delivers leads or sales at a cost you are happy with.

Get an Honest Recommendation for Your Budget

The right split between Google Ads and Microsoft Ads depends on your audience, your offer and the data you already have. ZEE WEB SOL has worked with businesses since 2016 and sends clear monthly reports, so you always know what each platform delivers. Book a free consultation and we will review where your next ad dollar should go.