Comparison
Roster vs Looker Studio for Google Ads client reporting
Updated 1 November 2026 · written by the Roster team
Looker Studio is free, flexible and combines many data sources, but you build each client's report yourself and keep it working as campaigns change.
Roster builds a Google Ads report from a plain description, checks the figures against the account, and refreshes it each month, but it covers Google Ads only and needs the Claude desktop app. Pick Looker Studio for multi-platform dashboards; pick Roster to stop rebuilding monthly Google Ads reports.
Side by side
| Looker Studio | Roster | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free. Paid connectors for some non-Google sources; optional Pro tier | Free during early access |
| Data sources | Many: Google Ads, GA4, Sheets, BigQuery and hundreds more through connectors | Google Ads only, for now |
| How a report is made | Drag and drop charts, set filters and calculated fields, or start from a template | Describe it to Claude; you see the real figures page by page before anything is saved |
| Each new client | Copy a template and reconnect the account, then check every chart | Describe the report or reuse your template; Roster checks it against the new account |
| When campaigns are added or renamed | Charts filtered on campaign names can drop or miss campaigns until you update the filters | A report that covers the whole account picks up new campaigns on its own |
| What the client gets | A live dashboard link, or a PDF by scheduled email | A link to the figures you checked; it stays fixed after you send it |
| Commentary | Text boxes you edit in the report | Your notes beside each chart, plus a summary and next steps |
| Design freedom | Very high: any chart, layout, colour or blend of sources | A consistent report layout with your agency's name and the client's logo |
| What you need | A Google account | A Roster account and the Claude desktop app with the Roster plugin |
| Access to the ad account | Read through the data owner's credentials | Read-only; Roster never changes a bid, budget or campaign |
Where Looker Studio is the better choice
- Reports that combine platforms. If a client's report must show Google Ads next to Meta, GA4 and their CRM, Looker Studio handles it and Roster doesn't yet.
- Full control of the design. Custom layouts, brand colours, blended data and calculated fields are all there.
- Live dashboards. For a client who wants to check numbers any day of the month, a live dashboard suits better than a monthly report.
- No new tools. Everyone already has a Google account; Roster asks you to use the Claude desktop app.
Where Roster is the better choice
- You rebuild the same Google Ads report every month. Roster's report refreshes from live data; you add the commentary and send.
- You don't want to build dashboards. You describe what the client should see, and Roster works out the charts from what the account actually supports.
- Figures must match the account. Every rate, such as cost per conversion and CTR, is worked out from totals the way Google Ads does it.
- The client should see what you checked. Each link you send keeps the figures as they were when you sent it, so last month's report never changes under the client.
Questions
- Is Looker Studio free for Google Ads reporting?
- Yes. Looker Studio is free, and Google's own Google Ads connector is free. You pay only if you add paid connectors for other platforms or choose Looker Studio Pro.
- Can I use Roster and Looker Studio together?
- Yes. Some agencies keep a Looker Studio dashboard for their own day-to-day monitoring and send clients a Roster report each month. Roster only reads Google Ads, so the two don't interfere.
- Does Roster cover Meta, LinkedIn or GA4?
- Not yet. Roster covers Google Ads only. If a client's report must combine several platforms, Looker Studio or a multi-source reporting tool fits better today.
Related: What should a monthly Google Ads client report include?