Google to Change Budget Pacing for Ad Scheduling Campaigns

Key Takeaways

Google is updating budget pacing for campaigns using ad scheduling, starting March 1, 2026.
The update aims to spend closer to the monthly limit while maintaining specific daily budgets and ad schedules.
Campaigns may see increased spending on scheduled days, addressing the previous underutilization of budgets.
Advertisers should review daily budgets as adjustments may be necessary prior to the change.
The update does not modify existing spending caps but changes budget utilization within scheduled periods.

Google is updating budget pacing for campaigns that use ad scheduling in Google Ads. The change begins on March 1, 2026. It affects campaigns that limit ads to specific days or times.

Budget pacing controls how an advertiser’s daily budget is spent over a month. In the past, campaigns with restricted schedules often did not spend their full monthly allocation.

How Budget Pacing Will Work After the Update

Under the new system, Google Ads will aim to spend closer to the monthly spending limit, even when ad scheduling is applied. The monthly cap remains 30.4 times the average daily budget. The daily limit also stays the same. A campaign cannot spend more than twice its average daily budget on a single day.

Ads will continue to run only during the scheduled time periods selected by advertisers. The update does not expand delivery outside those hours. Instead, it adjusts how aggressively the budget is used within the approved schedule.

Impact on Campaign Spending

Campaigns that run only on certain days may see higher spending during those times. For example, a campaign limited to weekends could spend more on those days than before. Previously, such campaigns often underspent relative to the monthly cap.

Google Ads Liaison Ginny Marvin stated that campaign goals will still guide delivery. Conversion targets and bidding strategies remain in effect. The rollout will happen gradually. Some advertisers will receive advance notifications.