Updated January 26, 2026· 10 min

7 Best Performance Max Tools in 2026

Compare the best Performance Max tools for 2026. From asset optimization and audience insights to reporting and creative analysis, find the perfect tool to maximize your PMax campaigns.

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Key Takeaways

  • Google Ads is essential (#1) for all PMax advertisers, with steadily improving native insights and reporting capabilities.
  • Optmyzr (#2) provides the deepest PMax insights available, essential for agencies and brands spending $20K+/month on Performance Max.
  • Benly (#3) offers the best cross-platform analytics for teams managing PMax alongside Meta and TikTok campaigns.
  • Free scripts from Mike Rhodes provide significant PMax visibility without any cost - every PMax advertiser should use them.
  • Feed optimization tools like Channable have direct impact on PMax Shopping performance for e-commerce brands.

Performance Max campaigns now account for over 50% of Google's retail ad spend, yet most advertisers struggle to understand and optimize these AI-powered black box campaigns.

Performance Max represents Google's vision for fully automated advertising across Search, Shopping, Display, YouTube, Gmail, and Discover. While the automation can deliver impressive results, it also creates visibility challenges - you can't see exactly which keywords trigger your ads or how budget is distributed across channels. Third-party tools have emerged to fill these gaps, providing the insights and optimization capabilities that Google's native interface lacks. Whether you're trying to understand which assets perform best, need deeper audience insights, or want more control over your PMax campaigns, these seven tools offer the visibility and optimization power you need.

Our methodology: We evaluated all major tools claiming Performance Max support, testing their PMax-specific features, data accuracy, ease of use, and actual impact on campaign performance. Our team ran PMax campaigns through each tool to assess real-world utility beyond marketing claims.

Quick Comparison

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#ToolBest ForPriceRating
1
Google Ads
Official ToolFree
4.3
2
Optmyzr
PMax Insights$249/mo
4.5
3
BenlyBenly
Cross-Platform Analytics$99/mo
4.8
4
Channable
Feed Optimization$59/mo
4.3
5
PMax Insights (Mike Rhodes)
Free PMax ScriptsFree
4.4
6
Skai
Enterprise PMaxCustom
4.1
7
Producthero
Asset Groups$99/mo
4.2

Detailed Reviews

#2

Optmyzr

Best for PMax Insights & Optimization

4.5

$249/mo

Optmyzr offers the most comprehensive Performance Max analysis and optimization tools available. Built by former Google employees, it provides deep insights into PMax campaigns including search term mining, asset group analysis, and optimization recommendations. Their PMax-specific reports and scripts help advertisers understand the black box and make informed optimization decisions.

Key Features

  • PMax search term mining and analysis
  • Asset group performance breakdown
  • Audience signal optimization
  • One-click optimization recommendations
  • Custom PMax scripts and automation
  • Multi-campaign PMax comparison
Best for: Agencies and brands needing deep PMax insights and control
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#3
Benly

Benly

Our Pick

Best for Cross-Platform Analytics

4.8

$99/mo

Benly provides AI-powered analytics that includes Performance Max alongside Meta, TikTok, and standard Google campaigns in a unified view. While not a PMax specialist, Benly helps advertisers understand how PMax performance compares to other channels and campaigns, making it valuable for budget allocation decisions and holistic performance understanding.

Key Features

  • Unified PMax + Meta + TikTok analytics
  • AI-powered performance anomaly detection
  • Cross-campaign performance comparison
  • Automated reporting including PMax
  • Natural language campaign insights
  • Budget optimization recommendations
Best for: Teams managing PMax alongside Meta and TikTok campaigns
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#4

Channable

Best for Feed Optimization

4.3

$59/mo

Channable is a feed management platform that optimizes product data for Performance Max campaigns. Since PMax heavily relies on your product feed for Shopping placements, optimized feed data directly improves PMax performance. Channable automates feed enhancement, creates product groupings, and ensures your PMax campaigns have the best possible asset foundation.

Key Features

  • Automated feed optimization rules
  • Product data enhancement
  • Dynamic asset group creation
  • Multi-channel feed distribution
  • A/B testing for feed changes
  • Custom label automation
Best for: E-commerce brands optimizing product feeds for PMax
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#5

PMax Insights (Mike Rhodes Scripts)

Best Free PMax Scripts

4.4

Free

Mike Rhodes' PMax Scripts are free Google Ads scripts that extract hidden data from Performance Max campaigns. These scripts reveal search terms, placement data, and performance breakdowns that Google's interface doesn't show. Essential tools for any PMax advertiser wanting more transparency without paying for third-party software.

Key Features

  • Free search term extraction script
  • Placement data visibility
  • Asset performance analysis
  • Conversion action breakdown
  • Regular updates for API changes
  • Community support and documentation
Best for: PPC managers comfortable with scripts wanting free PMax insights
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#6

Skai

Best for Enterprise PMax

4.1

Custom pricing

Skai (formerly Kenshoo) is an enterprise advertising platform with sophisticated Performance Max support for large-scale advertisers. It offers portfolio-level PMax optimization, advanced automation, and cross-channel attribution that helps enterprise teams manage PMax within broader retail media strategies.

Key Features

  • Portfolio PMax optimization
  • Cross-channel attribution including PMax
  • Advanced automation rules
  • Enterprise reporting and dashboards
  • Retail media integration
  • Custom PMax strategies
Best for: Enterprise advertisers with $1M+ annual PMax spend
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#7

Producthero

Best for Asset Group Optimization

4.2

$99/mo

Producthero is an e-commerce advertising platform with strong Performance Max asset group optimization. It helps create and manage structured asset groups based on product performance, automates custom label assignment, and provides insights into which product groupings drive the best PMax results.

Key Features

  • Asset group structure recommendations
  • Product performance segmentation
  • Custom label automation
  • Product-level PMax insights
  • Automated bid adjustments
  • Feed optimization integration
Best for: E-commerce brands optimizing PMax asset group structure
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How to Choose the Right Tool

Key Criteria

  • 1
    PMax sophistication - determine if you need deep PMax analysis or general campaign management
  • 2
    Technical comfort - some tools require scripts and technical implementation
  • 3
    E-commerce vs. other - feed-focused tools are most valuable for retail advertisers
  • 4
    Budget and scale - match tool investment to your PMax ad spend
  • 5
    Cross-platform needs - consider if you need PMax insights within broader analytics

Questions to Ask

  • ?What's your monthly Performance Max ad spend?
  • ?Are you primarily running PMax for e-commerce/Shopping?
  • ?Do you have technical resources for script implementation?
  • ?Do you need PMax insights alongside other platforms?
  • ?How deep into PMax optimization do you want to go?

Frequently Asked Questions

Performance Max is Google's most automated campaign type, making optimization decisions that were previously manual. The challenge is limited visibility - you can't see exactly which search terms trigger your ads, how budget is distributed across channels, or why Google chose specific placements. Tools like Optmyzr and free scripts help reveal this hidden data, but you'll never have the control you have with standard Search campaigns. The key is focusing on what you can control: assets, audience signals, and feed quality.
Mike Rhodes' PMax Scripts are the best free option, providing search term extraction and placement visibility that Google doesn't show natively. They require some technical knowledge to implement but are well-documented. Google Ads itself is free and has improved PMax reporting significantly. For basic analysis, Google Sheets with the PMax script output gives you more data than many paid tools provided just two years ago.
Optmyzr is worth it if you're spending $20K+ monthly on PMax and need the deepest possible insights. It's particularly valuable for agencies managing multiple PMax campaigns across clients. For smaller advertisers, start with free scripts and Google's native reporting. Upgrade to Optmyzr when you need automation, cross-account analysis, and detailed optimization recommendations.
Use free scripts like Mike Rhodes' PMax search term script, which extracts query data from the Google Ads API. Optmyzr also provides search term mining for PMax. Google has added basic search term insights to the interface, but third-party tools show more complete data. Note that even with tools, you won't see 100% of search terms - Google still aggregates some data.
Feed quality has more direct impact on PMax performance than any third-party tool. Performance Max uses your product feed data for Shopping placements, ad copy generation, and targeting decisions. A well-optimized feed with detailed titles, descriptions, and custom labels improves PMax performance immediately. Tools like Channable help automate feed optimization, but even basic feed improvements without any tools will boost results.
You cannot directly choose channels in Performance Max - that's the nature of the automated campaign type. However, you can influence distribution through asset types (video assets increase YouTube, product feeds increase Shopping), audience signals, and campaign structure. Some advertisers create separate campaigns for channels they want more control over, using PMax for incremental reach. Tools provide visibility into where ads appear but cannot override Google's allocation decisions.

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Gaultier D'Acunto

Gaultier D'Acunto

Co-founder

Published January 26, 2026