# Do You Need a Suspension Recovery Specialist? | Certanza > Merchant Center or Google Ads suspended? An honest look at fixing it yourself, using a tool, or paying a recovery specialist, and how to choose. Web page: https://www.certanza.app/guides/suspension-recovery-specialist # Do you need a suspension recovery specialist? An honest comparison A suspended Merchant Center or Google Ads account brings out a lot of people offering to fix it, for a fee. Some are genuinely skilled. But every route ends at the same place: a free review that only Google can approve. So the real question isn't who can get you reinstated. It's who's best placed to find what Google objected to, fix it properly and explain it clearly. Here's how to decide. Appeal guide · updated 6 November 2026 · 6 minute read ## The short version - Every route ends at the same free review, and only Google can approve it. Anyone who guarantees the outcome is promising something they don't control. - What you're really paying for is diagnosis: finding the exact pages and wording Google is likely to object to. That part is often the hardest. - First suspension, clear website reason, and you can edit your own site? You can usually handle it yourself, with or without a tool. - Several linked accounts, repeated rejections or problems in your product feed are where an experienced specialist earns their fee. ## Key numbers - **£0**: to review your appeal. Every route ends at the same free form. - **Only Google**: No agency, freelancer or tool can approve an appeal for you. - **£100s**: often, for recovery work. Prices vary widely, so get it in writing. - **6+ months**: for a Google Ads suspension, so you can fix things properly first. ## What only Google can do Google reviews your website, your ads or products, and your account history, including signals no outside tool or agency can see. It says it reinstates Ads accounts only in compelling circumstances, and that only some suspended accounts are eligible. Nobody can buy their way past that review. What anyone can do, you included, is work out what Google is likely to object to, fix it properly, and explain clearly what changed. That's the work you'd be paying for, so it helps to know how much of it you can do yourself. > **A note on us.** Certanza is one of the three options below. We've set out what each one can and can't do, our own limits included, so you can judge for yourself. ## Your three options compared Each route suits a different situation. Here's what each one involves in practice, what it costs, and where it falls short. ## When a specialist earns their fee ### Several accounts are caught up Google suspends related accounts too. Working out which accounts are linked, and appealing each one in the right order, takes experience. ### You've been rejected more than once If you've fixed everything you can find and reviews still fail, a fresh, experienced pair of eyes can spot what you're too close to see. ### It's circumventing systems [Circumventing systems](/guides/circumventing-systems) suspensions often involve account history, ownership or past accounts. These are harder to explain well than a website fix. ### The problem isn't your website Product feed errors, structured data and Merchant Center settings need someone comfortable working inside those systems. ### Your time costs more than the fee If every week without ads costs you more than the fee, paying someone with a proven process can be the sensible business decision. ## When you can probably do it yourself ### It's your first suspension With a website reason like [misrepresentation](/guides/merchant-center-misrepresentation) or [website needs improvement](/guides/merchant-center-website-needs-improvement), the fixes are usually on pages you can edit yourself. ### The gaps are missing details No business address, a thin returns policy, unclear delivery times or a hard-to-find contact page. These are quick to fix once you know they're the problem. ### Your ads are paused for a payment check [Suspicious payment activity](/guides/google-ads-suspicious-payment-activity) is an identity and payment check you complete in your own account. Nobody else can do it for you. ### Google has told you what's wrong If the notice or an email already points to the problem, you don't need someone to diagnose it. Fix it, then [write a clear appeal](/guides/appeal-letter-examples). ## How to check a specialist before you pay If you decide to get help, ask these before you hand over any money or access. A good specialist will be glad you asked. Your ticks are saved in this browser. - [ ] They don't promise or guarantee reinstatement - [ ] They explain what they'll check and why, in plain English - [ ] They'll be added as a user on my account, never given my password - [ ] They tell me every change they make, and the changes stay on my site - [ ] I have the price in writing, and know what happens if the appeal is rejected - [ ] They'd never suggest a new account, a new domain or hiding anything from Google - [ ] They're realistic about how long a review takes > **Walk away from guarantees.** Only Google decides an appeal, so a guarantee is a promise nobody outside Google can keep. Be just as wary of advice to open a new account or move to a new domain. Google treats that as [circumventing systems](https://www.certanza.app/guides/circumventing-systems), and it can make a fixable suspension much harder to recover. ## Check your website first, whichever you choose Whichever route you take, start by finding out what's on your site that Google could object to. If you're fixing it yourself, you'll know where to begin. If you hire someone, you can compare what they find with what you already know, and you'll understand what you're paying for. When you're ready to appeal, our [appeal letter examples](https://www.certanza.app/guides/appeal-letter-examples) and [Merchant Center reinstatement guide](https://www.certanza.app/guides/merchant-center-reinstatement) take you through it step by step. ## Common questions ### How much does suspension recovery cost? Appealing to Google is free. Agencies and freelancers often charge hundreds of pounds, and prices vary widely depending on what's included. Certanza's scan is free, and the full report with fixes and an appeal letter is a one-off fee shown on our [pricing page](/pricing). ### Can anyone guarantee my account will be reinstated? No. Google makes every decision and looks at things no outside tool or agency can see. What helps is fixing every real problem and writing an honest, specific appeal. ### Is it safe to give an agency access to my account? Add them as a user with the access they need, through your Google Ads or Merchant Center account settings, rather than sharing your sign-in. You can remove them when the work is done. ### Is Certanza an agency? No. Certanza is a tool that scans your website and shows you what to fix. We don't sign in to your Google accounts or submit appeals for you, and we can't guarantee the outcome. You stay in control of your site and your appeal. ### My appeal was rejected. Should I hire someone now? Maybe. First look again at every page your ads or products link to, because a rejection usually means something was missed. If you've done that and you're still stuck, especially with several accounts, a specialist may be worth it. See [what to do when a review is rejected](/guides/merchant-center-review-rejected). ## Sources - [Google Ads: Appeal a policy-related suspension](https://support.google.com/adspolicy/answer/3375595) - [Google Ads: Account suspensions overview](https://support.google.com/google-ads/answer/9841640) - [Google Merchant Center: Request a review of your issues](https://support.google.com/merchants/answer/13585221) Check your own website for these problems with a free scan: https://www.certanza.app/ --- Certanza is an independent tool and is not affiliated with Google. Reports are not legal advice and can't guarantee approval. Site guide for AI assistants: https://www.certanza.app/llms.txt