How to Connect Gemini CLI to Google Ads (MCP Guide)

Gemini CLI, Google's open-source agent for the terminal, can use MCP servers as tools. Connect it to VibeAds and you can ask about your Google Ads account from the command line: what each campaign spent, which search terms wasted money, what to fix next, and a draft for a new campaign.

What do I need?

• Gemini CLI installed and signed in.
• A VibeAds account with Google Ads connected in Settings. Reading works on every plan; drafting and publishing need Pro ($20 a month) or Max.
• A VibeAds API key from Settings, MCP Server Keys, starting with vba_mcp_.

How do I add VibeAds to Gemini CLI?

One command adds the hosted server for your user account:

gemini mcp add --scope user --transport http --header "x-vibeads-api-key: vba_mcp_YOUR_KEY_HERE" vibeads https://getvibeads.com/api/mcp

That writes an entry like this to ~/.gemini/settings.json, which you can also add by hand:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "vibeads": {
      "httpUrl": "https://getvibeads.com/api/mcp",
      "headers": { "x-vibeads-api-key": "vba_mcp_YOUR_KEY_HERE" }
    }
  }
}

Check it with gemini mcp list, or /mcp inside a session, which shows the server and its tools. Then ask: "Show me my Google Ads campaigns in VibeAds."

Without --scope user the command writes to the project's .gemini/settings.json; keep that file out of version control if it holds the key.

What can I ask?

• "Summarize last week across my campaigns and flag anything unusual."
• "Which search terms cost money with no conversions?"
• "What should I fix first, and how much could it save?"
• "What does Google recommend for my account?"

Can the API key spend money?

No. A connection made with a key gets an approval link for publishing a campaign, raising a daily budget, or raising a bid past double or $50 a click; you approve it in your browser, signed in to VibeAds. Other changes run through VibeAds' safety checks, at up to 60 calls an hour per key, and you can revoke the key any time in VibeAds.

Troubleshooting

• /mcp shows the server disconnected. Check the URL is exactly https://getvibeads.com/api/mcp and the transport is http.
• "Missing VibeAds API key". The header must be x-vibeads-api-key and the key must start with vba_mcp_.
• No live numbers. Connect Google Ads in VibeAds Settings.

Every tool and its plan is in the MCP server docs.