Google Keyword Planner (GKP) is a free tool inside Google Ads, originally designed for pay-per-click (PPC) advertisers — but it’s also one of the most powerful tools for SEO and content planning. And here’s the good news: you don’t need to spend a dime to access it.
Many bloggers, marketers, and SEO professionals use Google Keyword Planner without ever creating a campaign or running an ad.
In this knowledgebase article, we’ll show you exactly how to set up your Google Ads account, skip the ad setup, and unlock Keyword Planner — step by step, without spending a cent.
1 Create Your Google Ads Account
To access Keyword Planner, you first need a Google Ads account. Go to ads.google.com and click the Start now button, as shown below.
You’ll be taken to a page prompting you to create your first campaign. Click Create your first campaign to dismiss the pop-up.
On the next screen, you’ll be asked to enter your business name and what happens when someone clicks your ad. Don’t worry — you’re not actually launching an ad; this is just part of the initial setup. Provide them and click the Next button.
Next, you’ll be asked to select your campaign goal. Don’t choose any goal. Instead, scroll down and click the link that says Set up an account only at the bottom.
This allows you to bypass the campaign creation process and move directly to your account settings.
Now, confirm your billing country, time zone, and currency. Make sure these details are accurate — you won’t be able to change them later, and they may affect your accounts if you decide to run ads in the future. Once everything looks good, click Continue.
2 Add Your Payment Method
At this stage, Google will require you to add a payment method to finish setting up your account — even if you don’t plan to advertise.
Enter your debit or credit card details when prompted. Then go to the payment settings and switch from automatic payments to manual payments. This is important because leaving it on automatic may trigger an initial $10 charge, depending on your region.
You might hear workarounds online about deleting accounts or using multiple emails to skip adding your payment details. Be careful, as this could put your account at risk.
Once you’ve added your payment info and selected manual payment, click Submit to complete the setup.
3 Access Google Keyword Planner
After your account is successfully created, click Continue.
You may now be asked to complete your business profile setup. Since we’re not running ads, just click the Cancel (X) icon at the top left corner to skip it.
If you’re shown a verification page, simply click the Google Ads logo to go back to your main dashboard. You can also click the + icon to start a campaign, then hit your browser’s Back button. This will land you on the Campaigns page.
Now you’re ready to access Keyword Planner. Click the wrench icon labeled Tools in the side menu. Under the Planning section, select Keyword Planner.
You’ll now see two tools inside Keyword Planner:
- Discover New Keywords – to get keyword ideas based on topics or websites.
- Get Search Volume and Forecasts – to check traffic and keyword trends.
That’s it — you’ve successfully accessed Google Keyword Planner without launching a campaign.
If you want to learn how to use Keyword Planner for SEO or content research, check out our guide here.
We hope this guide helped you learn how to use Google Keyword Planner without running Google Ads. If you need help or have any questions, our dedicated support team is available 24/7, every day of the year.