ClickCease vs TrafficGuard: which click fraud tool to choose

ClickCease (by CHEQ) and TrafficGuard are two of the click fraud tools most used by search advertisers. Both detect bots, click farms and repeat clicks and exclude that traffic automatically. The difference is how they start: ClickCease covers Google, Meta and Microsoft from its first plan and charges by websites and traffic; TrafficGuard enters via Google Search with a cheap spend-capped plan and leaves other channels to Enterprise.

The comparison in one table

ClickCease: several platforms from the first plan

According to its pricing page, every ClickCease plan includes ad protection on Google, Meta and Microsoft, bot protection for WordPress, Lead Shield for HubSpot, Consent Mode compatibility, optimisation rules and the Pixel Guard connector. From Pro you get multi-domain setup, agency permissions, account overview and white-label reporting; Advanced adds an in-person onboarding session. The price rises with the number of websites and total traffic, and brands with over one million annual visits are pointed to CHEQ.

TrafficGuard: cheap Google Search, Enterprise for everything else

The TrafficGuard pricing page presents Shield at $49/month as a promotional price: up to $30,000 monthly spend on Google Search, one domain, unlimited users, detection mode to see invalid traffic before blocking, automated prevention, custom click-frequency rules and essential reporting. Enterprise adds omnichannel protection (Search, Meta, affiliate and mobile), unlimited users and accounts, IP range blocking, the Smart Bid Optimiser, Performance Max Shield and a dedicated manager. Its Meta protection connects one portfolio of up to 25 ad accounts.

Who each one is for

• ClickCease is for small businesses and agencies advertising on Google, Meta and Microsoft at once who want it all covered from the first plan, with 24/7 support and white-label reports.
• TrafficGuard Shield is for advertisers spending mainly on Google Search, up to $30,000 a month, who want the lowest entry price with unlimited users.
• TrafficGuard Enterprise is for large advertisers who need to protect Meta, affiliate, mobile and Performance Max in one dashboard.

Our opinion

If you only run Google search, TrafficGuard Shield costs half as much as ClickCease Starter and its detection mode is the most honest way to check whether you have a problem before paying. If your campaigns split budget across Google, Meta and Microsoft, ClickCease is more complete from the first plan. Either way, be wary of generic savings figures: measure the share of blocked clicks in your own account during the trial.

More alternatives, including ClickGUARD and Lunio, in the best click fraud protection tools. We track Google Ads changes affecting invalid traffic in PPC News.

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