Sub-accounts and client connections

This guide shows you how to add a client workspace (a sub-account), set up how they're billed, invite their team, and ask them for access to their Meta and Google Ads accounts. It is for agency owners and account managers.

Before you begin

• You need an Agency plan and agency access. See Agency overview.
• Have the client's business name and the email address of the person who will be their admin. Use their own email, never a shared login.
• Decide who pays: you (Agency-managed) or the client directly (Self-serve, also called SaaS mode).
• For Self-serve, connect Stripe in Agency → Rebilling first. See branding, domains, and rebilling.
• Client Connections needs a Pro plan or higher.

Where to find it

• Agency → Sub-accounts lists your Client workspaces.
• Select Manage on a client to open their details. The tabs are Dashboard, Connections, Setup, Billing, Users, Activity, and Calls.
• Agency → Client Connections lists access requests for all clients.

Add a client workspace

1. Open Agency → Sub-accounts and select Add client.
2. In Add client workspace, enter the Client or business name.
3. Select Create and continue. You'll see Sub-account created successfully, and the client's details open.

What you should see: the client appears in the list with its Plan, Billing mode, Users, and Created date, and the status Active.

Next: choose billing, install the setup kit, then invite users. Don't invite the client until their plan and billing are set.

Choose the billing mode and plan

Open the client and select the Billing tab.

Billing mode

• Agency-managed: you pick a plan (a "comp tier"). The client doesn't pay Stripe directly; their usage draws from your credit pool. Their billing page is read-only.
• Self-serve: the client pays through Stripe Checkout on your connected Stripe account, and you add a markup. They manage upgrades, downgrades, and cancellation themselves.

To change mode, select Switch to and choose when it Switches on, for example End of current credit period. Select Schedule switch. Until that date, the client stays on their current mode and credits. The client list shows Switching to the new mode with the date. To undo it, select Cancel schedule.

When switching a client to self-serve, on the switch day they choose a plan and add a card through Stripe Checkout to keep their service. Tell them in advance.

Assign a plan (tier)

1. On the Billing tab, under Tier, select Change tier.
2. Pick a tier you created in Rebilling. The window shows what it Will assign. Tiers give the client their credit budget and limits.
3. Select Save tier. You'll see Tier assigned.

With No tier (defaults to Free), you can set custom limits with Edit caps instead. Clients with an active self-serve subscription manage their own plan, so you can't change their tier here.

The Billing tab also shows Credits, credits remaining, Next bill, and past periods. Select Export CSV to download usage.

Invite the client's team

1. Open the client and select the Users tab.
2. Select Invite user. In Invite user to sub-account, enter the Email address.
3. Choose one:
   • Send email – Spacebrain emails the invitation. You'll see Invitation sent to the address.
   • Generate link – copy the link and send it yourself. It expires in 7 days.
4. Set their Role: Admin, Editor, or Member. See roles and permissions.

Use Resend invite if an invitation expires, Edit name to change a display name, and Remove user to take away access immediately. You can't remove or demote the only admin. Promote another user first.

Request access to a client's Meta or Google Ads accounts

Client Connections sends the client a private, branded request. They sign in on Meta or Google themselves and choose exactly which assets to share. You never see their password.

One-time agency setup

The first time, Spacebrain asks where access should arrive:

• Meta: under Add your Meta Business ID, select Open Meta Business info, copy the number beside your business name, and paste it into Meta Business ID. Check the Client-facing business name, then save.
• Google Ads: under Add your Google Ads manager account, enter your 10-digit Manager account ID and an Account label for your team. No developer token or paid verification is needed.

Send a request

1. Open Agency → Client Connections and select Onboard a client. You can also start from a client's Connections tab with New request.
2. Client: choose an Existing client, or New client and type a Client name. Only active clients can receive requests.
3. Access: choose what the client should connect: Meta (Ad accounts, Pages, Pixels, Instagram, and Catalogs) and/or Google Ads customer accounts. Choose the lowest access level you need, for example View advertising performance if you only report on ads.
4. Delivery: choose Send by email (enter the Contact name and Contact email) or Copy a link to share it yourself.
5. Review: check the summary and select Create and send or Create private link.

What you should see: Your request is on its way, or Your secure link is ready with Copy secure link. Email requests get friendly reminders on days 1, 3, and 6 until the client finishes. Links expire after seven days.

Track requests

Filter the list by Status, Client, and Provider. Statuses include Awaiting client, In progress, Needs action, Connected, Partially connected, Expired, Revoked, and Could not connect.

Open a request to see its progress and history. You can Create new link (the old one stops working), Stop invitation, or End request.

After a request shows Connected, open the client's workspace and check the right ad account or Page is there.

Suspend or delete a client

Open the client's details:

• Suspend Sub-Account blocks access but keeps their data. Select Activate Sub-Account to restore it.
• Delete Sub-Account permanently removes the workspace. It can't be undone.

Before offboarding, export any data the client needs, pause their automations and scheduled posts, end open Client Connections requests, settle invoices, and remove your custom domain if it was only for them. Removing a workspace doesn't remove access the client granted on Meta or Google; ask them to remove it there too.

If something goes wrong

FAQ

Can I invite the client before choosing a plan?

You can, but don't. Set billing and install the setup kit first, so the client sees a ready workspace.

Should I delete a client to stop their usage?

No. Suspend them first, sort out billing and connections, then delete only when you're sure.

Does "Connected" mean I can run ads for them?

It means they approved access. Your access level and their Meta or Google settings decide what you can do.

Next step

Install a ready-made setup for your new client: Client setup kits.