Googlebot
Run by Google
How to detect Googlebot
Googlebot names itself in its user agent, but anyone can copy a user agent, so it is detected by confirming the user agent against other signals: source IP confirmed as the operator's own network; and how the session clicks, types, moves and navigates matches an automated agent.
- Detection method
- Self-declaredThe agent names itself in its user agent, and Verisoul confirms it with network, device or behavioral data. A user agent alone is never enough.
- Signals that identify it
- NetworkSource IP confirmed as the operator's own network
- DeviceDevice profile of Google's page-rendering browser
- BehavioralHow the session clicks, types, moves and navigates matches an automated agent
Every signal Verisoul checks for Googlebot
Googlebot names itself in its user agent. Anyone can copy that, so we only label a session Googlebot when the other signals check out too.
- Not used
Cryptographic
Not needed to identify it
- Used
Network
Source IP confirmed as the operator's own network
- Used
Device
Device profile of Google's page-rendering browser
- Used
Behavioral
How the session clicks, types, moves and navigates matches an automated agent
How often you'll see it
Very common
About 20 to 25% of global crawler traffic in September 2026, per Cloudflare Radar
More from Google
- AdsBot-GoogleChecks the quality of ad landing pages for Google Ads.Self-declaredHow common: Common
- AdsBot-Google-MobileChecks the quality of mobile ad landing pages for Google Ads.Self-declaredHow common: Common
- Googlebot-ImageCrawls images for Google Images and Google Search.Self-declaredHow common: Common
- GoogleOtherGoogle's general-purpose crawler for product teams' one-off crawls.Self-declaredHow common: Common
- Mediapartners-GoogleReads pages on AdSense sites so Google can show relevant ads.Self-declaredHow common: Common
- Google-InspectionToolFetches a page when a site owner tests it in Google Search Console.Self-declaredHow common: Uncommon
Questions about Googlebot
How do you detect Googlebot?
Googlebot names itself in its user agent, but anyone can copy a user agent, so it is detected by confirming the user agent against other signals: source IP confirmed as the operator's own network; and how the session clicks, types, moves and navigates matches an automated agent.
What is Googlebot?
Googlebot is Google's main crawler for Google Search.
Does Googlebot identify itself?
Partly. Googlebot names itself in its user agent, but user agents are easy to copy, so the name alone is not proof.
Can a bot pretend to be Googlebot?
A bot can copy Googlebot's user agent or markers, but the network, device and behavior signals will not match, so it is not labeled Googlebot.
How common is Googlebot?
Very common. About 20 to 25% of global crawler traffic in September 2026, per Cloudflare Radar.
What does the Verisoul API return for Googlebot?
Every session Verisoul identifies as Googlebot carries an agent block with id "googlebot", name, provider, type "crawler", detection_method "self_declared" and the detection_signals used (network, behavioral). Build rules on the id, type and detection method.