Google Algorithm Update Checker review
A free update timeline helps put traffic changes in context, but does not establish cause.
Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Nov 2026
When Google traffic shifts, Google Algorithm Update Checker gives site owners a timeline to compare against Search Console activity. The web tool, from SEO Skill, shows Google ranking updates and reported search issues, with dates sourced from Google's Search Status Dashboard. It is aimed at people investigating whether a traffic change occurred near an update, not at proving what caused the change.
The free plan includes the update checker and on-demand tools with no usage cap. Users can sign in with Google to overlay Search Console clicks on the timeline, or upload an export to compare update dates with clicks or impressions. The timeline shows start and end dates and rollout durations; it also detects a sustained traffic-change date and lists updates within three days. These comparisons make the checker useful for initial investigation, but proximity in time is not evidence of causation. Buyers looking for a volatility index or SERP feature tracking should look elsewhere.
Paid email alerts are part of a separate weekly site audit, priced at $50 per site per month. That plan adds a weekly crawl, daily Google index checks, and alerts when updates start and finish. It is the relevant choice for site owners who want ongoing monitoring rather than checking the timeline on demand. Choose the free checker for occasional comparisons with Search Console; consider the audit if alerts and regular site checks justify the recurring per-site cost. The tool is web-based and integrates with Google Search Console and Google.
Google Algorithm Update Checker pros and cons
- Where it wins
- Shows update dates, rollout durations and reported search issues
- Overlays Search Console clicks or compares uploaded clicks and impressions
- Flags traffic-change dates and nearby updates within three days
- Where it doesn't
- Nearby timing does not show that an update caused a traffic change
- Email alerts require the paid weekly site audit
- No volatility index or SERP feature tracking
Google Algorithm Update Checker fact sheet, pricing and score →
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