---
title: "Google appears to be blocking scrapers and rank trackers harder"
url: https://seomadman.com/news/google-scraper-blocking-rank-tracker-impact
section: news
language: en
published: 2026-09-19T00:00:00.000Z
modified: 2026-09-19T00:00:00.000Z
author: Adam Hafez
topics: ["Technical SEO", "AI search"]
---

# Google appears to be blocking scrapers and rank trackers harder

## The short answer

Google appears more successful at blocking AI scrapers, rank-tracking tools and third-party tracking scripts since around September 13, 2026, Search Engine Roundtable reported. Rank-tracking vendor Nozzle said its data pulls from Google Search dropped roughly 80 percent. Other vendors like DataForSEO saw similar issues, while Ahrefs and Semrush reported smaller effects, and results are not consistent across tools.

## Key takeaways

- Search Engine Roundtable reported that Google appears to be blocking AI scrapers and rank-tracking tools more effectively since around September 13, 2026.
- Nozzle's Derek Perkins said roughly 80 percent of his tool's attempts to pull data from Google Search have been blocked.
- DataForSEO reported similar blocking, while Sistrix said its data collection was running at a reduced rate as of September 16, 2026.
- Ahrefs and Semrush said they were still able to scrape Google Search, though Semrush noted slower results.
- Glenn Gabe and Barry Schwartz both cautioned that the blocking effect is not consistent across tools or confirmed by Google.

Rank-tracking and third-party tracking tools that scrape Google Search results are reporting
sharply reduced success since around September 13, 2026, according to Search Engine Roundtable.
Nozzle, one of the affected vendors, said roughly 80 percent of its attempts to pull data from
Google Search were being blocked. The pattern coincides with Google updates the site tracked on
September 4, 12 and 15, though Google has not confirmed any change aimed at scrapers.

## What vendors are reporting

Nozzle's Derek Perkins said the majority of his tool's attempts to scrape data from Google Search
have been blocked, putting the drop at around 80 percent. DataForSEO reported similar blocking.
Sistrix posted a status update saying "Google has made further changes to the way search results
are delivered" and that its own data collection was running at a reduced rate as of September 16,
2026. Sistrix's Steve Paine said Google has been changing how it delivers [search results](/topics/technical-seo)
for about a year, currently at a very high pace.

Not every vendor reports the same hit. Ahrefs and Semrush both said they were still able to scrape
Google Search, with Semrush running slower rather than blocked outright. SEO consultant Glenn Gabe
observed that Ahrefs was able to pick up recovery data for sites while Sistrix lagged well behind
on the same events, a sign the blocking is not landing the same way across every tool.

## How reliable is this signal

Search Engine Roundtable's Barry Schwartz cautioned that something may be off with the data
scraping from these tools rather than assuming Google has deliberately tightened access, and that
the vendors reporting drops might simply be wrong about the cause. None of the affected companies
have received or shared confirmation from Google about a change targeting scrapers specifically,
and the inconsistency between tools such as Ahrefs and Sistrix supports treating this as an
observed pattern rather than a confirmed policy shift.

## Why we care

Rank trackers, [AI search](/topics/ai-search) monitoring tools and other third-party scrapers are
how much of the industry measures ranking movement and AI Overview presence when Google's own
tools do not cover the same ground. If access to Google Search keeps degrading for these tools,
site owners lose a chunk of the visibility data they rely on day to day, and any tool-reported
ranking swing needs more scrutiny about whether it reflects real movement or a scraping gap.

## Frequently asked questions

### When did Google's scraper blocking appear to get stronger?

Around September 13, 2026, according to Search Engine Roundtable, coinciding with Google updates the site tracked on September 4, 12 and 15. Vendors reported the effect within days of that window.

### How much data did Nozzle lose?

Nozzle's Derek Perkins said roughly 80 percent of his tool's attempts to scrape data from Google Search were being blocked, a figure he reported directly rather than one Google confirmed.

### Are all rank-tracking tools affected equally?

No. Sistrix reported a reduced data collection rate, DataForSEO reported blocking similar to Nozzle's, and Ahrefs and Semrush said they were still scraping, Semrush at a slower pace. The effect varies by vendor and is not fully consistent.

## Sources

1. [Google Seems To Be More Successful At Blocking The AI Scrapers & Tracking Tools](https://www.seroundtable.com/google-blocking-scrapers-and-tracking-tools-42118.html) - Search Engine Roundtable (primary)