Bot intelligence record

FeedFetcher-Google

Usually allow

Use the FeedFetcher-Google identifier to separate Google feed fetching or subscription-style retrieval from normal visitor requests in server logs.

Feed Feed Fetch Official Documented Confidence: High Verified: Yes robots.txt: No
Operator
Google
Family
Google
Type
Feed
Source type
Official
Last checked
2026-05-20

User-Agent Pattern

Google
FeedFetcher-Google
Verification note

User-agent strings are identification signals, not proof of identity. Confirm important allow, block, or rate-limit decisions with logs, DNS or IP evidence, request behavior, or operator documentation when available.

Robots.txt Snippet

Click snippet to copy
Serve a 404 or 410 response to FeedFetcher-Google requests if you need to stop feed retrieval.

Click the snippet to copy it, or highlight the text manually.

Handling Guidance

Depends

This bot is usually safe to allow when the request source is verified and the traffic matches your site policy.

Feed fetching, subscription updates, podcast retrieval, or content syndication checks.

Record Details

Structured data
Operator
Google
Family
Google
Type
Feed
Purpose
Feed Fetch
Identity type
Official Documented
Confidence
High
Last verified
2026-04-01
Last checked
2026-05-20
Source type
Official
Verification
Verify as a Google fetcher using reverse DNS and Google's published user-triggered fetcher IP ranges.
Spoofing risk
User-agent strings for FeedFetcher-Google can be spoofed. Treat user-agent detection as a classification signal, then verify with published IP ranges, reverse DNS, signatures, operator documentation, or published operator documentation, IP ranges, reverse DNS, signatures, or other verified identity signals before allow-listing.

Notes

FeedFetcher-Google is listed in the Botcrawl directory as a feed retrieval bot from Google. The primary identifier for log review is FeedFetcher-Google.

Identification

  • User-agent pattern: FeedFetcher-Google
  • Family: Google
  • Type: Feed
  • Kind: Fetcher

Common use

Feed fetching, subscription updates, podcast retrieval, or content syndication checks.

Verification and handling

Verify as a Google fetcher using reverse DNS and Google's published user-triggered fetcher IP ranges.

Directory guidance marks the risk level as Safe and the blocking decision as Depends. Do not rely on the user-agent string alone because user-agent strings can be copied or spoofed.

Robots.txt handling: No.

Evidence and Source

  • Verify as a Google fetcher using reverse DNS and Google's published user-triggered fetcher IP ranges.
  • Match `FeedFetcher-Google` as a case-insensitive substring in HTTP user-agent logs. Review bot_aliases for alternate names or product labels. Use bot_http_agent for full user-agent examples when the client sends a longer browser-like string. Do not treat a user-agent match alone as proof of identity for allow-listing.
  • Feed fetching, subscription updates, podcast retrieval, or content syndication checks.
  • User-agent strings for FeedFetcher-Google can be spoofed. Treat user-agent detection as a classification signal, then verify with published IP ranges, reverse DNS, signatures, operator documentation, or published operator documentation, IP ranges, reverse DNS, signatures, or other verified identity signals before allow-listing.

Monitor This Bot In Edge

Botcrawl Edge

Use Botcrawl Edge to see matching traffic, create allow or block rules, and control this bot across connected sites.