The verdict
For most small teams, pick Meta Ads first. It has the wider audience, works with simple image ads as well as video and lets you test demand without a studio. Message ads also give you a direct route to a conversation.
Pick TikTok Ads when your product suits a younger, visual audience and you can make short native-style video regularly. Direct-to-consumer and e-commerce brands are the clearest fit. Treat it as an experiment with a fixed budget and a clear stop rule, and judge it on cost per customer, not views.
If you sell a complex B2B product to an older buyer, neither is your best channel. Look at LinkedIn Ads or Google Ads first.
Side by side
| 5 points compared | ||
|---|---|---|
| Starts at | $600/mo | |
| Free plan | ||
| API | Yes | Yes |
| MCP server | ||
| Bid & budget automation | Yes | Yes |
| Links |
Plans and pricing
Meta Ads
Pricing not in our catalogue yet.
TikTok Ads
- TikTok Ads Standard$600/mo
Who each is for
Choose Meta Ads if…
Pick TikTok Ads if your buyers spend their attention on short video and you can make fresh clips without a studio. Commerce brands also get extra tools, such as catalogue-based product ads and campaigns that automate targeting and bidding for sales.
Plan for creative as the real cost. Results fade fast without a steady flow of new videos and several versions of each idea.
Set up the Pixel and the Events API together, with deduplication, and test events before you spend. Browser limits and consent choices otherwise cost you data, and the platform then optimises on bad numbers. The measurement tools go beyond clicks, including split tests and conversion lift studies.
Choose TikTok Ads if…
Pick Meta Ads if you need broad reach and a channel that works with the creative you already have. Online shops, local services and brands with wide appeal fit well.
Start with a small budget and give each campaign at least a week to learn. Set up the pixel and the Conversions API together, because browser tracking has gaps. Check Meta's numbers against your own analytics and CRM.
If managing campaigns by hand starts to take too long, optimisation tools such as Madgicx and Revealbot sit on top of Meta Ads. Keep your own list and website as assets too, because one platform can change its rules.
Other options worth a look
Automate bid management and creative testing across Facebook and Instagram ad campaigns using AI.
Automates bidding and budgets across Meta, Google Ads, TikTok and Snapchat with rule-based triggers.
Advertise your products and services to reach professionals and decision-makers with targeted campaigns on LinkedIn.
Runs paid campaigns on X, formerly Twitter, to reach audiences by interest, keyword and follower lookalikes.