# Facebook ads vs Instagram ads

> Facebook and Instagram ads are bought in the same Meta Ads Manager. The real choice is placements. How to choose, how to compare, and a worked example.
- **Author**: Marxx
- **Published**: 2026-11-13
- **Category**: Meta
- **URL**: https://marxx.ai/library-compare/facebook-ads-vs-instagram-ads

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Facebook ads and Instagram ads are not two products. You create both in Meta Ads Manager, and the choice is where the ad appears, which Meta calls a placement. Start with Meta's recommended Advantage+ placements, then read results by placement and cut only what clearly loses.

## What Meta says

Meta's help page on [ad placements](https://www.facebook.com/business/help/407108559393196) says your ads can appear on Facebook, Messenger, Instagram, WhatsApp, Threads and Meta Audience Network, depending on your objective. It also says:

- Multiple placements increase the number of people who can see your ad and can improve results.
- Adding more placements does not increase the cost of your ad.
- Advantage+ placements are recommended, so Meta's delivery system can try to make the most of your budget.

Checked 2026-10-20.

## Side by side

| | Facebook placements | Instagram placements |
|---|---|---|
| Feeds | Facebook Feed, Marketplace, right column, notifications, Business Explore | Instagram Feed, profile feed, Explore home |
| Stories and Reels | Facebook Stories, Facebook Reels, Messenger Stories | Instagram Stories, Instagram Reels |
| Search | Facebook search results | Instagram search results |

Placements shown here are from the same Meta page. Which ones are open to you depends on your ad type and settings.

## A worked example

Say you spend INR 30,000 in a week on Advantage+ placements. You open Ads Manager, choose **Breakdown**, then **By Delivery**, then **Placement**, as in [Meta's guide to results by placement](https://www.facebook.com/business/help/1098535543548363). Meta notes that these figures are estimates. The numbers below are made up.

| Placement | Spend | Purchases | Cost per purchase |
|---|---|---|---|
| Facebook Feed | INR 10,000 | 25 | INR 400 |
| Instagram Reels | INR 12,000 | 20 | INR 600 |
| Instagram Stories | INR 5,000 | 3 | INR 1,667 |
| Instagram Feed | INR 3,000 | 4 | INR 750 |
| Total | INR 30,000 | 52 | about INR 577 |

Stories looks weak. Do not exclude it on one week of data. Meta recommends Advantage+ placements so its delivery system can spread your budget where it expects results. Duplicate the ad set, exclude Stories in the copy, and run both for a week at equal budgets. If the copy costs less per purchase, keep it.

Also make sure each placement gets a creative that fits it. A square image can look poor in a tall placement. See [Instagram ads vs boosted posts](/compare/instagram-ads-vs-boosted-posts) for a related choice.

## When to pick manual placements

- Your creative only works in one shape, such as a vertical video.
- A breakdown shows a placement with spend and no results over a long run.
- You want an Instagram-only campaign for a brand rule.

Otherwise leave Advantage+ placements on. If you boost from the Instagram app, see [how to boost an Instagram post the right way](/guides/how-to-boost-an-instagram-post-the-right-way).

To fit each placement, Marxx's [video editor](/features/ai-video-editor) adds safe-zone overlays and reframes a video in one request. We make Marxx.

For a wider channel view, see [TikTok ads vs Meta ads](/compare/tiktok-ads-vs-meta-ads).

## FAQ

### Is Instagram more expensive than Facebook?

Not as a fixed rule. Cost depends on audience, season and creative. Read your own breakdown by placement.

### Where do I see results by placement?

In Ads Manager, choose Breakdown, then By Delivery, then Placement. Meta labels these figures as estimates.

### Do more placements cost more?

Meta says adding more placements does not increase the cost of your ad.

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