# What is the Meta Pixel?

> The Meta Pixel is a code snippet on your website that logs what visitors do after your ad. What it tracks, a worked example and how it differs from the API.
- **Author**: Marxx
- **Published**: 2026-11-25
- **Category**: Meta
- **URL**: https://marxx.ai/library-glossary/meta-pixel

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The Meta Pixel is a piece of code you put on your website. It logs what visitors do there, such as adding to cart or buying, so Meta can measure your ads and find more people like your buyers. You see these actions in Events Manager ([Meta Help Center](https://www.facebook.com/business/help/742478679120153), checked 2026-10-20).

## What the Pixel does

Meta lists three jobs:

- **Reach the right people.** Build audiences from people who visited a page or took an action.
- **Drive more sales.** Set automatic bidding to reach people who are more likely to take an action, such as a purchase.
- **Measure results.** See what happens after people see your ads.

Each action is an event. Meta's standard events include ViewContent, AddToCart, InitiateCheckout, Lead and Purchase. A Purchase event needs a value and a currency ([Meta for Developers](https://developers.facebook.com/docs/meta-pixel/reference), checked 2026-10-20).

## A worked example

Say 5,000 people visit your store from ads in one week. You spent INR 36,000. The Pixel logs:

- 400 AddToCart events, which is 8% of visitors
- 120 Purchase events, which is 2.4% of visitors

Cost per purchase = INR 36,000 / 120 = **INR 300**.

Suppose all 120 buyers added to cart first. About 280 people added to cart and left. You can build a [custom audience](/glossary/custom-audience) from them and show a reminder ad. Your [add-to-cart rate](/glossary/add-to-cart-rate) tells you how healthy the step before that is.

## Pixel or Conversions API?

The Pixel runs in the visitor's browser. The [Conversions API](/glossary/conversions-api) sends events from your own server. They do different jobs, so read [Pixel vs Conversions API](/compare/pixel-vs-conversions-api) before you drop either one. To add the server side, follow our guide to [set up Meta Conversions API](/guides/how-to-set-up-meta-conversions-api).

## Two rules from Meta

- Do not share prohibited information through the Pixel. Meta names health, financial and children's data.
- Do not put your Pixel on websites you do not own without permission.

## FAQ

### Where do I find my Pixel?

In Events Manager. Meta says the actions your Pixel logs appear in the Pixel's dataset there.

### Is the Meta Pixel the same as the Facebook Pixel?

Yes. "Facebook Pixel" is the older name for the same tool.

### What can the Pixel see on my site?

Meta's developer page says it can collect the page address, browser details, button clicks and any custom data you add, such as order value. It collects form field names, not what people type, unless you turn on optional features like Advanced Matching ([Meta for Developers](https://developers.facebook.com/docs/meta-pixel/), checked 2026-10-20).

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