Meta ads and Facebook ads are the same family with different reach. Facebook ads live only in the blue app: news feed, stories, marketplace, and groups. Meta ads span Facebook PLUS Instagram, Messenger, WhatsApp, and Audience Network.

The tech backbone is identical. Both use the same pixel tracking, lookalike audiences, and custom audiences. Creatives adapt to each platform—carousels shine on Instagram while longer videos work better on Facebook.

Placements matter. Facebook auto-defaults across its apps, but manual placement selection lets you optimize for your audience. Advantage+ campaigns let AI pick the best performing placements automatically across all apps.

Cost differences are negligible since the same auction drives pricing. Instagram views can be slightly cheaper, but the real difference is audience demographics: younger crowds on Instagram versus broader ages on Facebook. Start with Facebook-only and clone winning campaigns to Instagram to identify your best channels.