According to new data from ad platform and market research firm Nanigans (via VentureBeat), Facebook advertisers are seeing approximately 1790% more profit from mobile ads on iPhone when compared to ads on Android. The study tracked over 200 billion ads on Facebook, and also revealed that cost of mobile advertising on Android is greater than the return on investment received through the platform.

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“Retailers are realizing significantly greater return from audiences on iOS than audiences on Android,” the report says. “For the first three quarters of 2013, RPC [revenue per click] on iOS averaged 6.1 times higher than Android and ROI [return on investment] on iOS averaged 17.9 times higher than Android.”

“Audiences cost more on iPhone, and the reason is that it’s worth it,” Slagen said. “Typically, we’re not looking to acquire one-time customers, we’re looking to invest over time … so we pay more up front for better long-term results.”

Another graph showing the return on investment percentages by retailers advertising on Facebook Mobile showed that iOS brings retailers 162% more cash than spent on the ads, while advertising on Android returned 10% less than the cost of the ads:

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The results are interesting given the fact that Facebook has traditionally seen deeper integration within the Android platform, including the release of the Android-only Facebook Home launcher earlier this year, as well as the multiplatform Chat Heads feature which is more feature-filled on Android devices.

Top Rated Comments

sonicrobby Avatar
153 months ago
100% annoying on all platforms :]
Score: 23 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Xenomorph Avatar
153 months ago
Really? They're finding less profit in a crap platform where everyone can block ads and pirate all the apps?
Score: 20 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Elvergun Avatar
153 months ago
As a consumer I am going to go with Android being the winner here. Why? Because if in-app ads aren't profitable - maybe we'll see less of them. So the fact that one platform is making a case for them - as a consumer - is not a "win"


Wow...Android lovers will try to spin anything their way.

Quite sad!!
Score: 17 Votes (Like | Disagree)
CBJammin103 Avatar
153 months ago
As a consumer I am going to go with Android being the winner here. Why? Because if in-app ads aren't profitable - maybe we'll see less of them. So the fact that one platform is making a case for them - as a consumer - is not a "win"
If in-app ads aren't profitable, then developers can't afford to price their apps at expected price-points. There are enough people who want free or 99¢ apps to make in-app ads reasonably useful to the consumer.

For my part - I would pay money to remove ads. The "sweet spot," to me, is an ad-supported app with a paid ad-removal in-app-purchase... free for those who don't care, ad-free for those who do.
Score: 16 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Buschmaster Avatar
153 months ago
As a consumer I am going to go with Android being the winner here. Why? Because if in-app ads aren't profitable - maybe we'll see less of them. So the fact that one platform is making a case for them - as a consumer - is not a "win"
You're coming to your conclusion based on the assumption that developers don't need to eat. I can assure you they do. They'll make their money elsewhere or stop writing apps for Android.
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Picka Avatar
153 months ago
Android users are less gullible than iPhone users. Who would have thought it... :D
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)

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