Apple Service Charges, Meta’s Response & What You Need to Know

By February 22, 2024Blog
Apple Service Charges, Meta’s Response & What You Need to Know

If you are currently boosting posts from your apps on your iPhone or iPad, you might want to stop and use an alternative method of boosting, such as from your laptop, desktop, or browser on your phone, by logging into Facebook.com and Instagram.com. Why?

Apple Service Charges: Why?

A dispute between Meta and Apple appears to be the cause. Facebook and Instagram have long been the boosting giants for advertising purchases. But did you know that Apple has begun a 30% service charge for boosting within the apps?

Meta has decided to pass along this 30% service charge as part of Apple’s in-app purchase fees later this month to advertisers who boost their posts through the apps. (The service charge is retained by Apple.) Meta is encouraging advertisers to work around this by logging into Facebook and Instagram through a desktop computer or mobile web browser, not the app, to boost posts and not incur the fee.

Apple Service Charges: Meta’s Response

On their website, Meta stated, “We are required to either comply with Apple’s guidelines or remove boosted posts from our apps. We do not want to remove the ability to boost posts, as this would hurt small businesses by making the feature less discoverable and potentially deprive them of a valuable way to promote their business.”

This change came about after Apple updated its mobile app store guidelines and Meta had a year to comply.

Apple Service Charges: The Bottom Line

The bottom line—boost through the website, not through the app, unless you are willing to be billed the 30% service fee with a different payment process through Apple.

Our team at Burgie MediaFusion wants you to have the latest information to inform you of your decisions. Questions? Reach out to us!

Read the announcement from Meta here.