Facebook is a broader social network focused on community groups, events, and news sharing with 3.07 billion monthly users, while Instagram is a visual-first platform emphasizing photos and short videos with 2.00 billion monthly users. Facebook skews older (median age 40+) while Instagram dominates among Gen Z and millennials (median age 25-34).
Facebook vs Instagram — Side-by-side comparison on A Versus B
World's largest social network focused on community, events, and news sharing.
Visual-first social platform emphasizing photos, short videos, and Stories content.
Monthly Active Users. Primary Content Type. Median User Age. Video Engagement Rate. E-commerce Integration. Ad Cost Per 1,000 Impressions (CPM). User Privacy Controls
Choose Facebook if you want the largest reach for community-building, event promotion, groups, and cost-effective advertising to older demographics. Choose Instagram if you prioritize visual storytelling, younger audience engagement, Reels video performance, and lifestyle/brand content with higher engagement rates.
Facebook: Part of Meta's $116.6B annual revenue | Instagram: N/A
Facebook: Baseline (1x) | Instagram: N/A
Facebook: Variable (friends list average) | Instagram: N/A
Facebook: Varies by content (typically 3-5%) | Instagram: N/A
Facebook: 7% lift in feed and video views | Instagram: N/A
Facebook: Steady growth (estimated 2-3%) | Instagram: N/A
Facebook: B2C and consumer products | Instagram: N/A
Facebook: Millennials, Gen X, broad age range | Instagram: N/A
Facebook: Limited public documentation | Instagram: N/A
Facebook: In-stream ads, brand deals, bonuses | Instagram: N/A
Facebook: Higher competition, wider reach per dollar | Instagram: N/A
Facebook: 3+ billion | Instagram: 2.14 billion (monthly actives)
Facebook: 1,900+ million | Instagram: N/A
Facebook: $114+ billion | Instagram: N/A
Facebook: Real name policy enforced | Instagram: N/A
Facebook: Targeted advertising based on user data | Instagram: N/A
Facebook: Centralized, AI-assisted with human oversight | Instagram: N/A
Facebook: 3.07 billion | Instagram: 2.00 billion
Facebook: 1.19 billion | Instagram: 1.47 billion
Facebook: 0.09% | Instagram: 1.08% (visual posts)
Facebook: 58 minutes | Instagram: 95 minutes
Facebook: 25-64 (median 40) | Instagram: 18-34 (median 26)
Video Content (Reels/Stories) Engagement Share
Facebook: $114.9 billion | Instagram: N/A
Facebook: $1,340 billion | Instagram: N/A
Facebook: 0% (experimental in select regions) | Instagram: N/A
Facebook: Mixed (posts, photos, videos, reels) | Instagram: N/A
Algorithm Content Discovery Effectiveness
Facebook: $0.25 - $3.50 | Instagram: N/A
Facebook: 25-54 (majority demographic) | Instagram: N/A
Facebook: Text, images, stories, reels, live video, long-form (60-90 min) | Instagram: N/A
Facebook: Moderate (US regulation, GDPR compliant) | Instagram: N/A
Facebook: Follower/connection-dependent; low for new creators | Instagram: N/A
Facebook: Approved; operating normally | Instagram: N/A
Facebook: 40+ years | Instagram: 25-34 years
Facebook: 500 million | Instagram: 250 million (estimated)
Primary Audience Demographic Spending Power
Facebook: N/A | Instagram: Not publicly disclosed
Facebook: N/A | Instagram: 47% of US social buyers shop here
Facebook: N/A | Instagram: Content discovery and curation
Facebook: N/A | Instagram: Feed-driven (intuitive and accessible)
Facebook: N/A | Instagram: Permanent unless deleted
Facebook: N/A | Instagram: Industry-leading sophistication
Facebook: N/A | Instagram: Hashtag and profile-based discovery
Facebook: N/A | Instagram: Sponsored content and brand partnerships
Facebook: N/A | Instagram: Moderate (1-2% click-to-purchase)
Facebook: N/A | Instagram: Voice-over Stories and advanced private message filters
Facebook: N/A | Instagram: 95+ million posts
Facebook: N/A | Instagram: 13-40 years old
Facebook: N/A | Instagram: 15 years (2010)
Average Daily Active Users (DAU/MAU Ratio)
Facebook: N/A | Instagram: 1-3 (variable)
Minimum Subscriber Requirement for Monetization
Facebook: N/A | Instagram: 10,000 followers (Reels Play bonus)
Facebook: N/A | Instagram: 45-60% (hashtag + explore)
Facebook: N/A | Instagram: Yes (full integration)
Facebook: N/A | Instagram: $114.9B (Meta total, Instagram portion ~$21B)
Facebook: N/A | Instagram: Unlimited (caption only)
Facebook: N/A | Instagram: 60 minutes (Reels: 90 seconds)
Facebook: N/A | Instagram: Shopping tags, stickers, Shop tab, checkout
Facebook: N/A | Instagram: 60 minutes (Reels)
Algorithm Discovery Based on Follows vs Interests
Facebook: N/A | Instagram: 70% follower-based, 30% interest-based
Facebook: N/A | Instagram: $1,200-$1,800
Facebook: N/A | Instagram: 3.4% average engagement (Reels)
Facebook: N/A | Instagram: Native shopping, in-app checkout, product tagging
Facebook: N/A | Instagram: Proprietary, limited disclosure
Facebook: N/A | Instagram: 3-5% of followers
Platform Content Moderation Response Time
Facebook: N/A | Instagram: 2-24 hours average
How to choose between Facebook and Instagram
Facebook vs Instagram — Structured Comparison Data
Machine-readable comparison dataset for Facebook vs Instagram. Contains 117 attribute comparisons, 5 FAQ pairs.
Facebook vs Instagram — Attribute Category Vocabulary
Taxonomy of attribute categories used to classify comparison data for Facebook vs Instagram.
Which platform should I use to reach older audiences?
Facebook is significantly better for reaching users 40+ years old. Facebook's median user age is 40+, with 68% of users over 35, while Instagram's core audience is 25-34 years old. For B2B services, healthcare, finance, and senior-focused products, Facebook's demographic advantage makes it the primary choice. Facebook also has lower advertising costs ($6.50 CPM vs $8.75), reducing acquisition costs for this demographic.
Which platform has better engagement for video content?
Instagram delivers 3x higher video engagement (3.6% average) compared to Facebook (1.2% average). Instagram's Reels feature with algorithmic discovery drives 67% of Gen Z users to watch weekly, while Facebook's video algorithm prioritizes paid content heavily. For creators and brands focused on short-form video content, Instagram's algorithm heavily favors visual discovery, making it the superior choice.
Which platform is better for building online communities?
Facebook dominates community-building with 2.8 billion monthly active group members. Facebook Groups are designed specifically for ongoing conversations, event organization, and niche communities. Instagram lacks equivalent community tools — it's optimized for content discovery rather than conversation threads. For organizations needing discussion forums, event management, and member engagement, Facebook Groups are significantly more powerful.
Which platform is more cost-effective for advertising?
Facebook offers lower advertising costs with a $6.50 CPM (cost per thousand impressions) compared to Instagram's $8.75 CPM — approximately 35% cheaper. However, Instagram delivers higher engagement rates (3.6% video vs 1.2%), so the cost-per-engagement may be comparable. For budget-constrained campaigns targeting older demographics, Facebook is more cost-effective. For ROI on visual products (fashion, food, beauty), Instagram's higher engagement may justify the premium.
Which platform is better for e-commerce brands?
Both platforms now offer strong e-commerce integration, but with different strengths. Facebook Marketplace reaches 500+ million monthly visitors and excels at local buying/selling and inventory sales. Instagram's in-app checkout and shopping tags reduce friction in the purchase journey, particularly for lifestyle products. Instagram performs better for brands selling fashion, beauty, and lifestyle items to younger audiences (25-34). Facebook Marketplace is superior for local services, bulk sales, and reaching older demographics. For pure conversion optimization, Instagram's native checkout edge slightly favors e-commerce.
How to Choose Between Facebook and Instagram
Monthly Active Users: Facebook has 3.07 billion, while Instagram has 2.00 billion.
Primary Content Type: Facebook has Text, links, photos, events, groups, while Instagram has Photos, Reels (short video), Stories.
Median User Age: Facebook has 40+ years, while Instagram has 25-34 years.
Video Engagement Rate: Facebook has 1.2% average engagement, while Instagram has 3.6% average engagement.
E-commerce Integration: Facebook has Marketplace, Shops, Live Shopping, while Instagram has Shopping tags, Reels Shopping, Checkout.
Consider: Ad Cost Per 1,000 Impressions (CPM)
Ad Cost Per 1,000 Impressions (CPM): Facebook has $6.50 USD, while Instagram has $8.75 USD.
User Privacy Controls: Facebook has Granular settings, Activity log, App tracking transparency, while Instagram has Granular settings, Activity log, App tracking transparency.