---
title: Why start paid acquisition with Apple Ads
slug: apple-ads-as-first-paid-channel
summary: Why App Masters starts most iOS apps on Apple Ads (plus ASO) before Meta or TikTok, and when that advice does not apply.
domain: mobile-apps
tags: [user-acquisition, apple-ads, channel-strategy, distribution]
related: [apple-ads-campaign-structure, meta-ads-readiness-checklist, app-break-even-cpi-and-revenue-per-install, app-marketing-budget-and-first-channel, aso-as-acquisition-channel, last-click-attribution-biases]
sources: [yt:q3JuNLUKL1U, yt:2jH64ziB7uM, yt:WaOrPQVLz08, yt:ytAKZDh5eHU, yt:SHctL0V73BE]
updated: 2026-10-23
---

# Why start paid acquisition with Apple Ads

## TL;DR
- Pick **one or two channels** that fit the app ("channel-market fit"); App Masters has seen apps reach up to $5M MRR on just one or two.[^1]
- If people search for what your app does, start with **ASO + Apple Ads** — a "pull" channel with few levers, no MMP required, and among the best ROI sources.[^2][^3]
- Steve's rule of thumb: under ~$10K MRR, start with Apple Ads before anything else.[^4]
- Use Apple Ads to **prove strangers pay** cheaply, then scale with Meta ("push").[^5]
- Skip this order only if nobody searches for your category (e.g. a new social network, short-drama apps) — then go straight to social ads.[^6][^7]

## Details
**Distribution first.** Steve ranks distribution above monetization: you cannot monetize without downloads, and once distribution is unlocked most other problems are fixable.[^8] Monetization still sets the ceiling on paid spend — the more you earn per install, the more you can bid (see [[app-break-even-cpi-and-revenue-per-install]]).

**Evidence cited (2025–2026).** In the AppsFlyer Performance Index 2025 edition, Apple Ads ranked #1 on iOS for both gaming and non-gaming, globally and in North America, with Meta further down the list.[^2]

**Why Steve is bullish (June 2026).** Apple added more ad slots in search results (he mentions the US and UK): for "meditation", result #1 is an ad, #2 organic, #3 another ad. His long-running stat is that the top three results take ~90% of clicks, most going to #1 — and some founders don't even realize the first result is an ad.[^9]

**Fewer levers than social.** Paid social requires getting campaign setup, audience, placements, creative, optimization event, attribution, scaling and testing strategy, onboarding/paywall and budget all right. Apple Ads needs mainly keywords and a bid.[^3][^4]

**Competitor keywords.** Bidding on competitor brand terms is a valid Apple Ads tactic even though it rarely works for ASO (users tap the brand's own #1 result).[^10]

**Organic social is not a free lunch.** Steve has heard from founders with 2M views and ~20 downloads; viral views don't reliably convert, which is another reason he defaults to ASO/Apple Ads.[^11]

## Disagreements / caveats
- AppsFlyer rankings are aggregate; your category may differ. Apple's ad-slot rollout is described as of June 2026 and may change by country.
- Pull-channel users convert better than Meta users — don't extrapolate Apple Ads conversion rates to Meta.[^5]
- App Masters sells Apple Ads management; treat the enthusiasm accordingly.

## See also
- [[apple-ads-campaign-structure]] — the two campaigns to launch
- [[meta-ads-readiness-checklist]] — what to have before moving to Meta
- [[people/steve-p-young]]

[^1]: yt:q3JuNLUKL1U @ 01:09 — Steve P. Young
[^2]: yt:q3JuNLUKL1U @ 02:42 — Steve P. Young
[^3]: yt:q3JuNLUKL1U @ 03:42 — Steve P. Young
[^4]: yt:ytAKZDh5eHU @ 12:40 — Steve P. Young
[^5]: yt:2jH64ziB7uM @ 05:48 — Steve P. Young
[^6]: yt:2jH64ziB7uM @ 06:37 — Steve P. Young
[^7]: yt:WaOrPQVLz08 @ 06:06 — Steve P. Young
[^8]: yt:q3JuNLUKL1U @ 00:00 — Steve P. Young
[^9]: yt:q3JuNLUKL1U @ 04:34 — Steve P. Young
[^10]: yt:ytAKZDh5eHU @ 08:50 — Steve P. Young
[^11]: yt:SHctL0V73BE @ 19:11 — Steve P. Young