Apple Search Ads vs. Google App Ads: The 2024 Guide

The debate between Apple Search Ads and Google App Ads is a bit of a false one. It's like asking whether a hammer or a screwdriver is better. They're both tools, but you're not going to have much luck hanging a picture frame if you try to use the screwdriver to bang in the nail. The real question isn't which platform is superior, but which one is right for the specific job you need doing right now. And more importantly, how to use them together to build a proper, scalable acquisition engine for your app.

Most developers get this wrong. They throw a bit of budget at both, see mixed results, and conclude one is "bad" and the other "good". The truth is, one is built for capturing existing demand with surgical precision, and the other is a sledgehammer for creating new demand at massive scale. Your strategy needs to respect that difference, or you're just burning cash.

So when does Apple Search Ads deliver unbeatable ROI?

Think of the App Store as the final few feet of a marathon. The user has already decided they need an app to solve a problem. They've opened the store, they're in the search bar, and their fingers are typing. Their intent couldn't possibly be higher. This is where Apple Search Ads lives, and it's why it's so powerful.

You’re not trying to convince someone they have a problem; you’re just convincing them your app is the best solution among the options right in front of them. This is bottom-of-the-funnel marketing at its purest.

Its primary strengths are:

-> High-Intent Installs: Because users are actively searching, the conversion rate from a tap to an install is typically much higher than on other platforms. These users are often more engaged because they sought you out, rather than being interrupted by an ad.

-> Brand Defence & Conquesting: If you're not bidding on your own brand name, your competitors are. ASA allows you to own that top spot and prevent competitors from poaching users who are specifically looking for you. Conversley, you can bid on their brand terms and steal users at their most decisive moment.

-> Simplicity and Speed: Compared to Google, setting up an ASA campaign is relatively straightforward. It pulls creative directly from your App Store listing, so you don't need a huge library of video and image assets to get started. You can get a campaign live very quickly.

However, its biggest strength is also its biggest weakness: scale. You can't use ASA to find people who don't know they need an app like yours yet. You are limited to the search volume within the Apple App Store. Once you've captured that existing demand, you'll hit a ceiling. I remember one app growth campaign where we got over 45,000 signups at under £2 a pop; a significant chunk of the highest-quality initial users came from nailing our ASA strategy before we even thought about scaling elsewhere.

How do you use Google App Ads to find customers who don't know you exist?

If ASA is a sniper rifle, Google App Ads (often called UAC or Universal App Campaigns) is a machine gun. Its purpose is to leverage Google's entire universe of properties—Search, the Play Store, YouTube, Gmail, and the Display Network—to find you new users at scale. You don't tell it *who* to target with keywords; you give it assets (headlines, descriptions, images, videos), a budget, and a goal (like a cost-per-install or a cost-per-in-app-action), and its machine learning algorithm goes to work.

This is a fundamentally different approach. You're not just capturing demand; you're creating it by putting your app in front of people who look like your ideal users, even if they aren't searching for it right now. We've used it to drive massive volume for clients. For instance, in that app growth campaign I talked about earlier where we generated over 45,000 signups, Google App Ads was crucial for reaching that kind of scale, something ASA simply can't offer on its own.

Its main strengths are:

-> Unmatched Scale and Reach: You can reach billions of users across both iOS and Android. If your goal is rapid growth and you have the budget, Google is the only game in town for this kind of volume.

-> Powerful Machine Learning: Google's algorithm is incredibly sophisticated. It can identify patterns and user segments you would never think of, finding pockets of high-value users across its network.

-> Creative Diversity: You can test a wide array of formats. Video ads on YouTube can tell a story in a way a simple text ad can't. Image ads on the Display Network can build brand awareness. This lets you attack the market from multiple angles.

The downside is the lack of direct control. It's a "black box," which can be frustrating. You can't just target one specific YouTube channel or a single keyword. You have to trust the algorithm, which means you absolutely must feed it high-quality creative and clear conversion goals. If you optimise for cheap installs, it will find you users who will install your app and do nothing else. You have to guide it by optimising for valuable in-app events, like a trial start, a subscription, or reaching a certain level in a game. For a deeper look at how to get this right, especially for specific niches, check out our Google Ads guide for personal finance app growth, which covers many of the same principles.

So, where should you actually put your money first?

Now we get to the heart of the matter. Forget your lack of a specific location for a moment—that's a seperate problem we need to fix. The decision between ASA and Google depends entirely on your app's stage and your immediate goals.

Let's break down the strategic differences:

Now, about that "no specific location" issue. This is a common but costly mistake. The idea of a "local expert" for a digital app is a bit of a myth, because your users could be anywhere. You can read more on why we think local app ad experts are a flawed concept. However, targeting "worldwide" from day one is a recipe for disaster. You'll get a flood of low-cost, low-quality installs from countries where users have little to no purchasing power, which will pollute your data and drain your budget.

The correct approach is to start with a tier-one group of countries where you expect your highest LTV users to be. Typically, this is the UK, US, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. Run your initial tests here. Establish a profitable baseline. Only then should you consider expanding to other regions. It's far better to pay £3 for a UK user who subscribes than £0.30 for a user from a developing country who installs and uninstalls within a day. You have to target the problem and the user's value, not just a pin on a map.

Why the smartest app marketers don't choose, they integrate

The professional approach isn't about picking a winner between ASA and Google. It's about creating a system where they work together, each playing to its strengths. This creates a powerful feedback loop that drives sustainable growth.

Here's the playbook:

-> Phase 1: Validate with Apple Search Ads. Before you spend a penny on Google, launch ASA campaigns. Focus on three types: a Brand campaign (bidding on your own app name), Competitor campaigns (bidding on your direct rivals), and a Discovery campaign (using Broad Match or Search Match to find new keywords). This does two things: it protects your brand space and starts bringing in high-quality users immediately. Most importantly, it gives you invaluable data on which search terms actually lead to installs.

-> Phase 2: Inform Google with ASA Data. Look at the keywords that convert best in your ASA campaigns. These aren't just keywords; they are direct insights into your customers' minds. They tell you the exact language people use when they need your solution. Use these proven themes and phrases to write the ad copy (headlines and descriptions) for your Google App campaigns. You're removing the guesswork.

-> Phase 3: Scale with Google App Ads. Once ASA is running smoothly and you understand your initial CPAs, it's time to pour fuel on the fire. Launch your first Google App campaign, targeting your tier-one countries. Start by optimising for installs (tCPI) to feed the algorithm data quickly. As soon as you have enough conversion data (usually 50-100 in-app events per week), switch your optimisation goal to a key in-app action (tCPA), like 'trial_started' or 'subscribed'. This is the step that shifts your focus from cheap volume to profitable growth.

-> Phase 4: Create the Feedback Loop. Don't let the platforms run in silos. Are certain video ads on Google performing exceptionally well? That's a sign that the messaging resonates. Consider creating an App Preview video for your App Store listing based on that winning creative. A better App Store listing improves conversion rates for *all* your traffic, including your ASA campaigns. Similarly, if Google's algorithm discovers a new pocket of users you hadn't considered, you can test related keywords in ASA to see if you can capture that intent more directly.

This integrated approach turns your marketing from a series of disconnected bets into a cohesive, intelligent acquisition machine. It is the most reliable path if you're looking for a way to scale your ad spend without destroying your return.

Your Action Plan: From Zero to a Scalable App Acquisition Engine

Theory is great, but you need an actionable plan. If you were my client, this is the exact process I'd walk you through for the first few months. It's designed to manage risk, maximise learning, and build a foundation for long-term scale.

I've detailed my main recommendations for you below:

Following this phased approach stops you from making the two most common mistakes: trying to scale too early with Google before you've proven your unit economics, or staying stuck on ASA for too long and missing out on the massive growth potential offered by a broader reach.

Navigating this process, particularly the creative production for Google and the switch to tCPA optimisation, is where things can get complex. It requires constant testing, a deep understanding of the algorithms, and the ability to interpret performance data correctly. This is often where partnering with an agency or consultant with specific experience in app marketing can make a significant difference, turning a potentially expensive learning curve into a profitable growth trajectory.

If you'd like to discuss how this strategy could be specifically applied to your app, feel free to schedule a complimentary, no-obligation strategy session with us. We can review your current setup and provide some initial thoughts on the biggest opportunities for growth.