# Why your Meta ads do not match Shopify | Crank OS Source: https://wearecrank.com/insights/crank-os/meta-ads-not-matching-shopify Meta says you made one number of sales and Shopify says another. The usual reasons, a short check you can run, and how server-side tracking helps close the gap. --- [![Crank - Providing your levers for growth](/images/crank-logo-full.png)![](/images/crank-icon.png)](/) [Book a live demo](/contact?enquiry=live-demo)[Chat now](https://wa.me/447457416922?text=Help%20my%20business) Guide · Tracking # Why Meta ads do not match Shopify **Crank** Updated 28 October 2026 · 3 minute read The short answer They are not meant to match exactly. Meta counts the sales it believes its ads caused, in its own way. Shopify counts every order from every source. A gap is normal. A gap that is large, or that changes suddenly, usually comes down to five things: counting rules, tracking that misses sales, credit given to other channels, different clocks and totals, and two platforms claiming one sale. The fix starts with comparing like for like. ## Five usual reasons for the gap ### 1\. Different counting rules Meta credits a sale to its ads when the buyer clicked an ad, or in some settings only saw one, within a set period before buying. Shopify counts every order, whatever brought it. Settings can change this count without anything else changing. ### 2\. Browser tracking misses sales Ad blockers, privacy settings and short cookie lives mean the ad platform never hears about some of the sales it drove. So Meta can report fewer sales than your ads really made. ### 3\. Other channels take credit Someone who clicked a Meta ad and later came back from an email, or typed your address, may be credited to Meta in one place and to something else in the other. ### 4\. Different clocks and totals Reports can use different time zones and currencies, and one figure may include tax, shipping, discounts or refunds while the other does not. ### 5\. Two platforms, one sale Meta and Google can both claim the same sale, so the channel totals can add up to more than you actually sold. ## A twenty-minute check Do this once, write down the result, and repeat it every month so you can see whether the gap is steady. Pick a week that finished at least a few days ago, so late sales have arrived. Set Meta and Shopify to the same dates, the same time zone and the same currency. Compare the number of orders first. Revenue brings in tax, shipping and discounts. Check which period Meta uses to take credit, in the ad set settings, and whether it has changed. Look at Shopify's own report of orders that came from Meta visits, next to Meta's figure. Work out the gap as a share of Shopify's orders. A steady share is a counting difference. A share that jumps points to something that changed. A steady gap is usually counting. A sudden gap is usually a fault. Tracking, a setting or a site update is the first place to look. ## What server-side tracking changes With browser tracking, the shopper's browser tells Meta and Google about a sale. With [server-side tracking](/crank-os/tracking/server-side-tracking-setup), your shop tells them directly. The message no longer depends on the shopper's browser, so more of the sales your ads made are counted and Meta learns from more of what happened. It will not make the two numbers match exactly, because Meta will still count in its own way. Revenue does not go up; what you can see does. When it replaces browser tracking, campaigns re-learn against the new signal, so there can be a small, temporary dip before the truer view appears. ## Questions ### Which number is right? Neither is wrong. Shopify tells you what was sold. Meta tells you what it believes its ads caused. Use Shopify for the total, and use Meta to compare ads and campaigns with each other. ### How close should they be? No single figure fits every shop. Look at your own gap over several weeks, and watch for changes in it. ### Will fixing tracking increase my sales? No. Revenue does not go up; what you can see does. More of the sales your ads already made are counted. ### Can you look at mine? In month one of Crank OS we show you the before and after from your own data. You can also [book a live demo](/contact?enquiry=live-demo) and bring your own numbers. ## Read next [PageServer-side tracking setup](/crank-os/tracking/server-side-tracking-setup) [GuideIs my agency reporting accurate?](/insights/crank-os/is-my-agency-reporting-accurate) [PageTrading dashboard](/crank-os/dashboards/trading) ## Want the gap explained for your own shop? Book a live demo with the Crank team, and bring your Meta and Shopify figures. [Book a live demo](/contact?enquiry=live-demo)[Message us on WhatsApp](https://wa.me/447457416922?text=I%27d%20like%20a%20live%20demo%20of%20Crank%20OS)