Blended vs Platform ROAS: What to Optimize For

Your Meta dashboard says 250% ROAS. Google says 180% ROAS. TikTok says 200% ROAS.

Add them up, and it looks like you're at 630% blended ROAS.

But your actual revenue divided by total spend is only 150%.

What's going on?

Attribution overlap.

Each platform claims credit for the same conversions. The result: platform-reported ROAS overstates reality.

This is why you need to understand the difference between blended ROAS and platform ROAS—and which one to optimize for.

What is Platform ROAS?

Platform ROAS is the ROAS reported by ad platforms (Meta, Google, TikTok, Apple Search Ads) based on their attribution models.

Formula (as reported by platform):

Platform ROAS = Revenue Attributed to Platform / Spend on Platform

Example (Meta Ads):

• Spend on Meta: $10,000
• Revenue attributed to Meta (by Meta's attribution): $25,000
• Platform ROAS: 250%

What it measures:

How well a specific channel performs according to that platform's tracking and attribution.

What is Blended ROAS?

Blended ROAS is the total revenue from all users divided by total ad spend across all channels.

Formula:

Blended ROAS = Total Revenue / Total Ad Spend (All Channels)

Example:

• Meta spend: $10,000
• Google spend: $8,000
• TikTok spend: $5,000
• Total spend: $23,000
• Total actual revenue (from your analytics): $34,500
• Blended ROAS: $34,500 / $23,000 = 150%

What it measures:

Your true return on ad spend across all channels, without platform-specific attribution bias.

Why Platform ROAS and Blended ROAS Don't Match

Attribution Overlap

When a user sees ads from multiple channels before converting, each platform claims credit.

Example user journey:

1. User sees TikTok ad → doesn't click
2. User sees Meta ad → clicks, doesn't install
3. User searches on Google → clicks ad → installs
4. User makes purchase

Platform attribution:

• TikTok: Claims view-through conversion → attributes revenue
• Meta: Claims click → attributes revenue
• Google: Claims click and install → attributes revenue

Result: The same $10 purchase gets credited 3 times.

Platform-reported revenue:

• TikTok: $10
• Meta: $10
• Google: $10
• Total: $30

Actual revenue: $10

This is why summing platform ROAS overstates reality.

Different Attribution Windows

Platforms use different attribution windows:

• Meta: 7-day click, 1-day view (default)
• Google: 30-day click (default)
• TikTok: 7-day click, 1-day view (default)
• Apple Search Ads: 30-day click

Longer windows capture more conversions, which inflates platform ROAS.

Last-Click vs Multi-Touch Attribution

Most platforms use last-click attribution, but some use multi-touch.

If three platforms touched the user before conversion, multi-touch might split credit. Last-click gives 100% to the final touchpoint.

Result: Inconsistent attribution across platforms.

When to Use Platform ROAS

Use platform ROAS for:

1. Day-to-Day Optimization

Platform ROAS is useful for comparing performance within a channel.

Example (Meta Ads):

• Campaign A: 280% ROAS
• Campaign B: 180% ROAS

You don't need blended ROAS to know Campaign A is outperforming Campaign B. Platform ROAS is sufficient.

2. Creative Testing

When testing ad creative, platform ROAS shows which creative performs best.

Example:

• Creative 1: 220% ROAS
• Creative 2: 260% ROAS

Creative 2 wins. Scale it.

3. Bidding and Algorithm Optimization

Ad platforms use their own ROAS data to optimize delivery. Optimizing for platform ROAS helps the algorithm learn.

Example (Meta):

If you set a 200% ROAS target, Meta optimizes to hit that within its attribution model.

When to Use Blended ROAS

Use blended ROAS for:

1. Profitability Checks

Blended ROAS is your source of truth for whether UA is profitable overall.

Example:

• Platform ROAS (Meta + Google + TikTok): Averages 220%
• Blended ROAS: 140%

If your breakeven is 150%, you're unprofitable despite strong platform ROAS.

Action: Cut spend or improve monetization.

2. Budget Allocation Decisions

Blended ROAS helps you decide how much to spend across channels.

Example:

You have $50K to allocate. Should you spend $30K on Meta and $20K on Google, or $25K each?

Track blended ROAS at different spend levels to find the optimal split.

3. Incrementality Analysis

Blended ROAS combined with incrementality testing shows true ROI.

Example:

• Blended ROAS: 150%
• Incrementality lift: 50%
• Incrementality-adjusted ROAS: 150% × 0.50 = 75%

Your true ROAS after accounting for organic overlap is only 75%.

How to Calculate Blended ROAS

Step 1: Sum All Ad Spend

Add spend across all channels:

• Meta: $12,000
• Google: $8,000
• TikTok: $6,000
• Apple Search Ads: $4,000
• Total: $30,000

Step 2: Calculate Total Revenue

Use your internal analytics (not platform attribution) to track total revenue from all users acquired in the same period.

Example:

• Total Day 30 revenue from all users: $48,000

Step 3: Divide Revenue by Spend

Blended ROAS = $48,000 / $30,000 = 160%

This is your true ROAS across all channels.

How to Reconcile Platform ROAS and Blended ROAS

Step 1: Calculate Platform-Reported ROAS

Sum what each platform claims:

Channel	Spend	Attributed Revenue	Platform ROAS
Meta	$12K	$30K	250%
Google	$8K	$18K	225%
TikTok	$6K	$12K	200%
ASA	$4K	$9K	225%
Total	$30K	$69K	230% (avg)

Platform-reported revenue: $69K

Step 2: Calculate Actual Revenue

From your analytics: $48K

Step 3: Identify Attribution Inflation

Attribution inflation = Platform Revenue / Actual Revenue

Example:

$69K / $48K = 1.44x

Platforms are over-crediting by 44%.

Step 4: Discount Platform ROAS

Adjusted Platform ROAS = Platform ROAS / Attribution Inflation

Example (Meta):

• Platform-reported ROAS: 250%
• Adjusted ROAS: 250% / 1.44 = 174%

This gives you a more realistic view of Meta's contribution.

Attribution Inflation by Channel

Some channels over-credit more than others.

Typical inflation factors:

• Meta: 1.3-1.5x (high view-through attribution)
• Google: 1.2-1.4x (long attribution windows)
• TikTok: 1.3-1.5x (high view-through attribution)
• Apple Search Ads: 1.1-1.2x (intent-based, less overlap)

Why ASA inflates less:

Users actively searching for your app have high intent. Less overlap with other channels.

How to Optimize for Both

Strategy 1: Use Platform ROAS for Tactical Decisions

Tactical decisions:

• Which creative to scale
• Which campaign to pause
• Which audience to test

Why platform ROAS works:

You're comparing within a channel, so attribution bias is consistent.

Strategy 2: Use Blended ROAS for Strategic Decisions

Strategic decisions:

• Total UA budget
• Channel mix (how much to Meta vs Google)
• Profitability assessments

Why blended ROAS works:

It reflects true business outcomes without attribution distortion.

Strategy 3: Track Both in Dashboards

Build dashboards that show:

• Platform ROAS (by channel): For optimization
• Blended ROAS: For profitability
• Attribution inflation factor: To reconcile the two

Example dashboard:

Metric	Value
Platform ROAS (Meta)	250%
Platform ROAS (Google)	225%
Blended ROAS	160%
Attribution Inflation	1.44x
Adjusted Meta ROAS	174%
Adjusted Google ROAS	156%

Common Mistakes

Mistake 1: Optimizing Only for Platform ROAS

If you only look at platform ROAS, you'll think you're more profitable than you are.

Fix: Check blended ROAS weekly to ensure profitability.

Mistake 2: Summing Platform ROAS

Don't add Meta ROAS + Google ROAS + TikTok ROAS. Attribution overlap makes this meaningless.

Fix: Calculate blended ROAS from actual revenue.

Mistake 3: Ignoring Attribution Windows

Comparing 7-day Meta ROAS to 30-day Google ROAS isn't apples-to-apples.

Fix: Align attribution windows across platforms for fairer comparison.

Mistake 4: Not Accounting for Incrementality

Platform and blended ROAS don't account for organic overlap.

Fix: Run incrementality tests to understand true lift.

Decision Framework

Optimize for platform ROAS when:

• Testing creative
• Comparing campaigns within a channel
• Letting platform algorithms optimize delivery

Optimize for blended ROAS when:

• Assessing overall profitability
• Deciding total UA budget
• Allocating budget across channels
• Evaluating long-term sustainability

Use both: Platform ROAS for tactics, blended ROAS for strategy.

Key Takeaways

• Platform ROAS is channel-specific and includes attribution overlap
• Blended ROAS is total revenue / total spend—your source of truth for profitability
• Platforms over-credit by 1.3-1.5x due to attribution overlap
• Use platform ROAS for day-to-day optimization; blended ROAS for budget and profitability decisions
• Track both in dashboards to reconcile tactical and strategic metrics

FAQs

What is blended ROAS?

Blended ROAS is the total revenue from all users divided by total ad spend across all channels. It measures overall profitability without attributing revenue to specific channels. Formula: Blended ROAS = Total Revenue / Total Ad Spend.

What is platform ROAS?

Platform ROAS is the revenue attributed to a specific channel (Meta, Google, TikTok) divided by spend on that channel, as reported by the platform's attribution model. It tracks channel-specific performance but may over-credit due to attribution overlap.

Should I optimize for blended or platform ROAS?

Use platform ROAS for day-to-day optimization and creative testing. Use blended ROAS for profitability checks and budget allocation decisions. Platforms over-credit due to attribution overlap, so blended ROAS is your true north for business health.

Why is platform ROAS higher than blended ROAS?

Platform ROAS is higher because of attribution overlap. When multiple platforms claim credit for the same conversion, total attributed revenue exceeds actual revenue. Platforms typically over-credit by 1.3-1.5x.

How do I calculate blended ROAS?

Sum all ad spend across channels. Divide total actual revenue (from your analytics, not platform attribution) by total spend. Example: $50K revenue / $30K spend = 167% blended ROAS.

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Platform ROAS and blended ROAS measure different things. Use both, but never confuse them. Blended ROAS is your business reality. Platform ROAS is your optimization tool.