MOLOCO vs Facebook Ads: what to choose for traffic arbitrage in 2025

In 2025, arbitrageurs are less and less able to work steadily on Facebook Ads. Strict moderation, frequent bans, high CPMs - all this forces teams and solo webmasters to look for alternative sources. Moloco DSP Ads platform became one of such solutions. It is a cloud-based advertising system built on machine learning that gives access to billions of devices worldwide through in-app placement. In the article we will analyze how Moloco works, how it differs from Facebook Ads, in what cases it is advantageous to use it and how to get access to the advertising cabinet without unnecessary bureaucracy.

Key Features of MOLOCO DSP Ads

Moloco DSP Ads is an adversting in-app network powered by machine learning and automatic campaign optimization. Unlike Facebook, it uses cloud-based AI that analyzes user behavior and predicts the likelihood of a targeted action. Here's the full list of benefits:

The platform can automatically purchase traffic. For this purpose it uses artificial intelligence that analyzes more than 8 million parameters per second and optimizes bids in real time. 
Access to top sites. Ads are placed immediately in Xiaomi, Vungle, Unity Ads, AppLovin, IronSource and other platforms. Whereas ads from FB Ads are placed only in the Meta ecosystem. This feature allows the arbitrageur to target premium sites without manual adjustments. 
Automatic retargeting. The platform analyzes users' interaction with ads and redirects them to a repeat conversion scenario. This allows to optimize users' LTV, increasing ROAS.
Lack of strict moderation. Unlike Facebook, there are basically no ad account bans here, which is especially cool when promoting gambling apps.
Huge user base. Moloco DSP has over 6.7 billion devices, with over 3 million different apps connected to it. 
This adds up to a great platform for in-APP traffic, especially for the webs that pour into gembla. Take a look at the stats by GEO:

But, like everywhere else Moloco Ads has disadvantages:

• Limited access. Requires verification and approval from the platform, we'll talk about that in the next block.
• Smaller audience than Facebook. While the traffic is quality, it's not as massive as Facebook Ads.
• No targeting by gender, age. Well the downside is liquid, as the low price of installs will override the squeezed budget. 
• Finding a bundle. There is little competition, so there is almost nowhere to look for a bundle and you will have to spend time. Maybe not a small amount of time. 
• This is a powerful tool for arbitrage. Thanks to AI, moderation and top sites you will be able to reduce the cost of installs for in-App traffic, pour gembla on 6.7 billion uniques and do not worry about an account ban. 

MOLOCO vs Facebook Ads Comparison

Moloco and Facebook Ads are fundamentally different tools. The first is focused on in-app advertising and working with applications, while the second is more universal and covers the entire stack of Meta ad formats. The choice depends on your goals and the specifics of your traffic. Here are the key differences:

• Accessibility and moderation. Facebook allows any user to register an ad account and launch campaigns. With Moloco, access is limited - you need to uproot or rent accounts. But Facebook has strict moderation, especially in gambling: it's easy to get banned even with a white offer. Moloco has an easier time with this - the filtering is softer and there are no bans.
• Where ads are placed. Facebook Ads is only Meta ecosystem: Facebook, Instagram, Audience Network. Moloco is a multi-network. Ads are spun in mobile apps through Unity Ads, AppLovin, IronSource, Xiaomi, etc. All ads are in-app, via SDK. This is important if you are working with Android/iOS apps.
• Formats and targeting. Facebook offers a wide range of formats: videos, carousels, lead forms, storis, Reels. Moloco Ads only works with native in-app formats, mainly videos and banners. There is also no usual targeting by gender, age, interests. But there are look-alike models based on in-app behavior.
• Technology. Facebook has its own Ads Manager, but most settings have to be done manually: audiences, budgets, creatives, A/B tests. Moloco is a cloud-platform that purchases traffic and optimizes performance according to the necessary KPIs. AI learns from billions of signals and selects the right audience. This saves time and reduces the price of installation. 
• The level of competition and the cost of traffic. Facebook is overheated. Everyone is pouring into the same audiences. Cost per lead/install is going up, especially in tier-1. Moloco has less competition and not as many arbitrageurs yet. Because of this, bids are lower and traffic is fresher. Especially beneficial for gambling and betting in tier-1 and tier-2 regions.
• Warm up and handle accounts. Facebook accounts need to be warmed up, trust needs to be built up, limits need to be respected. Moloco is easier in this regard, it only requires verification of the app. 

Facebook Ads is a universal tool with “off the street” access, but with a high risk of banning and overheated auctions. Moloco is a niche but powerful DSP that gives you access to premium traffic without moderation issues. Its features are purchase automation, scalability and high ROAS with proper setup.

If your goal is arbitrage in the in-app segment and gambling, you should test Moloco. And if you need traffic from social networks, use Facebook.
We don't claim that Moloco can only be used for gambling. In principle, any verticals are suitable: gembla, deiting, nutra, sweepstakes, commodity, etc. It's just that gembla has the most problems with moderation, so we give it as an example.

When and why to use MOLOCO instead of Facebook Ads

Moloco is not a replacement for Facebook Ads, but an alternative for specific tasks. If you pour on prilki, work with gambling, betting, casinos, betting apps - Moloco will give you more output and less headache. Below are specific cases where Moloco beats Meta.

Sealing on mobile apps. If your main traffic is on Android/iOS and you need to promote installs, Moloco is the best solution. It is optimized for in-app placements and works on billions of mobile devices. Facebook's traffic often goes to the web and instagram conversions are more expensive.

Arbitrage in gray and conditionally gray verticals. Moloco is weaker at filtering gambling and betting than Facebook. Where Facebook cuts creatives, blocks accounts and rejects campaigns, Moloco lets you run them with minimal risk. Especially relevant for tier-1 and tier-2 countries. 

Work with “cold” traffic. Facebook is good for retargeting by pixel, subscriptions, active base. But if you are targeting a new audience, Moloco will work better: the platform's algorithms automatically search for users who are inclined to take the necessary action: install, buy, register.

Automation and scale. If you're tired of twisting dozens of offices and keeping track of bans - Moloco automates everything: purchasing, bids, audiences. You just set KPIs, and the system selects optimal parameters for the task. Especially valuable if you have a lot of providers, teams or projects.

When LTV and long-term monetization matter. Moloco focuses on ROAS, retention and LTV metrics, not just price per click. The algorithms select an audience that not only clicks, but stays in the product. This is beneficial for subscriptions, games, microtransactions, and any in-app economy. 

Moloco is worth using when your goal is to work with mobile traffic, scale without constant warm-up and moderation, and focus on deep analytics. It doesn't replace Facebook, but it's a great complement to it. Ideally, run both sources to compare effectiveness.

Where to get or how to access the MOLOCO DSP Ads advertising network

Unlike Facebook Ads, where you can simply register an ad account and launch campaigns immediately, access to Moloco is more difficult. This advertising platform operates on a closed model and requires confirmation from the advertiser. Here are some ways to gain access:

Direct request through Moloco. You need to leave a request on the official Moloco Ads website. Provide information about your business, budget, etc. And then wait for approval - the process can take up to several weeks. The process is not fast: long application approval, account creation, and risks. If you launch products with policy violations, access to the business center can be revoked.

Account Leasing. The scheme is the same as with FB accounts. For example, in RentAcc.Agency you can rent a Moloco DSP Ads account and you don't have to wait for an apruv from Moloco managers. As a bonus, the rental service gives pluses: refund and balance transfer, financial reports, help with launch, recommendations to improve the launch, platform with automated replenishments 24/7 and balance transfer, convenient notifications in telegram-bot.

It's better to work through agency accounts right away. It's faster, safer and you don't have to give an upruv for a long time. Rental services have already been moderated, applications are filled faster, and managers have a connection with the support team to solve disputable moments.

Creating an advertising campaign in Ads Manager Moloco

Before you can run traffic through Moloco, you need to add the app to your cabinet.

This is done through the “Overview” tab. In the interface click “Create”, specify the platform and insert a link to the application page in the market. Moloco itself will pull up the icon, name and other data.

Next, the system will ask:

• App market bundle. This is the identifier of the application in the market. In our case, free.vpn.proxy.secure is the bundle name of the application in Google Play.
• Category. The category of the app, choose the one that matches yours.
• Content rating. Age rating, choose the one that fits your CA. In our case “Everyone”
• Developer name. The name of the application developer, which is displayed in the market.
• MMP (Mobile Measurement Partner). This is the tracker through which analytics will flow: Adjust, AppsFlyer, Branch, etc.
• MMP Bundle ID. This is a unique app ID, but already registered in the tracker's system. If you have Android - just copy App market bundle. If iOS - copy App market bundle and add “id” before the numbers. 

After adding the application, go to creating a campaign - the “Create Campaign” button.

At the start, you need to select the goal: Install, ROAS or CPA. This can be changed as the tests progress.
Then choose a purchasing strategy:

• Budget - the platform tries to squeeze out maximum traffic for a given amount.
• Target CPI - you set the price per install, Moloco adjusts the bids itself. 

The next step is targeting by GEO. There are three customization options:

• One Campaign - Many Countries: quick launch, but no fine-tuning for each country.
• Few Campaigns - Many Countries: you can customize parameters by country groups.
• One Country - One Campaign: ideal for tests and spot optimization.

Tip: for the initial launch it is better to choose one GEO - so the algorithms learn faster and the budget is spent more efficiently. 

After that set:

• Title & Description.
• Budget and schedule of displays taking into account the time zone.
• Tracking link with parameters.

The final step is to upload creatives and send advertisements for moderation. After launching go to the “Assets” section - there manually disable sites with expensive installs or poor conversion. This allows you to save money and manage the purchase.
Also:

• In iOS campaigns, turn on “Probabilistic Modeling” - this will help increase volumes.
• In Android everything is simpler: bids are lower, traffic is more stable. Installs can be received at $1-5 with proper setup.

If something is not clear with tracking or bandle - it's better to write immediately to the support or manager of the rental service, so as not to catch a mistake in the beginning.

Warming up Facebook and Moloco Ads

In this block about the hot topic - warming up of ads. Let's understand the differences between Facebook Ads and Moloco DSP Ads. 
Let's start with Facebook Ads. Facebook Ads always start with account warmup. Without warming up, you risk getting banned before the campaign launches - especially if you're flooding a gray vertical. Here's what webmasters typically do:

• Create a clean account - via rentals or pharma.
• Manually warm up - likes, friend additions, group activity.
• Launch white ads - 1-2 days of pouring “teapot” on a white offer.
• Customize BM and advertising cabinet - add PP, create a pixel.
• Gradually increase budget - start with $5-10 daily and raise the bar.

All of this is necessary so that Facebook doesn't suspect suspicious activity and send your ad to verification. Even with careful work, the risk of getting banned is always there - especially if you work with verticals like gembla or gutra.
Now Moloco DSP Ads. Moloco has a radically different approach. Here you don't need to warm up accounts. At all. Everything works through a centralized platform: you either get access to an ad account through verification, or you rent a ready-made one.

The platform does not require manual activity, posting or “human behavior”. It is a cloud-based DSP system, and it only cares about:

• working budget;
• campaign goal;
• correct MMP;
• technically designed creatives.

Bans are not here. The moderation algorithms are soft and performance-oriented. This allows arbitrageurs to save time and focus on analytics and tests, rather than on endless farming and buying accounts.

Inference

Moloco DSP Ads is not just an alternative to Facebook Ads, but a complete tool for scaling in-App traffic. If you are tired of constant bans, loss of budget for heating, manual moderation and Meta restrictions - you should pay attention to Moloco. 
Here you get access to premium sites, automatic optimization, less risks and a convenient cloud office. Yes, you'll need to go through verification or rent an account, but the result is predictability and stability, which is especially important in gray and highly competitive verticals. 
In 2025, Moloco is a powerful advertising tool for teams that focus on efficiency rather than manual farming and struggling with moderation. If you need accounts for Moloco Ads, then you here.