Why Don't My Downloaded Leads Match Ads Manager?

The Results column and the download draw on different pools. Ads Manager counts leads your ads generated in the date range you picked. The download holds what Meta still stores and what your settings let through, which can be fewer leads or more. Work out which way the gap runs, then match it to the causes below.

Which documented causes explain the gap?

Cause	How to check	Fix
Leads older than 90 days have expired	Your report’s date range reaches back more than 90 days	Download often, or connect a CRM
Organic leads are in the file	The is_organic column reads true	Expect them; they aren’t in Results
Test leads are in the file	Leads you or your team submitted while testing	Remove them from your count
Qualified leads is the result	The Results column shows qualified leads, not leads	Compare against total leads instead
Leads Center export cap	A single Leads Center CSV stops at 10,000 leads	The CSV follows your current filter, so narrow it and export again

Why does the file have fewer leads than Ads Manager?

Meta keeps lead data available for 90 days from the time someone submits the form. The Results and lead count columns still show every lead in the period you select, including lifetime, so an older campaign can report more leads than you can download. Meta says it does not make older leads available because of security and storage considerations.

Why does the file have more leads than Ads Manager?

Two things add rows that Results doesn’t count. Organic leads happen when someone tags or shares your lead ad and a friend submits the form, which is only possible when the form’s sharing setting is Open. Meta says the Results column excludes organic leads, so a CSV can show more. Test leads submitted while you test the ad also appear in the file without being counted in Results, and the Restricted sharing setting doesn’t block them.

Why is the result an estimate?

If your CRM sends data to Meta through the Conversions API and the campaign uses the qualified leads performance goal, Ads Manager uses qualified leads as the default result. Meta says qualified leads, cost per qualified lead and qualified lead rate are estimated and partly derived through modelling, so they may differ from the number of people who filled in the form.

How do you reconcile the numbers?

1. Set the Ads Manager date range to the last 90 days or less.
2. Download from Meta Business Suite, because organic leads can’t be downloaded from Ads Manager.
3. Count rows where is_organic is true and subtract them.
4. Remove leads your team submitted while testing.
5. Check the Results column’s metric name before comparing totals.

FAQ

Do I pay for organic leads?

No. Meta says the cost per lead metric is not affected by organic leads and you only pay for leads submitted as a direct result of an ad being shown. Organic leads come from people who saw your ad shared or tagged by a friend, and only reach you when sharing is set to Open.

How do I stop receiving organic leads?

Set Sharing to Restricted in the settings section of your instant form. Meta says this is the default when you create a form, and lead ads only show a share button when you’ve chosen to receive organic leads. Test leads still appear in your download with this setting.

Why do some leads have no ad ID?

Meta lists three reasons a downloaded lead lacks an ad ID or ad set ID: it was generated by organic reach, it was submitted through an ad preview, or you don’t have advertiser privileges on the ad account that created the campaign.