Meta CAPI vs TikTok Events API: The Complete Setup Guide [2026]

Meta Conversions API (CAPI) and TikTok Events API are the two most popular server-side tracking solutions for paid social. If you’re running ads on Facebook/Instagram or TikTok, you need to understand how these APIs work—and how to use them together.

This guide compares both platforms, walks through setup for each, and shows you how to send events to both simultaneously.

Why Server-Side Tracking Matters

Before diving into the APIs, let’s understand why server-side tracking is essential:

The Problem with Browser Pixels

Traditional tracking uses JavaScript pixels in the browser:

<!-- Facebook Pixel -->
<script>
  fbq('track', 'Purchase', {value: 99.99, currency: 'USD'});
</script>

<!-- TikTok Pixel -->
<script>
  ttq.track('CompletePayment', {value: 99.99, currency: 'USD'});
</script>

These pixels are blocked by:

Ad blockers (40% of users)
iOS 14.5+ privacy restrictions
Firefox/Brave tracking protection
Safari’s Intelligent Tracking Prevention

Result: You’re losing visibility into 30-40% of conversions.

Server-Side Solution

Server-side APIs bypass the browser entirely:

User Action → Your Server → Meta/TikTok API
                     ↓
              (No browser blocking)

Benefits:

✅ Bypasses ad blockers
✅ Longer attribution windows
✅ More reliable data
✅ Better privacy compliance

Meta Conversions API (CAPI)

What is Meta CAPI?

Meta Conversions API is Facebook’s server-to-server tracking solution. It sends conversion events directly from your server to Meta’s servers, bypassing browser-based restrictions.

Key Features

Feature	Description
Event Types	Standard + Custom events
User Data	Email, phone, IP, user agent (hashed)
Attribution	28-day click, 1-day view
Deduplication	Event ID prevents double-counting
Offline Events	Support for in-store conversions

Meta CAPI Event Structure

{
  "data": [{
    "event_name": "Purchase",
    "event_time": 1706613000,
    "event_id": "order_12345_1706613000",
    "user_data": {
      "em": "5d41402abc4b2a76b9719d911017c592",
      "ph": "c775e7b757ede630cd0aa1113bd102661ab38829ca52a6422ab782862b068eea",
      "client_ip_address": "192.168.1.1",
      "client_user_agent": "Mozilla/5.0..."
    },
    "custom_data": {
      "value": 99.99,
      "currency": "USD",
      "content_ids": ["SKU-123"],
      "content_type": "product",
      "order_id": "ORDER-12345"
    },
    "action_source": "website"
  }],
  "access_token": "YOUR_ACCESS_TOKEN"
}

Setting Up Meta CAPI

Step 1: Create a Facebook App

Go to developers.facebook.com
Create a new app (Business type)
Add “Marketing API” product
Note your App ID and App Secret

Step 2: Generate Access Token

Go to Events Manager
Select your Pixel
Click “Settings” → “Conversions API”
Generate access token under “Generate access token”

Step 3: Test Events

Use the Test Events tool before going live:

curl -X POST "https://graph.facebook.com/v18.0/YOUR_PIXEL_ID/events" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "data": [{
      "event_name": "TestEvent",
      "event_time": '$(date +%s)',
      "user_data": {
        "client_ip_address": "127.0.0.1",
        "client_user_agent": "TestAgent"
      },
      "action_source": "website"
    }],
    "test_event_code": "TEST12345",
    "access_token": "YOUR_ACCESS_TOKEN"
  }'

Step 4: Production Implementation

Option A: Direct API Call

async function sendToMetaCAPI(event) {
  const payload = {
    data: [{
      event_name: event.name,
      event_time: Math.floor(Date.now() / 1000),
      event_id: event.id,
      user_data: {
        em: hashSHA256(event.user.email),
        ph: hashSHA256(event.user.phone),
        client_ip_address: event.user.ip,
        client_user_agent: event.user.userAgent,
      },
      custom_data: {
        value: event.value,
        currency: event.currency,
        content_ids: event.productIds,
        content_type: 'product',
      },
      action_source: 'website',
    }],
    access_token: process.env.META_ACCESS_TOKEN,
  };

  const response = await fetch(
    `https://graph.facebook.com/v18.0/${process.env.META_PIXEL_ID}/events`,
    {
      method: 'POST',
      headers: { 'Content-Type': 'application/json' },
      body: JSON.stringify(payload),
    }
  );

  return response.json();
}

Option B: Using Anacoic (Recommended)

// Send once, Anacoic routes to Meta automatically
await fetch('https://gateway.anacoic.com/track', {
  method: 'POST',
  headers: {
    'Content-Type': 'application/json',
    'X-Gateway-Host': 'your-domain.com',
  },
  body: JSON.stringify({
    event_name: 'Purchase',
    event_id: 'order_12345',
    user_data: {
      email: '[email protected]',
      phone: '+1234567890',
    },
    custom_data: {
      value: 99.99,
      currency: 'USD',
      content_ids: ['SKU-123'],
    },
  }),
});

TikTok Events API

What is TikTok Events API?

TikTok Events API is TikTok’s server-to-server tracking solution. It’s similar to Meta CAPI but with TikTok-specific event types and attribution models.

Key Features

Feature	Description
Event Types	TikTok-specific (CompletePayment, ClickButton, etc.)
User Data	External ID, phone, email, ttp (hashed)
Attribution	7-day click, 1-day view
Deduplication	Event ID + ttp cookie
Web Events	Support for web + app events

TikTok Events API Structure

{
  "event_source": "web",
  "event_source_id": "YOUR_PIXEL_ID",
  "data": [{
    "event": "CompletePayment",
    "event_time": 1706613000,
    "event_id": "order_12345_1706613000",
    "user": {
      "external_id": "user_12345",
      "phone": "c775e7b757ede630cd0aa1113bd102661ab38829ca52a6422ab782862b068eea",
      "email": "5d41402abc4b2a76b9719d911017c592",
      "ttp": "94e5d1c8-8d59-4a9c-9a7e-2c9e8f3d5b1a"
    },
    "properties": {
      "value": 99.99,
      "currency": "USD",
      "content_id": "SKU-123",
      "content_type": "product",
      "order_id": "ORDER-12345"
    }
  }]
}

Setting Up TikTok Events API

Step 1: Create TikTok App

Go to TikTok for Developers
Create a developer account
Create a new app
Request “TikTok Marketing API” permission

Step 2: Get Access Token

Go to TikTok Business Center
Navigate to “Events” → “Web Events”
Create or select your Pixel
Generate Access Token under “Events API”

Step 3: Test Events

curl -X POST "https://business-api.tiktok.com/open_api/v1.3/event/track/" \
  -H "Access-Token: YOUR_ACCESS_TOKEN" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "event_source": "web",
    "event_source_id": "YOUR_PIXEL_ID",
    "data": [{
      "event": "TestEvent",
      "event_time": '$(date +%s)',
      "user": {
        "external_id": "test_user"
      },
      "properties": {
        "value": 1.00,
        "currency": "USD"
      }
    }]
  }'

Step 4: Production Implementation

Option A: Direct API Call

async function sendToTiktokEventsAPI(event) {
  const payload = {
    event_source: 'web',
    event_source_id: process.env.TIKTOK_PIXEL_ID,
    data: [{
      event: mapEventName(event.name), // Convert to TikTok event names
      event_time: Math.floor(Date.now() / 1000),
      event_id: event.id,
      user: {
        external_id: hashSHA256(event.user.id),
        email: hashSHA256(event.user.email),
        phone: hashSHA256(event.user.phone),
        ttp: event.user.ttpCookie, // TikTok Click ID
      },
      properties: {
        value: event.value,
        currency: event.currency,
        content_id: event.productId,
        content_type: 'product',
      },
    }],
  };

  const response = await fetch(
    'https://business-api.tiktok.com/open_api/v1.3/event/track/',
    {
      method: 'POST',
      headers: {
        'Access-Token': process.env.TIKTOK_ACCESS_TOKEN,
        'Content-Type': 'application/json',
      },
      body: JSON.stringify(payload),
    }
  );

  return response.json();
}

// Map your events to TikTok event names
function mapEventName(name) {
  const mapping = {
    'Purchase': 'CompletePayment',
    'AddToCart': 'AddToCart',
    'PageView': 'ViewContent',
    'InitiateCheckout': 'InitiateCheckout',
    'Lead': 'SubmitForm',
  };
  return mapping[name] || 'CustomEvent';
}

Option B: Using Anacoic (Recommended)

Anacoic automatically maps event names and handles both platforms:

// Same code sends to both Meta and TikTok
await fetch('https://gateway.anacoic.com/track', {
  method: 'POST',
  headers: {
    'Content-Type': 'application/json',
    'X-Gateway-Host': 'your-domain.com',
  },
  body: JSON.stringify({
    event_name: 'Purchase',
    event_id: 'order_12345',
    user_data: {
      email: '[email protected]',
      phone: '+1234567890',
    },
    custom_data: {
      value: 99.99,
      currency: 'USD',
      content_ids: ['SKU-123'],
    },
  }),
});
// Automatically routes to Meta CAPI + TikTok Events API

Meta CAPI vs TikTok Events API: Comparison

Feature Comparison

Feature	Meta CAPI	TikTok Events API
Setup Complexity	Medium	Medium
Documentation	Extensive	Good
Test Events Tool	✅ Yes	✅ Yes
Event Deduplication	✅ Event ID	✅ Event ID + ttp
Offline Events	✅ Yes	❌ No
Custom Events	✅ Yes	✅ Limited
Rate Limits	100 events/sec	1000 events/min
Attribution Window	28-day click	7-day click

Event Name Mapping

Standard Event	Meta CAPI	TikTok Events API
Purchase	`Purchase`	`CompletePayment`
Add to Cart	`AddToCart`	`AddToCart`
View Content	`ViewContent`	`ViewContent`
Initiate Checkout	`InitiateCheckout`	`InitiateCheckout`
Lead	`Lead`	`SubmitForm`
Search	`Search`	`Search`
Add Payment Info	`AddPaymentInfo`	`AddBilling`
Complete Registration	`CompleteRegistration`	`CompleteRegistration`

User Data Requirements

Field	Meta CAPI	TikTok Events API	Format
Email	Required	Required	SHA-256 hashed
Phone	Recommended	Required	SHA-256 hashed
IP Address	Required	Recommended	Plain text
User Agent	Required	Recommended	Plain text
External ID	Optional	Recommended	SHA-256 hashed
TikTok Click ID	N/A	Recommended	`ttp` parameter

Sending to Both Platforms Simultaneously

Option 1: Manual Implementation

async function trackEvent(event) {
  // Send to Meta
  const metaPromise = sendToMetaCAPI(event);
  
  // Send to TikTok
  const tiktokPromise = sendToTiktokEventsAPI(event);
  
  // Wait for both
  const [metaResult, tiktokResult] = await Promise.allSettled([
    metaPromise,
    tiktokPromise,
  ]);
  
  // Log results
  console.log('Meta:', metaResult.status);
  console.log('TikTok:', tiktokResult.status);
}

Cons:

Double the code
Double the maintenance
Different error handling
Different retry logic

Option 2: Using Anacoic (Recommended)

Configure both integrations in the Anacoic dashboard, then send once:

await fetch('https://gateway.anacoic.com/track', {
  method: 'POST',
  headers: {
    'Content-Type': 'application/json',
    'X-Gateway-Host': 'your-domain.com',
  },
  body: JSON.stringify({
    event_name: 'Purchase',
    event_id: 'order_12345',
    user_data: {
      email: '[email protected]',
      phone: '+1234567890',
    },
    custom_data: {
      value: 99.99,
      currency: 'USD',
      content_ids: ['SKU-123'],
    },
  }),
});

Anacoic automatically:

✅ Routes to Meta CAPI
✅ Routes to TikTok Events API
✅ Maps event names correctly
✅ Hashes PII data
✅ Handles retries
✅ Provides unified logging

Best Practices

1. Always Include Event IDs

Prevents duplicate conversions:

const eventId = `${orderId}_${timestamp}`;

// Use same ID for both platforms
metaEvent.event_id = eventId;
tiktokEvent.event_id = eventId;

2. Hash PII Consistently

Both platforms expect SHA-256:

function hashPII(value) {
  return crypto
    .createHash('sha256')
    .update(value.trim().toLowerCase())
    .digest('hex');
}

3. Include TikTok Click ID (ttclid)

Capture from URL and pass to TikTok:

// Capture on page load
const urlParams = new URLSearchParams(window.location.search);
const ttclid = urlParams.get('ttclid');

// Store in cookie
if (ttclid) {
  document.cookie = `ttp=${ttclid}; max-age=604800; path=/`; // 7 days
}

// Read cookie when sending events
const ttp = getCookie('ttp');

4. Test Before Production

Meta: Use Test Events tool in Events Manager
TikTok: Use Events Manager Test Events

5. Monitor Event Match Quality

Meta: Check “Event Match Quality” in Events Manager
TikTok: Check “Match Rate” in TikTok Business Center

Aim for >70% match rate on both platforms.

Troubleshooting

Common Meta CAPI Issues

Issue	Solution
”Invalid token”	Regenerate access token
”Event not received”	Check event_time is Unix timestamp
”Low match rate”	Include more user data fields
”Duplicate events”	Ensure unique event_id per event

Common TikTok Events API Issues

Issue	Solution
”Invalid access token”	Token expires every 90 days, regenerate
”Event rejected”	Check event name is valid TikTok event
”Low match rate”	Include ttp cookie and more user data
”Rate limit exceeded”	Max 1000 events/min, implement queuing

Which Should You Use?

Use Meta CAPI if:

You run Facebook/Instagram ads
You need 28-day attribution
You have offline events to track
You want extensive custom event support

Use TikTok Events API if:

You run TikTok ads
Your audience is on TikTok (Gen Z, millennials)
You want lower cost per acquisition (typically)
You’re in e-commerce or app install verticals

Use Both if:

You run ads on both platforms
You want complete attribution coverage
You have the engineering resources
Or use Anacoic to send to both with one integration

Conclusion

Meta CAPI and TikTok Events API are both essential tools for modern paid social advertising. While they have similar architectures, they differ in:

Attribution windows (28-day vs 7-day)
Event naming (slightly different conventions)
User data requirements (TikTok requires phone)
Audience demographics (broader vs younger)

The best approach: Use both platforms if you’re advertising on both. Server-side tracking on Facebook and TikTok can recover 30-40% of conversions lost to ad blockers and privacy restrictions.

The easiest approach: Use a unified gateway like Anacoic to send events once and route to both platforms automatically.

Resources

Need help setting up server-side tracking? Book a demo or read our quickstart guide.