The Meta Pixel is a piece of code that reports what people do in their browser. The Conversions API (CAPI) sends the same kind of events from your server. You need both: the pixel sees the visit and the clicks, CAPI makes sure confirmed sales are reported even when the browser never gets the chance. Meta uses a shared event ID to match the two, so one sale is counted once.
What is the Meta Pixel?
The pixel is a small script on your page. When someone views a product, starts checkout or buys, the script tells Meta, along with cookies that link the visitor to their Facebook or Instagram account.
Its weakness is that it lives in the visitor's browser. Anything that stops the browser from running the script or sending the data loses the event:
- Ad blockers and privacy browsers
- Browser limits on cookies and tracking
- A buyer who closes the tab before the thank-you page loads
- A slow connection that drops the request
What is the Conversions API?
CAPI is a direct line from your server to Meta. When a sale is confirmed, your server sends a Purchase event with the value, the currency and details that help Meta match the buyer, such as an email address or phone number. Meta requires these to be hashed (scrambled) so they are not sent in plain text.
Nothing in the buyer's browser can block it, because it never passes through the browser.
Pixel vs CAPI at a glance
| Pixel | Conversions API | |
|---|---|---|
| Sends from | The visitor's browser | Your server |
| Affected by ad blockers | Yes | No |
| Sees a sale if the buyer closes the page | No | Yes |
| Knows page behaviour (scrolls, views) | Yes | Only if you send it |
| Set up | Paste a pixel ID | Needs an access token and server code |
Why you need both
Meta recommends running both, and the reason is simple: each one covers the other's gaps. The pixel gives rich browser signals such as the page viewed and Facebook cookies. CAPI gives reliable sales. Together Meta gets more of your real purchases, which tends to give more accurate cost per purchase in Ads Manager and better optimisation.
This matters a lot in Ghana, where many buyers pay with mobile money. They approve a prompt on their phone and may never come back to your thank-you page. A pixel alone would miss those sales. See the Meta Conversions API explained for sellers for more on that.
What is deduplication?
If the pixel and CAPI both report the same sale, Meta must not count two purchases. It solves this with two fields, an event name and an event ID. When it receives two events with the same name and the same ID within a short window, it keeps one and drops the other.
So the rule is: send the same event ID from the browser and from the server for the same action. If the IDs differ, or one side leaves it out, you can see double Purchases in Ads Manager.
Meta's Events Manager has a Diagnostics area that flags problems with event IDs. To check yours, read how to check the Conversions API is working.
What does Paylead send?
Paylead runs both for you. We checked what the code does:
- The browser pixel sends PageView, ViewContent, InitiateCheckout and Purchase on your store and funnel pages.
- If you add a Conversions API access token, Paylead also sends each event from the server, including the Purchase the moment a payment is confirmed.
- The browser and the server share one event ID for each event, so Meta can match them.
- The server event carries the value and currency for purchases, and, when available, the buyer's email, phone and name, the browser's
fbpandfbccookies, the IP address and the user agent. Email and phone are hashed before they reach Meta. - You can switch individual events off under Tracked actions.
The set-up takes five minutes: connect your Meta pixel and Conversions API token. If you run your own site instead, a tag manager can send the pixel and a developer or plugin can add CAPI, but you must pass the same event ID yourself.
Should I use the partner integration or a custom set-up?
If your platform has a built-in Meta connection, use it. It is far less work than writing server code, and the event ID matching is handled. Custom CAPI only makes sense when you run your own app and need full control.
FAQ
Is the Conversions API replacing the pixel?
No. Meta presents them as working together. Keep both.
Do I need CAPI if I only get a few sales a month?
It helps most when sales are few, because every missed sale is a big share of your data. It is free to switch on in Paylead.
Will CAPI make my sales go up?
No. It makes your reporting more complete. Your ads may then optimise better, but it does not create buyers by itself.
Is customer data safe in CAPI?
Email and phone are hashed before sending, and Meta uses them to match, not to show to others.
What is Event Match Quality?
A score Meta gives to show how well your events can be matched to people. More hashed customer details usually raise it.
