Meta reservation buying (reach and frequency), explained
Meta’s help article “About reservation” only loads with JavaScript. Here it is in plain words, with the setup steps and the frequency controls, from Meta’s help center as read on October 9, 2026.
On this page · 8 sections
- What is reservation buying on Meta?
- Who is reservation for?
- Which objectives and goals does reservation support?
- How do you set up a reservation campaign?
- Target frequency or frequency cap?
- What changed in reservation since October 2024?
- What if there aren’t enough people for your budget?
- How does Adwize fit with reservation campaigns?
Reservation is the Meta buying type for planning and booking awareness and engagement campaigns in advance, with a fixed cost per 1,000 impressions (CPM) and a prediction of reach and frequency before you pay. It is what many advertisers still call reach and frequency buying. Meta says it suits advertisers who want to reach more than 200,000 people, get predictable reach, control how often people see their ads, and book up to six months ahead. You pick Reservation as the buying type when you create a campaign in Ads Manager, set a lifetime budget, and choose a frequency control: target frequency, now the default, aims for an average number of views per week, while frequency cap limits repeats to favor broad reach. Meta fixes the bid strategy and pacing for you. Delivery is predictable but not 100% guaranteed, and you only pay for the ads delivered. Since October 2024, reservation ad sets can be paused and edited, with a new quote.
TL;DR
- Reservation books awareness and engagement campaigns in advance, at a fixed CPM, with predicted reach and frequency.
- Meta aims it at audiences above 200,000 people. You can book up to six months ahead.
- Two frequency controls: target frequency, the default, and frequency cap, which favors broad reach.
- Delivery is not 100% guaranteed. You pay only for ads delivered and can cancel after the start.
- Adwize reads your reach and frequency each day and reports them in plain words.
What is reservation buying on Meta?
Reservation is a buying type in Meta Ads Manager. It lets you plan and reserve awareness and engagement campaigns with a fixed cost per impression, expressed as a CPM, and a prediction of delivery outcomes such as reach and frequency. In short, you know roughly what you will pay before you book.
The name has changed over the years. Many advertisers still call it reach and frequency buying. Meta’s help center now files it under reservation, with its own pages on setup and frequency controls.
It differs from the usual auction buying, where cost and reach move with the market. With reservation, the system predicts how many people your budget and frequency settings will reach, and keeps the CPM fixed for what you booked.
Who is reservation for?
Meta describes it for advertisers who want to reach an audience of more than 200,000 people, have predictable reach, control how many times people see their ads, and plan and book campaigns in advance. You can reserve brand campaigns up to six months ahead while keeping a fixed CPM.
Meta also gives two strategies. A brand with a high share of awareness can limit views to one or two times a week to spread reach. A new brand with a low market share, or a short campaign, may benefit from a high-frequency strategy instead.
Example. A drinks brand plans a summer launch in three countries. It wants every adult in its audience to see the ad about twice a week for a month, and a known price. Reservation lets it book that plan in spring.
Which objectives and goals does reservation support?
Reservation works with two campaign objectives. With awareness, you can choose the performance goals reach, ad recall lift or ThruPlay. With engagement, the performance goal is to maximize ThruPlay views for video. Sales and leads are not on that list.
Meta fixes two settings for you. Your bid strategy and delivery type cannot be changed, because Meta bids in the auction on your behalf and paces delivery to match your budget and campaign goals.
Frequency controls are supported in the awareness objective, with the reach and ThruPlay performance goals.
How do you set up a reservation campaign?
In Ads Manager, select Create new campaign and choose Reservation as the buying type. Pick an awareness or engagement objective, review the settings, then set a lifetime budget, the most you will pay over the whole campaign. Reservation estimates appear on the right and update as you change the budget.
Next, choose the performance goal, your Facebook Page and your Instagram account, which helps Meta predict your reach. Pick a frequency control, set the schedule and times of day, edit the default audience if needed, and choose Advantage+ placements or manual placements, with brand safety block lists and inventory filters available.
Then click Review and reserve, and select Reserve ad set to lock the fixed CPM. Create your ad and click Publish. Meta warns that choosing fewer placements can make results more expensive.
- Create new campaign, buying type Reservation
- Choose awareness or engagement
- Set a lifetime budget and performance goal
- Pick a frequency control, schedule, audience, placements
- Review and reserve, then publish
Target frequency or frequency cap?
Target frequency is the default control and replaces the older increased average frequency option. You set the average number of times per week you want people to see your ads. It works for campaigns of 7 days or longer and is best for 2 to 4 weeks. For longer campaigns, Meta suggests simulating different budgets, durations and controls.
Frequency cap limits how many times you reach the same people. Meta calls it ideal when you want to avoid showing ads to the same people too often and prioritize broad reach. With a cap of 2 impressions every 7 days over 14 days, Meta expects the average frequency to land below the cap.
The trade-off is the same either way. Raising average frequency reduces the number of people you reach, in exchange for showing your ads more often to the same people. Reservation estimates let you see that trade-off before you book.
| Setting | Target frequency | Frequency cap |
|---|---|---|
| What you set | Average views per person per week | Maximum views per person |
| Best for | Campaigns of 2 to 4 weeks | Broad reach, fewer repeats |
| Minimum length | 7 days | Not stated by Meta |
| Default | Yes | No |
| Typical outcome | Weekly frequency near your target | Average frequency below the cap |
- Higher average frequency
- = fewer people reached
- Lower average frequency
- = more people reached
- Any edit after October 2024
- = new quote, new CPM
What changed in reservation since October 2024?
Meta made reservation more flexible starting October 2024. You can now pause and unpause reservation ad sets, and edit the targeting, placement and ad format after publishing. The catch: these actions require a new prediction quote, so your initial reach, frequency and fixed CPM no longer apply.
Meta also says you no longer need to reserve and publish an ad set before creating an ad, although its setup page still lists reserving first. And you can copy a reserved ad set with Quick duplicate, from the three-dot icon or with Ctrl + D.
On cost, Meta is clear that delivery of reach is predictable but not 100% guaranteed. You are charged only for the ads delivered, and you can cancel a reservation campaign after it starts.
What if there aren’t enough people for your budget?
You may see an error saying there are not enough people in your audience for your budget. It means Meta’s prediction does not find enough inventory for your setup, and you need to change something before you can complete the booking. It is common with narrow audiences or few placements.
If you do not want to lower the budget, Meta suggests adjusting your targeting, brand safety settings, placements, campaign dates, frequency controls or performance goal. Each change widens or reshapes the inventory the system can predict.
Expect the new numbers to differ from your earlier estimate. Meta notes that reservation estimates update regularly, so a quote from last week is not a promise for today.
How does Adwize fit with reservation campaigns?
Reservation is booked in Meta Ads Manager, inside your own ad account. Adwize works in that same account and reads the results of your Meta campaigns each day, including reach, frequency and cost per result, then reports them in plain words. See the Report page.
If frequency climbs higher than you planned or costs drift, Adwize tells you in one sentence and proposes a change for your approval. Nothing changes or spends without your yes. You can also write your own alert in one sentence. See the Automate page.
Adwize works with Meta ads only, on Facebook and Instagram. It does not change how Meta prices, predicts or delivers a reservation.
Frequently asked questions
Is reach and frequency buying still available on Meta?
Yes, under the name reservation. In Ads Manager you choose Reservation as the buying type when you create a campaign, with a fixed CPM and predicted reach and frequency.
What is the minimum audience for Meta reservation?
Meta describes reservation for advertisers who want to reach an audience of more than 200,000 people. If your audience is too small for your budget, Ads Manager shows an error before you can book.
Am I charged if reservation under-delivers?
Meta says delivery is predictable but not 100% guaranteed, and that you are charged only for the ads delivered. You can also cancel a reservation campaign after it starts.
Can I edit a reservation campaign after it is live?
Since October 2024, yes. You can pause it and edit targeting, placement and ad format. Each change needs a new prediction quote, so the initial reach, frequency and fixed CPM no longer apply.
Does Adwize book reservation campaigns?
Reservation is booked in Ads Manager. Adwize reads your Meta results daily, including reach and frequency, reports them in plain words and proposes changes that wait for your approval.
Sources
- Meta Business Help Center, About reservationAccessed 10/09/2026
- Meta Business Help Center, About frequency controls for reservationAccessed 10/09/2026
- Meta Business Help Center, Set up a reservation campaignAccessed 10/09/2026
