Comparison · Get users
Organic Posts vs Apple Search Ads
September 30, 2026 · 5 min read
Apple Search Ads show your app when someone searches. Organic posts teach you which search is worth bidding on. Alma is the organic side. Start there.
Organic posts with Alma
Slideshows that use the real job in the hook. You see which phrasing people save and which one matches store visits. Those phrases are also what you want in the App Store subtitle. $29/month for 500 slides, or $199/month with no cap.
See how Alma automates this
The short report on how Alma turns an app link into posts that go out every day.
Read the carousel reportApple Search Ads
You bid on a keyword inside the App Store. Useful when you already know the phrase and the screenshot converts. Expensive and confusing when the phrase is broad and the screenshot is vague. You pay for taps from people who may have wanted a different app.
Side by side
| Organic posts | Apple Search Ads | |
|---|---|---|
| Where they run | TikTok, Instagram, and the rest | Inside App Store search |
| Cost | Your time, plus Alma | Per tap |
| Teaches the message | Yes | Assumes you have it |
Recommendation
Alma and the listing first. When a phrase from the posts is clearly the one buyers use, test a small Search Ads campaign on that phrase only. Do not open with a broad match and hope.