The comparison is usually framed as which platform performs better, which is the wrong question. They do different jobs, and the right one depends entirely on whether people are already searching for what you sell.

Google Ads intercepts existing demand. Someone types a problem or a service, and you appear. The intent is high, the volume is capped by how many people search, and the cost per click reflects that competition.

Meta Ads creates demand. Nobody opened Instagram looking for your product, so you are interrupting rather than answering — which costs less per click and requires far more from the creative.

If people search for what you sell, start with Google. Capturing demand that already exists is the cheapest revenue available, and it also tells you which messages resonate before you spend on creating demand.

If your category is new, or the purchase is impulsive and visual, start with Meta. There is no search volume to capture, so waiting for it is waiting for nothing.

For most established service businesses in Chennai, the sequence is Google first for capture, then Meta for retargeting the visitors Google sent who did not convert. That combination is usually stronger than either channel run alone.