How long winning Meta ads run, by format (video, image, dynamic, catalog)
Published 13 Nov 2026. Data read 2026-11-11 and 2026-11-12 (frozen 2026-11-12 22:48 UTC). Source: Meta's Ad Library (EU transparency data), read by Poseidon, unless the text names another source.
In short, as read on 12 November 2026. Across 5,293 e-commerce ads still running in the EU after 21 days or more, the median ad had been live 115 days, and 59.3% had passed 90 days. Format matters. The median dynamic creative had run 132 days and the median catalog ad 140, against 106 for video and 115 for a single image. Country matters even more. In Italy, the median dynamic creative had run 210 days; in the Netherlands, the median single image 79.
One thing to know before reading. These ads are still running, so "days live" is how long each has run so far, not how long it will run in the end. It shows how long brands keep their winners going, measured on 12 November.
How long they run, by format
| Format (Meta's label) | Winning ads | A quarter run less than | Median | A quarter run more than | 1 in 10 run more than | Live 90+ days | Live a year+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Video | 2,503 | 51 days | 106 days | 178 days | 290 days | 55.8% | 5.2% |
| Single image | 1,525 | 57 days | 115 days | 197 days | 297 days | 60.7% | 4.7% |
| Dynamic creative | 1,061 | 59 days | 132 days | 219 days | 315 days | 63.6% | 6.0% |
| Catalog | 153 | 85 days | 140 days | 258 days | 371 days | 71.2% | 11.1% |
| Carousel | 43 | 42 days | 160 days | 181 days | 265 days | 58.1% | 0.0% |
| All winners | 5,293 | 55 days | 115 days | 194 days | 296 days | 59.3% | 5.3% |
Two formats with fewer than 30 ads (page-like ads and multi-image ads, 8 in all) are left out.
What this shows, without reading into it.
- Video is the most common winning format and the quickest to be replaced. It has the most winners (2,503) and the shortest median run (106 days).
- Catalog and dynamic ads last longest. 71.2% of catalog winners and 63.6% of dynamic ones had passed 90 days. Both formats show different content to different people.
- The spread is wide. For video, image and dynamic winners, a quarter had run under two months and 1 in 10 over nine months.
By country, the median run of each format
Each ad counts in the country that holds the largest part of Meta's breakdown for it. Medians are shown only where a format has 30 ads or more in that country.
| Country | Video | Single image | Dynamic creative |
|---|---|---|---|
| Italy | 116 days (455 ads) | 166 days (165) | 210 days (126) |
| Poland | 125 days (360) | 149 days (181) | 167 days (90) |
| Germany | 106 days (390) | 128 days (292) | 126 days (202) |
| France | 97 days (412) | 100 days (271) | 104 days (243) |
| Spain | 92 days (331) | 92 days (173) | 113 days (133) |
| the Netherlands | 96 days (200) | 79 days (156) | 142 days (78) |
- Italy keeps its image and dynamic winners longest. Its median dynamic creative had run twice as long as France's (210 against 104 days). For video, Poland leads (125 days).
- France and Spain turn over fast, with medians between 92 and 113 days in every format.
- In the Netherlands, single images are replaced first (median 79 days) while dynamic ads run 142.
How this was measured
- Source: Meta's start date for each ad, and its status read by Poseidon on 11 and 12 November 2026 (snapshot frozen at 22:48 UTC on 12 November).
- Which ads: e-commerce shops on Poseidon's watchlist, ads still active on 12 November and live 21 days or more (Poseidon's line for a winner). 5,293 ads.
- Days live: from Meta's start date to 12 November 2026.
- Spread: "a quarter run less than" and "a quarter run more than" are the 25th and 75th percentiles; "1 in 10 run more than" is the 90th.
- Country: the country with the largest part of the ad's breakdown in Meta's data.
- What this can't tell you: ads that stopped before 21 days, or how long today's winners will last. It's a snapshot of how long brands are keeping their winners right now.
FAQ
How long should I let a test ad run before I copy the idea?
Poseidon calls an ad a winner once it has run 21 days. This page shows how far past that the real winners go. Half of them run past 115 days.
Does a longer run mean more sales?
Not on its own. It means the brand kept paying for it. Combine it with Meta's EU reach, which Poseidon reads every day, to see how far the ad went. See how long a winning ad runs, with its reach.
Poseidon follows every winning e-commerce ad in the Meta Ad Library, every day, with its real EU reach, its script and the brands' own A/B tests. Ask Poseidon what's winning in your market →
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