How much do platforms earn from ads versus fees, and how has it shifted?
Research question: What do the advertising and data-revenue disclosures of large platforms show about the split between attention-based advertising income and transaction-fee income, and how that split has shifted over the past decade?
The verified facts do not include a ten-year series, so the shift over the past decade cannot be measured directly. A 2016 comparison contrasted eBay, where sellers pay per transaction, with Taobao, where sellers pay for advertising to gain exposure 2. Apple's Services segment mixes advertising with App Store commissions, so the commission share is not separated out, though Services revenue rose 12% year over year to $30.74 billion in the fiscal third quarter reported in July 2026 36. Commission income looks under pressure: Appfigures data indicates Apple's U.S. commission revenue fell 18% in 2026 so far 8, and Apple's 10-Q warns that alternative payment methods may reduce its commissions 7. On the advertising side, Meta's non-advertising other revenue rose 50% in 2025, driven by WhatsApp paid messaging and Meta Verified subscriptions 1, while Meta says its future ad revenue depends on ad pricing and impressions delivered 5.
Sources
"FoA other revenue in 2025 increased $862 million, or 50%, compared to 2024. The increase was mostly driven by paid messaging from WhatsApp and Meta Verified subscriptions."Meta Platforms, Inc. - Form 10-K - FY2025
"eBay.com in the United States uses a brokerage model in which sellers pay eBay on a transaction basis, whereas Taobao.com in China uses an advertising model in which sellers can use basic platform service for free and pay Taobao for advertising service to increase their exposure."Advertising Versus Brokerage Model for Online Trading Platforms1 (2016)
"The arm covers more elements, including advertising, AppleCare , Apple Music , video, iCloud , and payment services."Apple's App Store revenue in danger of being regulated away
"most Internet portals and free television providers do not charge viewers."The Antitrust Economics of Multi-Sided Platform Markets (2003)
"We anticipate that future advertising revenue will be driven by a combination of price and ad impressions delivered."Meta Platforms, Inc. - Form 10-K - FY2025
"In the third-quarter earnings at the end of July, Apple reported Services as generating $30.74 billion in the quarter, representing a 12% increase in revenue year-over-year."Apple's App Store revenue in danger of being regulated away
""If third-party developers use alternative methods of distribution and payment for their apps and digital content, including direct-to-consumer distribution models, the company may earn a lower commission on such sales," Apple states in the filing."Apple's App Store revenue in danger of being regulated away
"Other data from Appfigures says that Apple's U.S. commission revenue has gone down 18% so far in 2026."Apple's App Store revenue in danger of being regulated away
"Later, Sensor Tower data for global consumer spending in the App Store said rose just 3% year-over-year for the June quarter."Apple's App Store revenue in danger of being regulated away