SMART+ vs ROAS Campaigns on TikTok: Which Drove Better Profit for a Dating App?

Automated campaigns promise less manual work. Manual campaigns promise more control.

But what happens when you put both head-to-head for the same app, in the same market, during the same period?

Between December and April, REPLUG’s paid UA team tested TikTok’s SMART+ (automated) campaigns vs. traditional ROAS (manual) ones for a dating app focused on the German market.

The results?

• SMART+ peaked at 204% ROAS in February
• Manual campaigns outperformed in January and April
• No consistent winner, but plenty of actionable insights

Here’s what we uncovered and why this case challenges one-size-fits-all campaign thinking.

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TL;DR

• We ran SMART+ vs ROAS TikTok campaigns from Dec to April for a dating app in Germany
• SMART+ showed better results in Feb/March, while ROAS campaigns won in Jan/April
• TROAS ad groups outperformed non-targeted ones in manual campaigns
• Continuous cohort analysis revealed valuable long-term performance differences
• No single approach wins: ongoing testing, optimization, and budget reallocation are key

The Challenge: Can SMART+ Deliver Sustainable Performance?

The dating app (non-subscription, in-app purchases only) was already investing heavily in Germany, its top-performing market.

The goal? Scale user acquisition on TikTok and maximize ROAS.

With TikTok evolving fast and pushing SMART+ as their new go-to campaign type, our team asked:

Could SMART+ campaigns outperform traditional ROAS campaigns, not just in early results, but over multiple user cohorts?

We needed a real test.

Read more about our success with a subscription app.

The Strategy: SMART+ vs ROAS, Side-by-Side

To answer this, we launched both campaign types in parallel.

Campaign Setup:

• Market: Germany
• Channels: TikTok (Android)
• Ad Format: RT ads, UGC-focused, non-spark creatives
• Target Audience: Primarily men, with female-led creatives

“We didn’t just compare campaign types at one moment. We tracked their performance over several months, cohort by cohort.” - Denis Otrjachnin, Paid UA Manager at REPLUG

What We Measured:

• ROAS from Day 1 to Week 3+
• Performance per cohort (Dec–April)
• TROAS vs. non-targeted ad groups in ROAS campaigns
• Budget shifts and reallocation triggers

What the Data Showed

Campaign Performance Over Time

• SMART+ dominated in February, hitting 212% ROAS
• Manual ROAS campaigns came back strong in January and April
• TROAS ad groups consistently outperformed non-targeted one
• Cohort analysis showed how performance evolved, not just immediate results

Key Insight: There’s No “Best” Campaign Type

Each month told a different story.

That’s why we didn’t rely on initial ROAS alone. We analyzed:

• Day 1 performance
• Day 7 ROAS
• Weekly trends per cohort
• Long-term profitability, not just acquisition costs

This revealed:

• TikTok SMART+ worked well out-of-the-box, but needed strong creatives
• Manual ROAS offered more control, especially with TROAS targeting
• Performance shifted monthly based on TikTok algorithm dynamics, creative fatigue, and user intent

How We Reallocated Budgets

“We followed the data. When SMART+ outperformed, we scaled it. When ROAS campaigns won, we moved the budget there. It’s not about picking a side - it’s about choosing what works now.” - Denis Otrjachnin

Budget shifts were based on:

• Primary event (ROAS-driving purchases)
• Daily and weekly cohort performance
• Aggressive testing → agile scaling
• No campaign was left on autopilot

Case Study Highlights

December (Initial Period)

• ROAS campaign: 65% ROAS
• SMART+: 81% ROAS

By May 23rd

• ROAS campaign: 111% (TROAS ad groups: 158%, no target: 74%)
• SMART+: 204% ROAS

Cohort Standouts

• January: ROAS 174% > SMART+ 84%
• February: SMART+ 212% > ROAS 136%
• April: ROAS 189% > SMART+ 131%

Takeaways for App Marketers

• Test both: Start with SMART+ for speed, but always compare against ROAS.
• Use TROAS targeting: Manual campaigns get a boost when targeting is precise.
• Track cohorts: Monthly tracking reveals trends no snapshot can.
• Don’t set-and-forget: Campaigns need regular check-ins and reallocation.
• Let the data lead: Today’s winner may flop next month—stay agile.

FAQs

1. Should I always use SMART+ on TikTok now?
   Not necessarily. Consider starting with it if you're short on time or creative resources, but be sure to compare it to ROAS campaigns. You might be leaving money on the table without testing both.
   
   
2. What’s the biggest mistake with manual campaigns?
   Skipping TROAS targeting or letting campaigns run without budget adjustments.
   
   
3. Do SMART+ campaigns really require less effort?
   Yes. But they’re still only as good as the creatives and signals you feed them.
   
   
4. How often should I check campaign performance?
   At least weekly. Ideally, track Day 1, Day 7, and Week 3 ROAS per cohort.

Final Thought

SMART+ campaigns can scale fast. ROAS campaigns offer control. But neither will work if left on autopilot.

This test didn’t give us a clear winner—it gave us something better: a blueprint for continuous optimization.

👉 Want us to test what works best for your app?
Let’s chat about how we scale intelligently, one cohort at a time. Book a call.