Ad Account Roles Explained: Admin, Advertiser, Analyst
Three roles decide what someone can do on an ad account, from full control to view-only.
Is this your situation?
You are deciding who should have access to a Facebook ad account and what they should be allowed to do with it. You want to know the difference between the roles before granting access.
What it is
Ad accounts have 3 permission roles available to help manage the account. Assigning someone a role in Meta Ads Manager determines what they are able to do or see on the ad account. The Admin role has full control of the ad account. The Advertiser role can create, edit, and manage ads. The Analyst role has view-only access.
How Facebook handles this
- Admins can add or remove other people's permissions on the ad account.
- Only Admins can manage who else has access to the ad account and what role they have.
- Advertisers cannot change the payment method on the ad account.
- Advertisers cannot add or remove other people's access to the ad account.
- Granting permissions to an ad account does not give permission to log in as the account owner.
Side by side
| Role | Can do | Cannot do |
|---|---|---|
| Admin | Has full control of the ad account. | No restriction stated for this role. |
| Advertiser | Can create, edit, and manage ads. | Cannot change the payment method on the ad account. |
| Analyst | Has view-only access. | No restriction stated for this role. |
| Admin | Can add or remove other people's permissions on the ad account. | No restriction stated for this role. |
Common mistakes
- Assuming Advertiser access includes billing control Advertisers cannot change the payment method on the ad account.Why it happens: The Advertiser role is intended to manage campaigns, not billing or account membership.Already happened: If billing changed without authorization, review ad account access. How do I stop fraudulent ad spend after a portfolio hack?
- Expecting an Analyst to manage campaigns The Analyst role is intended for people who only need to monitor ad performance and pull reports.Why it happens: The Analyst role has view-only access.
- Thinking shared access opens the owner's profile Granting permissions to an ad account does not give permission to see things on the owner's profile not shared with them.Why it happens: You expect shared account access to work like shared personal access.
If this changes who is in control
You want to know who can still change or control this ad account. Review who holds the Admin role and audit ad account access on a regular basis.
Quick reference
| Item | Fact |
|---|---|
| Number of roles | Ad accounts have 3 permission roles available. |
| Admin | Has full control of the ad account. |
| Admin access control | Only Admins can manage who else has access and what role they have. |
| Ownership | If you own the ad account, you automatically have the Admin role. |
| Advertiser capability | The Advertiser role can create, edit, and manage ads. |
| Advertiser limitation | Advertisers cannot add or remove other people's access to the ad account. |
| Analyst | The Analyst role has view-only access. |
| Permission scope | Granting permissions does not give access to the owner's profile. |
Frequently asked questions
Can an Advertiser remove someone else's access?
Advertisers cannot add or remove other people's access to the ad account.
Do I automatically get Admin if I own the ad account?
If you own the ad account, you automatically have the Admin role.
Can an Analyst edit ads?
The Analyst role has view-only access.
Does shared access let someone see my profile?
Granting people permissions to an ad account does not give them permission to see things on the owner's profile that haven't been shared with them.
Keeping track of who has access
Confusion about who holds which role builds as more people gain access to an ad account over time. Delvia gives you a clear view of every role assigned, so you can see at a glance who can do what.
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