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What is TikTok Ad Credit?

Cody Schneider•

TikTok Ad Credit is essentially free money to spend on your advertising campaigns. It's a hugely valuable way to kickstart your TikTok advertising, experiment with new creatives, or amplify your reach without dipping further into your budget. This guide will walk you through exactly what TikTok Ad Credit is, the different ways you can get it, and how to use it strategically to grow your business.

What is TikTok Ad Credit?

Think of TikTok Ad Credit like a gift card or a coupon that can only be used to pay for ads on the TikTok platform. When you run a campaign, TikTok’s system will spend your available ad credit first before it starts charging your credit card or other primary payment method. If your campaign costs less than the credit you have, you won’t pay a dime.

TikTok offers these credits for a few key reasons:

  • To Attract New Advertisers: The most common form of ad credit is designed to lower the barrier to entry for businesses that are new to the platform. By offering a "spend $50, get $100" type of deal, they encourage newcomers to give TikTok Ads a shot with minimal risk.

  • To Incentivize Spending: For existing advertisers, TikTok runs promotions to encourage increased spending during key periods, such as Black Friday, Cyber Monday, or other major holidays.

  • To Promote New Features: When TikTok rolls out a new ad format or targeting feature, they often offer credits to businesses who are willing to be early adopters and test it out.

  • To Reward Partners: TikTok frequently collaborates with e-commerce platforms like Shopify or website builders like Wix, offering exclusive ad credits to their users as a partnership perk.

Regardless of how you get it, ad credit is a powerful tool. It allows you to test, learn, and acquire customers on TikTok’s dime.

The Different Types of TikTok Ad Credits You Can Get

Ad credits aren't handed out randomly, they typically fall into a few specific categories. Understanding these types will help you know where to look and what to expect.

1. New Advertiser Welcome Credits

This is the most common credit and is designed for businesses creating their first-ever TikTok Ad Account. The offers can change, but they almost always follow a "spend X, get Y" model.

For example, a common offer might be:

  • "Spend $50 and get $100 in Ad Credit."

  • "Create an account and spend $300 within 30 days to receive a $300 ad credit."

These introductory credits are designed to give you enough budget to run a meaningful first campaign, see some results, and get hooked on the platform's potential. Always check the official TikTok for Business website for the latest introductory offers before creating an account.

2. "Spend and Get" Seasonal Promotions

These are for both new and existing advertisers. During busy commercial seasons (like Q4 for the holidays or back-to-school season), TikTok will launch limited-time challenges to boost ad spend on the platform. These often have tiered rewards.

For instance, an offer might look like:

  • Spend $500, get a $50 ad credit

  • Spend $2,000, get a $250 ad credit

  • Spend $5,000, get a $750 ad credit

These promotions are great for businesses that already plan to scale their ad spend, as they provide a bonus on top of your existing budget.

3. Partnership Credits

Keep a close eye on the platforms you already use. TikTok has strong ties with the e-commerce and small business ecosystem. It’s very common to find exclusive ad credit offers through partners, such as:

  • E-commerce Platforms: Shopify, BigCommerce, or Wix might have an app or integration with TikTok that comes with a free ad credit as an installation bonus.

  • Marketing Software: Email marketing platforms or CRMs sometimes partner with TikTok to offer promotions to their mutual user bases.

You can usually find these offers in your platform’s app marketplace or in their "perks" or "rewards" section.

4. Credits for Educational or Beta Programs

TikTok is always looking for feedback and case studies. They may offer credits in exchange for your participation in:

  • Business Webinars: Occasionally, TikTok will offer a small ad credit simply for attending a live educational webinar about a new feature or best practice.

  • Beta Testing: If TikTok is testing a new campaign objective or ad format, they might invite certain advertisers to a beta program and provide ad credits to fund their test campaigns.

Getting in on these opportunities often means subscribing to the TikTok for Business newsletter or having a good relationship with a dedicated TikTok ad representative.

How to Find and Claim Ad Credits

Getting your hands on these credits requires being proactive. Here’s a step-by-step approach to finding and claiming what you’re eligible for.

Step 1: Check In-Platform Notifications

Your TikTok Ads Manager is the first place you should look. Internal promotions are often announced here:

  • Look for a notification bell or gift box icon in the top navigation bar of your ads manager dashboard.

  • Check for a page or tab labeled "Promotions" or "Rewards." TikTok's interface sometimes changes, but it's usually easy to find. This section will show promotions you're currently eligible for.

For existing advertisers, these pop-ups are the most common way to discover seasonal "spend-and-get" offers. Make sure to actually click "Claim" or "Opt-In" if required! Many advertisers see the notification but miss out because they didn't take the extra step to formally join the promotion.

Step 2: Check Email and Official Channels

Make sure you're subscribed to emails from TikTok for Business. They often announce large-scale promotional campaigns via email first. You can also get updates by following the official TikTok for Business blog and their social media channels.

Step 3: Explore Partner Integrations

If you use a tool like Shopify, go to your app store and search for the official TikTok app. When you connect it to your store, it will automatically check for any available ad credit promotions. Similarly, check the 'perks' or 'rewards' section of any business software you use to see if they have an active partnership with TikTok.

Step 4: Talk to an Ad Rep (If You Have One)

For businesses that spend a significant amount on the platform, you may be assigned a dedicated TikTok account representative. Don't be shy about asking them if there are any available credit programs, performance bonuses, or beta opportunities you can join. They are there to help you succeed and often have access to credits they can issue as a goodwill gesture.

Best Practices for Using Your TikTok Ad Credit

Once you have the credit, the goal is to make every dollar count. Don't treat it as "Monopoly money" - use it with a clear strategy.

1. Test New Creative Variables

Ad credit is perfect for low-risk experimentation. Instead of guessing what works, use the credit to fund A/B tests. You can test things like:

  • Different Hooks: Run two identical ads where the only difference is the first three seconds of the video.

  • Varying CTAs: Test "Shop Now" vs. "Learn More."

  • Music and Sounds: See how a trending sound performs against a voiceover or original audio.

This allows you to gather data and find winning creative formulas before you start spending your real budget.

2. Amplify Your Best-Performing Campaigns

If you already have a campaign that's delivering a great return on ad spend (ROAS), use the ad credit to double down on what works. Adding the credit to your most successful campaign or ad set provides a risk-free way to scale your results and reach even more of the right people.

3. Fund a Retargeting Campaign

Retargeting is a high-impact strategy. You can create a campaign specifically targeting users who have already engaged with you in some way (e.g., visited your website, watched 50% of a previous ad, or added an item to their cart). Since this audience is already "warm," CPL (Cost Per Lead) or CPA (Cost Per Acquisition) is often lower, and your ad credit can go a lot further in driving conversions.

4. Explore New Audiences

Have you been meaning to test a new customer demographic but haven't wanted to risk your budget? Ad credit is the perfect opportunity. Use it to build a campaign targeting a lookalike audience or a new interest group. You might just uncover a highly profitable new customer segment you wouldn't have found otherwise.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Using ad credit is straightforward, but there are a few common pitfalls that can cause you to miss out.

  • Forgetting the Expiration Date: This is the number one mistake. Nearly all ad credits have an expiry date, often 30-60 days after being issued. Check the terms and conditions the moment you receive it and set a calendar reminder.

  • Not Reading the Fine Print: Some credits are only valid for certain campaign objectives (e.g., Brand Awareness or Reach), certain regions, or for new accounts only. Make sure the campaigns you plan to run are eligible to use the credit.

  • Failing to Opt-In: Don't just assume a promotion is active on your account. As mentioned before, you often need to find the offer in your dashboard and click a button to formally "claim" it before you meet the spending requirements.

  • Losing Track of Spending: Remember, as soon as your ad credit runs out, TikTok will begin billing your primary payment method. Keep a close eye on your account and set campaign budget caps or account spending limits to avoid any surprise charges.

Final Thoughts

TikTok Ad Credit is an invaluable resource for marketers and business owners. Whether you're a complete beginner testing the waters or an experienced advertiser looking to maximize your budget, these promotional credits provide a risk-free way to learn, experiment, and drive real results for your business. Be proactive, check for promotions regularly, and always use your credits with a clear goal in mind.

Of course, once you start running campaigns, a new challenge arises: truly understanding their impact. Juggling metrics within TikTok Ads Manager can be time-consuming. At Graphed, we solve this by letting you connect your marketing platforms and simply ask for the reports you need. Instead of building tables and figuring out filters, you can just ask, "show me my TikTok ad spend vs. revenue by campaign this quarter," and get an interactive dashboard built for you instantly. It's the most effective way to see if that free ad credit is actually boosting your bottom line.