Use a profile for yourself, a Page for a business, brand or public figure, and a group for a community that talks to each other. A profile is limited to 5000 friends and may not be used primarily for commercial purposes. A Page has unlimited followers, advertising and insights. A group puts members' posts first and suits discussion more than promotion.
The differences at a glance
| Profile | Page | Group | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Represents | One real person | A business, brand, organisation or public figure | A community around a topic |
| Audience limit | 5000 friends, plus followers | Unlimited followers | Unlimited members |
| Who posts | You | The Page, managed by one or more people | Members and admins |
| Advertising | No | Yes | No |
| Insights | Limited, in professional mode | Full | Group insights for admins |
| Best for | Personal connections | Publishing and selling | Discussion and support |
Profile
A profile must represent a real person under the name they use in everyday life, and Facebook's terms say it should not be used primarily for commercial gain. It is limited to 5000 friends. You can let people follow your public posts, and professional mode adds basic insights and monetization tools for creators without creating a Page.
Page
A Page is the right home for a shop, a brand or a public figure. Several people can manage it without sharing a password. It can run adverts, schedule posts, show reviews, opening hours and a shop, and it has full insights.
Pages used to have both "likes" and "followers". Newer Pages show followers as the main number, and that is the figure visitors notice first. If you order a Facebook followers package, give the Page link, and check the package conditions for whether it supports Pages, profiles or both.
Group
A group is a space where members post. Public groups can be read by anyone; private groups require approval to join. Groups suit customer communities, local interest groups and courses. They are poor at broadcasting, because the feed shows members' posts alongside yours. A Page can create and link a group, which gives you both.
Which to choose
- Selling a product or service: a Page. Add a group later if customers want to talk to each other.
- Building a personal audience as a creator: a profile in professional mode, or a Page if you want a team, adverts or a clear split from your private life.
- Running a club, class or support community: a group, linked to a Page if there is an organisation behind it.
Common mistakes
- Using a profile as a business. It risks removal, caps you at 5000 friends and gives you no advertising.
- Creating a group when you want to broadcast. Members expect to speak, and reach for admin posts is not guaranteed.
- Letting a Page go quiet. A Page with no posts for months looks closed. One post a week is enough to show you are open.
Frequently asked questions
Can I convert a profile into a Page?
Facebook has offered a tool that creates a Page based on a profile and copies some information across. The profile remains. Availability changes, so check the Help Centre for the current option.
Do I need a personal profile to create a Page?
Yes. Pages are created and managed from a personal profile or through Meta Business Suite, but your personal details are not shown on the Page.
