Advertising Intelligence Software Directory
11 ad intelligence tools for seeing competitors’ search, social, display and native ads, from the ad platforms’ free libraries to ad spy tools and swipe files, with prices, free plans and trials taken from each vendor’s own page and linked to it.
Showing all 11 tools
Adbeat
Web appDisplay, programmatic and native ads by advertiser, with the publishers and networks running them.
- From
- $249/moStandard, billed monthly
- Free option
- None listed
- Free trial
- None listed
- Plans
- Advanced $399/mo with a year of data; ad spend estimates on Enterprise.
Checked 7 November 2026 · Source
AdPlexity
Web appAd libraries for native, push, display, mobile and social traffic, with landing pages and funnels.
- From
- $79/moSocial, billed yearly
- Free option
- None listed
- Free trial
- None listed
- Plans
- $99/mo billed monthly. Native, push, desktop and mobile are separate plans from $124/mo billed yearly.
Checked 7 November 2026 · Source
AdSpy
Web appA searchable database of Facebook and Instagram ads, with search by ad text, URL, comments and affiliate.
- From
- $149/moOne plan
- Free option
- None listed
- Free trial
- None listed
Checked 7 November 2026 · Source
BigSpy
Web appAd creative search across Facebook, Instagram and up to 11 platforms, with video analysis.
- From
- $69/moStarter, 1 seat, billed monthly
- Free option
- Free plan, 10 searches a day, Facebook ads only
- Free trial
- None listed
- Plans
- Growth $159/mo, Scale $399/mo with 5 seats, Ultimate $499/mo with all 11 platforms.
Checked 7 November 2026 · Source
Foreplay
Web appSave competitor ads into shared swipe files, search an ad database and turn ads into briefs.
- From
- $49/moBasic, 1 user, billed monthly
- Free option
- None listed
- Free trial
- 7-day free trial
- Plans
- Billed annually saves $120 a year. Workflow $149/mo adds competitor tracking for 5 users.
Checked 7 November 2026 · Source
Google Ads Transparency Center
Web appGoogle's free search of the ads advertisers run through Google, by advertiser name or website.
- From
- Free
- Free option
- Free to search
- Free trial
- None listed
Checked 7 November 2026 · Source
Meta Ad Library
Web appMeta's free search of every ad currently running on Facebook, Instagram and Meta's other apps.
- From
- Free
- Free option
- Free to search
- Free trial
- None listed
Checked 7 November 2026 · Source
PowerAdSpy
Web appAd search across up to 11 networks, from Facebook and Instagram to Google, YouTube and native.
- From
- $27/moBasic, Facebook and Instagram, billed annually ($331 a year)
- Free option
- None listed
- Free trial
- None listed
- Plans
- $69/mo billed monthly, with a 3-day trial for $1. Higher plans add Google, YouTube, native, LinkedIn, TikTok and more, up to $399/mo.
Checked 7 November 2026 · Source
Semrush Advertising Toolkit
Web appSemrush's toolkit for competitor search and shopping ads, with AI ad copy; Pro adds display and social.
- From
- $99/moBase plan
- Free option
- None listed
- Free trial
- 7-day free trial
- Plans
- Pro $220/mo adds AdClarity for display, video and social ads.
Checked 7 November 2026 · Source
SpyFu
Web appCompetitors' Google Ads keywords, ad copy history and estimated spend, plus SEO research.
- From
- $33/moBasic, billed annually ($399 a year)
- Free option
- None listed
- Free trial
- None listed
- Plans
- $39/mo billed monthly. Pro $58/mo billed annually or $79/mo monthly. 30-day money-back guarantee.
Checked 7 November 2026 · Source · second source
TikTok Creative Center
Web appTikTok's own hub of top-performing TikTok ads, trends and creative tools.
- From
- Free
- Free option
- Free
- Free trial
- None listed
Checked 7 November 2026 · Source · second source
No tool matches every filter. Clear one to see more.
Which kind of ad research you need
Advertising intelligence tools show the ads other companies run. They differ by where those ads appear. The ad platforms’ own libraries (Meta Ad Library, Google Ads Transparency Center, TikTok Creative Center) are free and come straight from the platform, so start there. Search ad research (SpyFu, Semrush Advertising Toolkit) shows which keywords a competitor bids on and how its ad copy has changed. Social ad spy tools (AdSpy, BigSpy, PowerAdSpy) search large databases of Facebook, Instagram and other social ads with filters the free libraries lack. Swipe file tools (Foreplay) save the ads you find into shared boards and briefs for your creative team. Display, native and affiliate tools (Adbeat, AdPlexity) cover banner, native and push ads and the sites that run them.
What none of them can show is how well a competitor’s ad performs: spend and reach are estimates, and an ad that has run for months is a hint, not proof, that it works. To manage your own campaigns, see the PPC management software directory; for tools that write ad copy and creative, see the AI marketing software directory.
How ad intelligence is priced
Most tools sell monthly plans, and the networks covered often decide the tier: PowerAdSpy’s Basic plan covers Facebook and Instagram, and Google, YouTube, native and other networks cost more. BigSpy limits searches and downloads per day on each plan. AdPlexity sells each traffic source as its own plan. Annual billing is often much cheaper: PowerAdSpy Basic is $69 a month billed monthly and $27 a month billed annually. The platforms’ own libraries cost nothing.
| Tool | Starting price | What the starting plan includes |
|---|---|---|
| Adbeat | $249/mo | Display, programmatic and native ads, 90 days of data, publisher placements |
| AdPlexity | $79/mo | Facebook and Instagram ad library, landing pages and redirect chains |
| AdSpy | $149/mo | Searchable database of Facebook and Instagram ads |
| BigSpy | $69/mo | Unlimited searches, 50 creative downloads a day, Facebook and Instagram |
| Foreplay | $49/mo | Swipe file boards, ad database search, shareable ad briefs |
| PowerAdSpy | $27/mo | Facebook and Instagram, keyword, advertiser and domain search, 1 brand |
| Semrush Advertising Toolkit | $99/mo | Advertising Research on competitor search campaigns, PLA Research, 100 AI ad copies a month each for Google and Meta |
| SpyFu | $33/mo | Unlimited access to US and international data |
As each vendor words it on its pricing page, 7 November 2026.
Compare at a glance
| Tool | What it does | Free option | From |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adbeat | Display, native and affiliate ads | No | $249/mo |
| AdPlexity | Display, native and affiliate ads, Social ad spy tools | No | $79/mo |
| AdSpy | Social ad spy tools | No | $149/mo |
| BigSpy | Social ad spy tools | Yes | $69/mo |
| Foreplay | Swipe files and creative boards, Social ad spy tools | No | $49/mo |
| Google Ads Transparency Center | Ad platforms' own ad libraries, Search ad research | Yes | Free |
| Meta Ad Library | Ad platforms' own ad libraries | Yes | Free |
| PowerAdSpy | Social ad spy tools, Display, native and affiliate ads | No | $27/mo |
| Semrush Advertising Toolkit | Search ad research | No | $99/mo |
| SpyFu | Search ad research | No | $33/mo |
| TikTok Creative Center | Ad platforms' own ad libraries | Yes | Free |
“From” is the lowest published starting price, as billed on the vendor’s page; see each listing for the billing basis.
How this directory is built
Every price, plan, free option and trial here was read from the vendor’s own website on the date shown, and each tool links to the exact page it came from. Prices are written as the vendor showed them, in the currency it showed, with how they are billed: monthly, yearly or one-off. Some vendors show prices in a different currency depending on where you are, so check the source before you buy.
There are no ratings, rankings or paid placements, and no affiliate links. Tools are listed A to Z. Where a vendor does not publish a price, the listing says so rather than quoting a third party. Prices are rechecked every quarter; the date on each listing is the last time it was confirmed. If a listing is wrong or out of date, tell me and it will be corrected.