How to Spy on Your Competitors’ Ads (Legally)
Let’s be real. In digital marketing, you’re not just trying to win. You’re trying to win faster. And sometimes the smartest move isn’t reinventing the wheel - it’s looking at what your competitors are doing, seeing what works, and building something better. That’s where ad spying comes in. And yes, you can do it 100% legally. Here’s how.
Why Spy on Competitors in the First Place?
Because they’ve already spent time (and money) testing what works. By checking out their ads, you can:
Spot trends early
Avoid wasting budget on bad ideas
Get inspiration for creatives and copy
Find new angles, funnels, or even offers
Think of it as market research with an edge.
Use Ad Libraries (They're Free & Legal)
Facebook Ad Library
Meta’s Ad Library is a goldmine. Just search any brand name or keyword and see what they’re running across Facebook and Instagram.
What to look for:
Ads that have been running for weeks (means they probably perform)
Different creatives or versions targeting different countries
Landing page links to see their funnels
TikTok Creative Center
TikTok shows top-performing ads by industry, region, and objective. It’s super visual and perfect for trend-spotting if you're in ecom or mobile apps.
Look for:
Viral hooks
Editing styles
Winning CTA formats
👉 TikTok Creative Center
Google Ads Transparency Center
Recently launched by Google, this tool shows what display and YouTube ads are active for any advertiser. You can see text, video, and where it’s being shown.
It’s less polished than Meta’s version, but still helpful for spotting brand strategies.
👉 Google Ads Transparency
Paid Ad Spy Tools (Next-Level Stuff)
If you want more detail, targeting insights, or historical data, there are premium spy tools worth checking out.
1. AdPlexity
Great for native, mobile, push, and display ads. Perfect if you run affiliate offers. It even shows landing pages and networks used.
2. BigSpy
Affordable and covers Facebook, TikTok, Google, Pinterest, and more. Solid for visual inspiration and volume-based search.
3. SEMrush or SimilarWeb
More SEO and traffic-oriented, but can give you a full picture of where your competitors get traffic from - including paid channels.
4. Anstrex
Focused on native and push traffic. Clean interface and tons of filters to dig into geo, device, and ad networks.
What to Look for When Spying
Spying isn’t just about copying. It's about learning. Here’s what to pay attention to:
Creatives: What kind of images or videos do they use? What’s the style?
Headlines & Hooks: What catches your eye? Any angles that feel fresh?
Call-to-Action: What words push people to click?
Funnel Flow: Where does the ad take you? Quiz, VSL, product page?
Time Active: If it’s been running for a while, it's likely working.
Use these clues to reverse-engineer successful campaigns - but always make them your own.
Be Ethical: Don’t Cross the Line
Spying ≠ stealing.
You can use these tools to gather ideas and improve your strategy, but don’t rip off exact creatives, copy, or landing pages. Not only is it unethical, but it can get you flagged or banned, especially on platforms with strong ad policies.
Use the data as fuel - not a template.
Bonus Tip: Spy on Yourself Too
Track your own ads the way you track your competitors. Use heatmaps, session recordings, and A/B tests to understand what your users see and do. Tools like Hotjar or Clarity can help.
Because at the end of the day, the only ads that matter are the ones you’re running.
Final Thoughts
Spying on your competitors isn’t shady - it’s smart. Every big brand does it. Every sharp marketer does it. It’s just about using the right tools and knowing what to look for.
So go explore. Get inspired. And build something better.