The Meta Ads Library is the fastest free tool for finding competitors' active Facebook and Instagram ads—just search by brand name or page to see every running ad, creative format, and launch date. For deeper competitive intelligence, tools like Minea, AdSpy, and BigSpy surface winning ads by engagement metrics, spend estimates, and audience targeting insights.
The good news: Internet can be a major source of inspiration for creating eye-catching, scroll-stopping Facebook Ads.
The bad news: The internet is vast. Full of noise. And most of the time you don’t know where to start.
That’s where this article comes in. As seasoned Facebook Ads experts, we’ve gathered a few resources that can help you find competitors’ ads on Facebook quite easily.
Let’s jump right into it.
How do you find a competitor's Facebook ads?
Use the Meta Ad Library (facebook.com/ads/library) — it's free, public, and shows every ad currently running across Meta platforms. Search by Page name, Page ID, or keyword. You can filter by country, ad category (issue/political ads include impressions and spend ranges), and time period.
Can you see how much competitors are spending on Facebook ads?
Only for political and issue ads — Meta publishes spend ranges and impressions for those. For commercial ads, the Ad Library shows you the creative, copy, format, landing page, and how long each ad has been running, but not spend. Long-running ads (30+ days) are usually winners.
What can you learn from competitors' Facebook ads?
Three high-value signals: which creatives are evergreen (running 60+ days = profitable), which formats they're scaling (carousel, video, static), and which offers/hooks resonate with your shared audience. Pull screenshots monthly for 3 competitors and you'll spot trends 30–60 days before they're saturated.
If You Know Who Your Competitors Are
First, let’s focus on when you already know who you want to “snipe.”
If you have the list of competitor brands, the entire ordeal is easy. Here are some tips.
Look For Ads On Meta Ads Library
The Meta Ads Library is a goldmine if you already know who your competitors are.
Just plug in their brand name or Facebook Page and you'll see all the active ads they run on Facebook and Instagram.
You can filter by country, platform, and even ad format. It’s totally free, super transparent, and doesn’t require you to log in.
Whether they’re testing video ads, carousels, or just boosting posts, you’ll see it all—no guesswork required. Bookmark it and make it part of your regular ad research routine.
Check Ads On Different Platforms
Your competitors likely don’t advertise on just Facebook.
They might be running similar creatives across Google, Pinterest, TikTok, and YouTube.
Cross-check their messaging, imagery, and offers to see what stays consistent and what changes platform-to-platform.
Tools like the Google Ads Transparency Center or Pinterest Ads Library, or TikTok Ads Library can show you what they’re up to elsewhere.
This gives you a broader view of their overall strategy, which is super helpful when planning your own.
Bonus: sometimes you’ll find great copy or angles they’re not using on Facebook... yet.
Join Competitor Communities or Groups
Many brands have Facebook Groups for customers or even open communities for fans and product lovers.
Sneaking in (or joining legitimately!) lets you see what customers are saying, what promotions are being shared, and which ads or offers get people excited.
You’ll also spot feedback and FAQs that can help you improve your own positioning.
Some brands even test messaging or show previews in their groups before launching wider ads—meaning you could be seeing campaigns before they hit your feed.
Example: One of our partners, Waterbox Aquariums, has an official Facebook community with over 24k members. If you were, hypothetically, their competitor, you could join this group and use it to source some data on what their customers like or not like about them as well as see some early ad content. This can give you a competitive advantage.
Follow Competitors and Interact With Similar Pages
Facebook’s algorithm is always watching. Once you start liking or following competitor pages—or even just engaging with brands in the same niche—you’ll naturally start getting served their ads.
It’s a passive but effective way to start collecting ad inspiration.
The more you engage, the more accurate your feed becomes. Just be careful not to accidentally like your competitor’s ad unless you’re okay with them knowing you’re lurking.
Pro tip: create a burner Facebook profile just for ad research. How do we know? Well… we’ll keep that for ourselves.
If You Need Ad Inspiration
If you’re not quite sure who your competitors are—it happens—or you just need inspiration regardless of the industry, there are a few things you can do.
Visit Top Growth Marketing’s Paid Ad Library
Great news—we have a paid ads hub where you can see our partners’ ads first-hand. And we tend to update it from time to time with new stuff.
We’ve curated a massive vault of real, high-performing ads across Meta, Google, and TikTok—organized by industry, funnel stage, and creative format.
You’ll find everything from viral hooks to landing pages to winning UGC scripts, so you’re not starting from scratch every time.
Think of it as your shortcut to what’s actually working right now.
Whether you’re launching your first campaign or refreshing a stale one, this library gives you a head start and a ton of ideas to swipe (ethically).
It’s free, it’s updated often, and yep, it’s built by marketers who live and breathe this stuff. Like you.
Use Third-Party Tools to Help You
Third-party tools are your best friend in case you want to go deeper than what Meta shows you.
Platforms like AdSpy or AdBeat (among others) let you search ads by keyword, landing page URL, call-to-action, and more.
You can sort by engagement, country, or platform, and even filter by ecommerce verticals.
It’s competitor stalking… but with filters.
Some are paid (worth it if you’re in the game full-time), but even free versions can give you extra insight that Meta’s native tools might miss.
Use these to spot trends early, discover viral creatives, or fuel your next brainstorming session.
Check Facebook Creative Hub
Meta’s Creative Hub is mostly for mockups, but it can also be a sneaky good spot for ad inspo, too.
Scroll through curated examples from top-performing brands across industries, handpicked by Meta itself.
You’ll find real campaigns that showcase different formats, storytelling styles, and creative approaches. Think of it like Pinterest for ad nerds.
You won’t see competitor-specific ads here, but it’s great for getting ideas on how to use different ad formats (like Reels, Stories, or Collection ads) more effectively.
If you’re stuck on a creative concept, this is where you go to get unstuck.
Ad Spy With My Little Eye…
As you see, spying on your competitors is a necessity. And nothing to be ashamed of.
Whether you're trying to get an edge on your competition or simply looking for fresh ideas, there are plenty of tools at your disposal.
Every tactic gives you a unique insight into what’s working in your market.
The key takeaway? Use these resources to streamline your ad strategy, stay ahead of the curve, and get a sneak peek into what your competitors are doing before they do it.
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