Best Facebook Ads Spy Tools [Free & Paid]

There’s not an ounce of uncertainty – executing a successful ad campaign on Facebook is more of a science than a guesswork. If you are building your strategy from scratch or trying to find ways to outperform competitors, knowing what works for other industry players is paramount. Facebook ads spy tools track the competition for you.

The tools can analyze competitor ads to give invaluable information regarding the type of creatives, targeting, and strategies that give the best results. Some of them are even freemium so you can try before you buy.

This blog post will guide you through the best Facebook ad spy tools, with both paid and free options, so you can decide which one fulfills your requirements most suitably.

What Are Facebook Ads Spy Tools?

Facebook ads spy tools permit you to track and examine the advertisements of your competitors on Facebook and Instagram. They provide valuable information like:

• Ad creative styles and structures
• Target audiences
• Engagement statistics (likes, comments, shares)
• Advertising text and CTAs (calls to action)

Ad performance trends within relevant niches or industry verticals This information enables you to improve your advertising strategies, fill in the necessary gaps within your campaigns, or spark ideas for your forthcoming advertisement.

Why Employ Facebook Ads Spy Tools?

Espionage tools are not intended to steal from competitors; they aid in figuring out what works well for the people in your field. Here’s the benefits:

• Cut Costs and Time: Spend less on useless campaigns by gaining insight from others achievements (and failures) to get the right information.
• Get Ahead of Your Competitors: Keep track of their strategies and real-time and modify your campaigns to surpass their results.
• Monitor Changes: Recognize shifts in ad creatives or formats that captivate your audience.
• Improve Creativity: Utilize the most successful advertisements to enhance creativity and develop effective campaigns that are not straight forwards.

Best Facebook Ads Spy Tools (Free and Paid)

We will cover each tool in detail and categorize them based on their pricing structure.
Free Tools

1. Facebook Ads Library

This is perhaps the most known tool for spying on ads. The Facebook Ads Library was created by Meta for advertising-transparency purposes, but it is a great free tool for pulling ads on Facebook and Instagram.

Features:

• Access any Facebook Page and view all ads they are currently running.
• See the start date for each advertisement as well as which Platform it is running (Facebook, Instagram, etc.)
• Ads can be searched using keywords, or the advertisers name.

Best for:

Beginner advertisers and small business owners who want a cost free solution.

Limitations:

• Targeting parameters and specific advertising results are not given, therefore, it is skin-deep.
• Not the best experience when trying to analyze a large number of ads.

2. BigSpy (Free Version)

BigSpy accomadates their user base with a social ads database built around Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and more. They have a great paid version to offer, along with the free tier that does cover basic functionality.

Features:

• Search for ads using filters like regions, industries and platforms.
• Access to a large ad library.

Best for:

Those just starting out and require a cross platform analysis.

Limitations:

• Free version is very basic and does not provide advanced analytics features.

Paid tools

3. AdSpy

AdSpy possesses one of the largest databases of Facebook and Instagram ads. The search capabilities for AdSpy data are exceptional, and this tool is especially popular among marketers running data driven campaigns.

Features:

• Searches can be performed using keywords, ads, or even the landing page URLs.
• Offers targeting ads based on engagement metrics or specific demographics.
• Provides competitors ads data for different industries.

Pricing:

Plans start at $149/month.

Best for:

Established businesses and agencies serious about ad performance optimization.

Limitation:

• The price point might not be feasible for smaller businesses.

4. PowerAdSpy

Unlike the free competitors, PowerAdSpy allows advertisers to snoop on powerful Facebook campaigns’s ads with the assistance of intuitive and predetermined filters that were built to shortcut the process of hunting the ad. Filter include access to the ad position, such as newsfeed or sidebar and to get access to the entire funnel including landing pages.

• View engagement stats and interactions on competitor ads
• See view metrics.

Charges and Payments:

Plans starts from $49/month.

Most Suitable For:

Power users in ultra competitive niches who seek full advertising funnel visibility.

5. SocialPeta

Beyond spying on Facebook ads, SocialPeta takes a step furtherite analytic SocialPeta integrates some of the most modern ad analytic features converting a Facebook ad stealth into a spy tool for high-end analytics for ad creatives and performance.

Features

• Monitor more than 80 adverting platforms
• Access AI-generated data to track ad costs and trends
• Get inspiration across industries.

Charges and Payment:

Starting at $99/month.

Most Suitable For:

middle and big size companies who are fond of using AI powered ad insights.

6. AdPlexity

AdPlexity comes to mind not only when people are looking for mobile advertising intelligence, but also Facebook ads. Their ad spying solution is complete, and even offers a special section for Facebook ads tracking.

Features:

Get insights on the ad, which are demographic consumption, targeting, placed competitors’ ads and much more.

• See competitors’ ads and their landing pages.
• Ad Plexity competitors ads and dashboards.

Pricing:

Monthly fee begins from $149.

Best for:

Mobile focused e-commerce marketers.

Limitations:

Due to its price, complexity, it is targeted towards power users.

How to Pick the Best Tool for Your Business

The ideal Facebook ad spying tool for you has to match your objectives, budget allocation, and skill level. Use these factors to guide your decision:

Budget:

• When starting, Facebook Ads Library has more than enough data at no cost.
• Paid tools like AdSpy and BigSpy offer great value but more expensive too.

Depth of Insights:

Advanced targeting and creative data are available with AdSpy or SocialPeta.

Ease of Use:

PowerAdSpy is practically made for novice ad spies, it is that simple to use.

Multi-Platform Monitoring:

For advertisers outside Facebook, like TikTok or Google, SocialPeta and BigSpy are a go to.

Parting Thoughts

Facebook ads spy tools can greatly assist business owners in gaining a competitive edge when running ad campaigns. From free tools such as Facebook Ads Library to paid platforms like AdSpy, each offers their own unique set of features that can help you gain insights and enhance your advertising strategies.

From small business owners to seasoned marketers, these tools make Facebook advertising so much easier. Try the free tools first before jumping to paid options that cater to your needs.