Quick Overview
- 1#1: AdPlexity - Provides comprehensive ad intelligence by tracking and analyzing native, mobile, push, and popunder ads across global networks.
- 2#2: BigSpy - Allows users to spy on trending ads from Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and numerous other platforms with advanced filtering options.
- 3#3: AdSpy - Offers the largest database of Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok ads for competitive analysis and creative inspiration.
- 4#4: PowerAdSpy - Enables spying on live and historical ads across Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and native networks with detailed targeting insights.
- 5#5: Anstrex - Delivers in-depth ad intelligence for native, mobile, push, and pop ads with landing page analysis and performance metrics.
- 6#6: PiPiADS - Specializes in TikTok ad spying with real-time data on creatives, targeting, and performance across global markets.
- 7#7: WhatRunsWhere - Tracks display and video ads across 140,000+ sites worldwide with historical data and competitive benchmarking.
- 8#8: Adbeat - Monitors display ad creatives, spend estimates, and publisher data for competitive display advertising intelligence.
- 9#9: SpyFu - Reveals competitors' PPC keywords, ad copies, and budgets for Google and other search engine ad monitoring.
- 10#10: SEMrush - Provides advertising research tools including PLA, display, and social ad monitoring within a broader SEO suite.
We ranked these tools by evaluating feature depth, data accuracy, user-friendliness, and value, prioritizing those that deliver actionable insights and cater to both niche and broad advertising strategies.
Comparison Table
In the dynamic world of digital advertising, selecting the right ad monitoring software is essential for optimizing campaign performance and outpacing rivals. This comparison table evaluates top tools like AdPlexity, BigSpy, AdSpy, PowerAdSpy, Anstrex, and more, highlighting their unique features, strengths, and limitations. Readers will gain clarity on usability, value, and fit to make data-driven choices for their ad strategies.
| # | Tool | Category | Overall | Features | Ease of Use | Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | AdPlexity Provides comprehensive ad intelligence by tracking and analyzing native, mobile, push, and popunder ads across global networks. | specialized | 9.5/10 | 9.8/10 | 8.7/10 | 9.2/10 |
| 2 | BigSpy Allows users to spy on trending ads from Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and numerous other platforms with advanced filtering options. | specialized | 9.1/10 | 9.5/10 | 8.7/10 | 8.9/10 |
| 3 | AdSpy Offers the largest database of Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok ads for competitive analysis and creative inspiration. | specialized | 8.7/10 | 9.4/10 | 7.9/10 | 7.6/10 |
| 4 | PowerAdSpy Enables spying on live and historical ads across Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and native networks with detailed targeting insights. | specialized | 8.4/10 | 9.0/10 | 8.0/10 | 7.8/10 |
| 5 | Anstrex Delivers in-depth ad intelligence for native, mobile, push, and pop ads with landing page analysis and performance metrics. | specialized | 8.2/10 | 8.8/10 | 7.5/10 | 7.9/10 |
| 6 | PiPiADS Specializes in TikTok ad spying with real-time data on creatives, targeting, and performance across global markets. | specialized | 8.6/10 | 9.1/10 | 8.0/10 | 8.2/10 |
| 7 | WhatRunsWhere Tracks display and video ads across 140,000+ sites worldwide with historical data and competitive benchmarking. | specialized | 8.1/10 | 8.7/10 | 7.4/10 | 7.6/10 |
| 8 | Adbeat Monitors display ad creatives, spend estimates, and publisher data for competitive display advertising intelligence. | specialized | 8.1/10 | 8.7/10 | 7.6/10 | 7.4/10 |
| 9 | SpyFu Reveals competitors' PPC keywords, ad copies, and budgets for Google and other search engine ad monitoring. | specialized | 7.6/10 | 8.2/10 | 7.0/10 | 7.5/10 |
| 10 | SEMrush Provides advertising research tools including PLA, display, and social ad monitoring within a broader SEO suite. | enterprise | 7.8/10 | 8.2/10 | 8.5/10 | 7.0/10 |
Provides comprehensive ad intelligence by tracking and analyzing native, mobile, push, and popunder ads across global networks.
Allows users to spy on trending ads from Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and numerous other platforms with advanced filtering options.
Offers the largest database of Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok ads for competitive analysis and creative inspiration.
Enables spying on live and historical ads across Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and native networks with detailed targeting insights.
Delivers in-depth ad intelligence for native, mobile, push, and pop ads with landing page analysis and performance metrics.
Specializes in TikTok ad spying with real-time data on creatives, targeting, and performance across global markets.
Tracks display and video ads across 140,000+ sites worldwide with historical data and competitive benchmarking.
Monitors display ad creatives, spend estimates, and publisher data for competitive display advertising intelligence.
Reveals competitors' PPC keywords, ad copies, and budgets for Google and other search engine ad monitoring.
Provides advertising research tools including PLA, display, and social ad monitoring within a broader SEO suite.
AdPlexity
specializedProvides comprehensive ad intelligence by tracking and analyzing native, mobile, push, and popunder ads across global networks.
Unified dashboard for spying on ads across Facebook, Native, Push, and more networks simultaneously
AdPlexity is a premier ad intelligence platform that enables users to monitor competitors' ads in real-time across major networks like Facebook, Google Ads, Native (Taboola, Outbrain), Push notifications, and mobile apps. It provides detailed data on ad creatives, targeting parameters, landing pages, and performance estimates, helping marketers uncover winning strategies. With advanced filters and export options, it's designed for scaling ad campaigns efficiently.
Pros
- Comprehensive multi-network coverage including hard-to-track Native and Push ads
- Real-time updates and advanced filtering for precise competitor analysis
- Landing page previews and traffic estimation for actionable insights
Cons
- Premium pricing may deter small budgets
- Steeper learning curve for new users due to extensive features
- Customer support can be slow during peak times
Best For
Affiliate marketers, agencies, and e-commerce brands seeking deep insights into competitor ads across diverse platforms.
Pricing
Individual tools from $149/month (e.g., Facebook), bundles from $299-$499/month; annual plans offer 20% discounts.
BigSpy
specializedAllows users to spy on trending ads from Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and numerous other platforms with advanced filtering options.
Cross-platform ad library with video timestamp previews and native ad discovery
BigSpy is a powerful ad intelligence platform that enables users to monitor and analyze competitor advertisements across major networks like Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Google Ads, and native ad platforms. It offers access to millions of real-time ads, including creatives, ad copy, landing pages, targeting details, and estimated performance metrics. Users can filter by country, language, device, and engagement to gain insights for campaign optimization and trend spotting.
Pros
- Vast database of over 1 billion ads across 10+ platforms
- Real-time updates and advanced filtering options
- Direct download of creatives and landing page exports
Cons
- Free plan severely limited (10 pages/day)
- Estimated spend data can be inaccurate
- Interface can feel overwhelming for beginners
Best For
Digital marketers, agencies, and e-commerce brands needing global competitor ad insights.
Pricing
Free tier (limited); Starter $9/mo (50 pages); Pro $99/mo (unlimited searches, full features); Enterprise custom.
AdSpy
specializedOffers the largest database of Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok ads for competitive analysis and creative inspiration.
Unparalleled database covering ads from 190+ countries with granular targeting data
AdSpy is a comprehensive ad intelligence tool that allows users to monitor and analyze competitors' advertisements across major platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Google, TikTok, and more. It provides access to millions of active and historical ads, including detailed insights into ad creatives, targeting parameters, engagement metrics, and landing pages. Ideal for marketers seeking to reverse-engineer successful campaigns, AdSpy offers advanced filtering options by country, device, and interests to uncover winning strategies.
Pros
- Massive database of over 100 million ads across multiple platforms
- Powerful filters for targeting, creatives, and performance metrics
- Real-time updates and landing page previews for quick insights
Cons
- High subscription costs with no free tier
- Cluttered interface that requires time to master
- Limited integration options and customer support responsiveness
Best For
Digital marketing agencies and e-commerce brands looking to spy on competitor ads for strategy optimization.
Pricing
Starts at $149/month for Starter (1 platform), $249/month for Pro (all platforms), up to $499/month for Ultimate with advanced features; annual discounts available.
PowerAdSpy
specializedEnables spying on live and historical ads across Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and native networks with detailed targeting insights.
Multi-platform ad database with detailed engagement analytics and spy tools for Facebook, Instagram, and native networks
PowerAdSpy is a robust ad spying tool designed for marketers to monitor and analyze competitors' advertisements across platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Google, YouTube, Native Ads, and Reddit. It offers a vast database of active and past ads, allowing users to uncover winning creatives, ad copy, targeting details, and performance metrics such as likes, shares, and engagement rates. With advanced filters for keywords, domains, countries, and ad duration, it helps users replicate successful strategies and stay ahead in advertising campaigns.
Pros
- Massive ad database covering multiple platforms including Facebook, Instagram, and Google
- Powerful filtering and search options for precise competitor analysis
- Insights into ad performance metrics and landing pages
Cons
- Higher pricing tiers may not suit small businesses or solo users
- Interface can feel overwhelming for beginners despite intuitive basics
- Data freshness occasionally lags behind real-time platform changes
Best For
Marketing agencies and e-commerce brands seeking in-depth competitor ad intelligence across social and display networks.
Pricing
Subscription plans start at $49/month (Starter, limited searches), $149/month (Pro, more features), up to $249/month (Agency, unlimited access).
Anstrex
specializedDelivers in-depth ad intelligence for native, mobile, push, and pop ads with landing page analysis and performance metrics.
All-in-one spying across social, search, native, and mobile ads with unique native network coverage
Anstrex is a powerful ad intelligence platform designed for monitoring and spying on competitor ads across multiple networks including Facebook, Google Ads, Native (Taboola, Outbrain), and mobile apps. It offers detailed data on ad creatives, landing pages, targeting parameters, and performance insights, enabling users to reverse-engineer successful campaigns. With advanced filters for country, device, OS, and keywords, it helps marketers discover winning ad strategies in real-time.
Pros
- Extensive ad database covering multiple platforms in one dashboard
- Advanced filtering and search tools for precise ad discovery
- Landing page downloader and domain availability checker
Cons
- Steep learning curve for the interface and features
- Higher pricing tiers required for full access to all networks
- Limited integration with external analytics tools
Best For
Affiliate marketers, PPC specialists, and agencies needing multi-network ad spying to optimize campaigns.
Pricing
Starts at $99/month for Starter plan (Facebook + 1 Native), up to $199/month for Enterprise with all networks and unlimited data.
PiPiADS
specializedSpecializes in TikTok ad spying with real-time data on creatives, targeting, and performance across global markets.
TikTok ad spy with full video previews, engagement predictions, and historical performance data
PiPiADS is a powerful ad intelligence platform specializing in monitoring and spying on competitor ads across platforms like TikTok, Facebook, Native networks, and Google. It offers a massive database of millions of ads, enabling users to analyze creatives, performance metrics, targeting details, and landing pages. The tool helps e-commerce marketers discover winning ad strategies, track trends, and monitor rival stores for data-driven campaign optimization.
Pros
- Vast ad library with over 100 million ads across multiple platforms
- Advanced filters for country, device, engagement, and ad age
- Store explorer and trend analysis for e-commerce insights
Cons
- Pricing can be steep for beginners or small teams
- Interface feels data-dense and may overwhelm new users
- Limited support for some emerging platforms or real-time alerts
Best For
Dropshippers and e-commerce marketers focused on TikTok and Facebook ads who need deep competitor spying.
Pricing
Starts at $77/month (Starter, 1 domain) up to $297/month (Enterprise, unlimited), with annual discounts available.
WhatRunsWhere
specializedTracks display and video ads across 140,000+ sites worldwide with historical data and competitive benchmarking.
Proprietary ad library tracking ads across 140,000+ sites with multi-year historical data
WhatRunsWhere is a powerful ad intelligence platform specializing in monitoring display, native, and mobile ads across over 140,000 premium websites worldwide. It provides users with access to a massive library of ad creatives, landing pages, flight histories, and performance metrics to uncover competitors' strategies. Marketers use it to spy on ad placements, discover winning creatives, and identify new opportunities in real-time.
Pros
- Extensive proprietary database covering billions of ad impressions
- Detailed historical ad data including longevity and performance insights
- Robust competitor ad spying with creative and landing page exports
Cons
- High pricing limits accessibility for small businesses
- Dated interface with a learning curve for new users
- Limited coverage of social media and search ads compared to rivals
Best For
Mid-sized agencies and brands focused on competitive analysis for display and native advertising campaigns.
Pricing
Starts at $295/month for Starter plan (limited searches), $995/month for Pro, with custom Enterprise pricing.
Adbeat
specializedMonitors display ad creatives, spend estimates, and publisher data for competitive display advertising intelligence.
Ad lifespan tracking showing how long specific creatives run on sites, revealing high-performers
Adbeat is a competitive intelligence platform specializing in display ad monitoring across millions of high-traffic websites worldwide. It provides detailed insights into competitors' ad creatives, placements, landing pages, publishers, and estimated ad spend. Users can track ad lifespans, performance trends, and discover winning strategies to optimize their own campaigns.
Pros
- Vast database covering ads on top 1M+ websites
- Real-time tracking of ad creatives and longevity
- In-depth analytics on competitors' strategies and spend
Cons
- High pricing with no free tier or trial
- Primarily focused on display ads, limited social/search coverage
- Data-heavy interface can overwhelm beginners
Best For
Display ad agencies and performance marketers seeking granular competitive intelligence on desktop and mobile banners.
Pricing
Starts at $249/month (Starter, 1 website), up to $999+/month (Enterprise, unlimited sites); annual discounts available.
SpyFu
specializedReveals competitors' PPC keywords, ad copies, and budgets for Google and other search engine ad monitoring.
Comprehensive 15+ years of archived competitor ad copies, keywords, and performance metrics
SpyFu is a competitive intelligence tool focused on PPC and SEO, enabling users to monitor competitors' Google Ads campaigns through historical data on keywords, ad copies, and estimated spends. It offers deep insights into ad performance, including ad variations, rankings, and budget estimates over 15+ years of data. As an ad monitoring solution, it excels in uncovering long-term ad strategies rather than real-time tracking across multiple platforms.
Pros
- Vast historical database of Google Ads data spanning 15+ years
- Accurate keyword and ad spend estimates for competitor analysis
- Unlimited searches on higher plans for extensive monitoring
Cons
- Primarily limited to Google Ads, weak on social media or display networks
- Dated interface with a moderate learning curve
- No real-time ad tracking or alerts for live changes
Best For
PPC specialists and agencies seeking historical Google Ads intelligence for competitive benchmarking.
Pricing
Basic plan at $39/month (limited rows), Professional at $79/month (unlimited), with annual discounts and custom enterprise options.
SEMrush
enterpriseProvides advertising research tools including PLA, display, and social ad monitoring within a broader SEO suite.
Ad History tool revealing when competitors launched, paused, or changed ads over time
SEMrush is a comprehensive digital marketing platform with robust ad monitoring capabilities through its Advertising Toolkit, enabling users to track competitors' PPC, display, and PLA campaigns across Google, Bing, YouTube, and more. It provides insights into ad copies, keywords, landing pages, estimated budgets, and historical ad performance data. Ideal for marketers seeking integrated ad intelligence alongside SEO tools, though it's not a standalone ad spy tool.
Pros
- Extensive database of competitor ads with historical data and performance metrics
- Visual graphs for ad spend, impressions, and position tracking over time
- Integration with SEO and content tools for holistic marketing insights
Cons
- Limited coverage for social media ads like Facebook or Instagram compared to specialists
- Reporting units deplete quickly for heavy ad monitoring users
- High pricing makes it less ideal for ad-only monitoring needs
Best For
Digital marketing agencies and SEO professionals needing ad intelligence integrated with broader competitive analysis.
Pricing
Starts at $129.95/mo (Pro, 10k results/mo), $249.95/mo (Guru, 30k results/mo), $499.95/mo (Business, 50k results/mo); ad data limited by monthly reporting units.
Conclusion
The reviewed ad monitoring software varies in focus, but the top tools—particularly AdPlexity, BigSpy, and AdSpy—set the standard. AdPlexity leads with its comprehensive intelligence across global networks and ad types, while BigSpy excels at tracking trending ads across multiple platforms and AdSpy offers a vast database for competitive and creative analysis. Each serves distinct needs, ensuring there’s a strong option for nearly any user.
Ready to enhance your ad strategy? Dive into AdPlexity first—its broad capabilities make it a foundational tool for accurate and actionable ad monitoring.
Tools Reviewed
All tools were independently evaluated for this comparison