# What is competitor ad tracking?

> Competitor ad tracking means following the ads your rivals run, from public ad libraries. What it shows, what no library shows (spend, results) and how teams use it.
- **Author**: Marxx
- **Published**: 2026-11-07
- **Category**: Competitor research
- **URL**: https://marxx.ai/library-glossary/competitor-ad-tracking

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Competitor ad tracking is the habit of following the ads your rivals run, usually through public ad libraries such as the Meta Ad Library. It shows you their creative, messages and launch dates. It does not show what they spend or how their ads perform.

## Where the data comes from

Every competitor ad tracker, paid or free, reads the public ad libraries.

| Library | What it covers |
|---|---|
| [Meta Ad Library](/glossary/meta-ad-library) | Active ads on Facebook, Instagram, Messenger, WhatsApp, Threads and Audience Network |
| [Google Ads Transparency Center](/guides/how-to-use-google-ads-transparency-center) | Verified advertisers' ads on Search, YouTube, Maps, Shopping and Play |
| TikTok's ad library and Creative Center | Ads and top ads on TikTok |
| LinkedIn Ad Library | Ads run on LinkedIn |

## What you can see, and what you cannot

| You can see | You cannot see (for most ads) |
|---|---|
| The ad's image, video and copy | Spend or budget |
| The date it started running | Reach, clicks or results |
| Whether it is still live | Who it targets |
| Which platforms it runs on | Return on ad spend |
| How many versions it has | The campaign objective |

Two kinds of ads carry more detail in the Meta Ad Library: social issue, election and political ads show spend ranges, and ads shown in the EU and UK show reach and targeting. Ordinary ads in India and the Gulf show neither.

So "this ad has run for 60 days" is a fact. "This ad is working" is a guess. [How to find competitor ad spend](/guides/how-to-find-competitor-ad-spend) explains why spend stays hidden.

## Worked example

Say you track a fictional rival, Wanderlast Holidays. In one week its page launches 4 new ads. Three open with a nightly price. One has run for 52 days. Your notes read: "4 new, 3 lead with price per night, one long runner since mid-September." You can show a client those facts. "Their price ads are converting" would be a guess.

## How teams use it

- **Spot new angles and offers** before your next brief.
- **Watch sale timing** around Diwali, Eid or end-of-season.
- **Count their pace** by working out their creative refresh rate.
- **Build a swipe file** of references worth learning from.

Marxx tracks competitor ads on Meta and Google and can post new ones in each client's Slack channel. We make Marxx. See [competitor tracking](/features/competitor-tracking).

## FAQ

### Is it fine to look at competitors' ads?

Yes. Platforms publish ad libraries so anyone can see the ads that run. Copying someone's footage or exact words is a different matter, so learn from the idea and make your own ad.

### Can any tool show a competitor's ad spend?

Not for ordinary ads. A tool can only estimate, because the Meta Ad Library shows spend ranges only for social issue, election and political ads.

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- [More Competitor research articles](https://marxx.ai/library-glossary/category/competitor-research)
- [All articles](https://marxx.ai/library-glossary)