# How to compare your ads with competitors

> Compare your ads with competitors using the free Meta Ad Library. Pull their live ads, tag them like your own, build a gap grid and pick two tests.
- **Author**: Marxx
- **Published**: 2026-10-28
- **Category**: Competitor research
- **URL**: https://marxx.ai/library-guides/how-to-compare-your-ads-with-competitors

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To compare your ads with competitors, pull each rival's live ads from the [Meta Ad Library](/glossary/meta-ad-library), tag them by angle, hook and format, and tag your own the same way. Then look for what they run for months and the angles nobody uses.

You cannot see their results, so judge by run time.

## Steps

1. **Pick three to five rivals.** Choose two direct ones and one or two that sell to the same buyer.
2. **Pull their live ads.** Open the Ad Library, pick India and **All ads**, search the brand and choose its page. Each card shows a Library ID, a start date and the platforms (checked 2026-10-20). Save these for every ad. When a card says several ads "use this creative and text", count it as one idea in many versions.
3. **Tag each ad.** Record the angle, the hook, the format and the offer. The [competitor analysis template](/templates/competitor-analysis-template-for-ads) has the columns.
4. **Tag your own ads the same way.** Use identical labels, or the comparison breaks.
5. **Build a gap grid.** Put angles down the side and brands across the top. In each cell, write how many ads have run for 30 days or more.
6. **Pick two tests.** One where rivals are strong and you are weak. One where nobody plays.

## What the library cannot tell you

For most ads, it does not show spend, results or targeting. So a long run is your clue, not proof. See [how to tell if a competitor ad is working](/guides/how-to-tell-if-a-competitor-ad-is-working) and [how to find winning ads](/guides/how-to-find-winning-ads).

## A worked example

Say you sell protein bars. Four rivals have 62 live ads in all. Fourteen have run for over 60 days. You tag those 14 and your own 20 ads.

| Angle | Rival ads running 60+ days | Your ads |
|---|---|---|
| Taste test | 6 | 2 |
| Price | 4 | 12 |
| Gym proof | 3 | 5 |
| Convenience | 1 | 1 |
| Total | 14 | 20 |

You lean on price: 12 of your 20 ads, or 60%. Rivals' long runners lean on taste: 6 of 14, or 43%. Your two tests are a new taste-test ad and a new convenience ad, since only one long-running rival ad uses that angle. You also pause a few price ads to make room.

For Google ads, use the [Google Ads Transparency Center](/guides/how-to-use-google-ads-transparency-center). The method is the same.

## Mistakes to avoid

- **Judging by the newest ads.** Most are tests, so look at run time.
- **Counting ads instead of ideas.** Ten cuts of one idea are one idea.
- **Copying the ad.** Take the angle and make your own version.
- **Looking once.** Repeat every month, since markets move.
- **Only checking India.** A brand may test ideas in another country first.

We make Marxx. It tracks competitor ads on Meta and Google, with keyword tracking and an AI search over 100M+ ads back to 2022. See [competitor tracking](/features/competitor-tracking).

## FAQ

### Can I see how well a competitor's ads perform?

Not for most ads. The Ad Library shows what runs and since when, not spend or results. Long-running ads are your best clue.

### How many competitor ads should I review?

Twenty to thirty per main rival is enough to spot patterns.

### How often should I compare?

Monthly, and again before a big sale.

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