Today there are 154 different ad intelligence software. We spent 70 hours comparing the top 50 to find the seven best you can use to stay on top of competition.
What is the Best Ad Intelligence Software?
- SemRush — best of the best
- BigSpy — best for multi-platform ads
- AdSpy — best for Meta ads
- Similarweb — best for website analysis
- AppTweak — best for App Store ads
- Sensor Tower — best for mobile ads
- SpyFu — best for search and PPC
1. Semrush
Our Verdict — Best Of The Best
Price: Starts at $119.95/month
Semrush is the ultimate tool for those who want to run better PPC campaigns. We think it’s the best of the best because of its never-ending history on all your favorite advertisers which lets you see what has worked best across the years.
The Best Part:
Time-travel. With access to historical data, you’ll be able to find seasonal trends and long-term winners to help with your ad tactics.
The Worst Part:
Steep learning curve. Semrush comes loaded with great features, but getting the hang of all of them may take a while.
Get it if you want unbeatable keyword research and PPC tools.
I recommend you get started with a 14-day free trial.
(14-day free trial)
Best For
Semrush is best for anyone who runs ads on Google.
Top Features
Keyword research master. Semrush is probably the best tool for keyword research, making it easier for you to figure out which keywords you should be using on your PPC campaigns.
Stay on top. With SEMRush’s AdClarity tool, you’ll get to see display, video, native, mobile ads… nothing will escape your eyes.
All the top platforms. Google Ads, TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Google Display Network, YouTube… the list goes on.
Follow the money trail. Track competitor ad spend to benchmark your budgets, allowing you to allocate resources more effectively.
Find their secrets. Discover where your competitors are placing their ads, along with their ad buying methods and strategies.
Annual plans provide up to a 17% discount.
Try Semrush today with a free 14-day trial.
2. BigSpy
Our Verdict — Best For Multi-Platform Ads
Price: Starts at $9/month
BigSpy is the ad spy for those looking to find and track their competitors’ ads on multiple platforms. We think it’s the best for multi-platform ads because it works with so many different platforms.
The Best Part:
Left and right. With ads from 9 different ad platforms, you’ll be on top of your Google Ads, Meta ads, native ads, and more. Everything you need.
The Worst Part:
Could be a bit more intuitive. BigSpy’s user interface can be a bit overwhelming for newcomers, at first.
Get it if you want to learn from your competitors’ efforts.
I recommend you get started on the 3-day trial.
(3-day trial for $1)
Best For
BigSpy is best for agencies and entrepreneurs who want to leverage their competitors’ ads to boost their results.
Top Features
It’s YUGE. With over 1 billion ads in the catalog, you can find great quality creatives… no matter what industry you’re in.
Ecom ready. Monitor over 40 e-commerce sites such as Amazon and Shopify and Amazon, so nothing’s out of your radar.
Find markets. Find niche trends, leverage market intelligence features, and ad placement strategies, to figure out new markets for your offers.
Detective work. Enter specific keywords, advertiser names, or more, to get a more comprehensive view on your best competitors.
Wallet-friendly. BigSpy comes with a free plan that gives access to basic features, so anyone can get started with their ad intelligence work.
Annual plans provide up to a 30% discount.
Try BigSpy today with a 3-day trial for $1.
3. AdSpy
Our Verdict — Best For Meta Ads
Price: $149/month
AdSpy is the largest database of Facebook and Instagram ads. We think it’s the best for Meta ads because of how comprehensive it is.
The Best Part:
All ads in one place. Uncover 168+ million ads on both Facebook and Instagram, and be on top of both of these platforms.
The Worst Part:
Short guarantee window. AdSpy only guarantees a refund if you ask for it within 24 hours of purchase.
Get it if you want access to the biggest Meta ads database ever.
I recommend you get started with the 30-day free trial.
(30-day free trial)
Best For
AdSpy is best for advertisers who want to enhance their performance with their Facebook and Instagram ads.
Top Features
All the filters. URL, page name, ad text, landing page text, affiliate network… So many filters, and so many possibilities to find the right ads.
Round the globe. You can find ads in 223 countries, in 88 different languages, to help you conquer new markets.
Accurate demographics. AdSpy has a wide network of contributors, which helps you to learn a little more about the specific demographic for each ad.
Quick as hell. No matter how large AdSpy’s database gets, every search that you run is done within seconds.
Big data. If there’s an offer that’s been killing it on either Facebook or Instagram… AdSpy will know it — and so will you.
Try AdSpy today with a free 30-day trial.
Our Top Three Picks
Here’s a quick summary of our top three picks:
Here’s a quick comparison of our top seven picks:
Tool | Entry Offer | Pricing |
|---|---|---|
SemRush | 14-day free trial | Starts at $119.95/mo |
BigSpy | Free trial | Starts at $9/mo |
AdSpy | 30-day free trial | $149/mo |
Similarweb | Free plan | Starts at $125/mo |
AppTweak | Free trial | Starts at $99/mo |
Sensor Tower | Free trial | Custom |
SpyFu | Free trial | Starts at $39/mo |
Here are the top 50 ad intelligence tools we considered in this review:
- SemRush
- BigSpy
- AdSpy
- Similarweb
- AppTweak
- Sensor Tower
- SpyFu
- Similarweb
- Ahrefs
- WhatRunsWhere
- PowerAdsSpy
- Kompyte
- MixRank
- Pathmatics
- Adthena
- Splitmetrics
- Adalyser
- Moat
- KeywordSpy
- WhoRunsAds
- AdClarity
- Adbeat
- Admetricks
- AdQuality
- Ask BOSCO
- Nielsen
- MobileAction
- BidX
- TelmarHelixa
- Apptica
- SocialPeta
- Comscore
- AppGrowing
- AppMagic
- SAO
- Numerator
- Swayable
- GoodSpy
- Growth Channel
- Appranking
- Auxo Ads
- Burt Intelligence
- adjinn
- Lifesight
- Ads Insight
- Arena Calibrate
- Samba TV
- DISPLAYCE
- AudienceReport
- Macaw
What is ad spy tool?
An ad spy is a platform where marketers can search, analyze, and view competitors' live and past advertisements across different online platforms, to learn about their ad strategies, creative designs, performance metrics, and more.
What is ad intelligence?
Ad intelligence is the approach of gathering, analyzing, and interpreting advertising data to help better understand market trends, competitor strategies, and optimizing advertising efforts.
What do users love about ad intelligence software?
- How digital advertising intelligence tools provide valuable insights into their competitive landscape
- Gaining the ability to make more data-driven decisions, thanks to the granular insights they can get from all kinds of ad platforms, such as social networks and native ad networks, for example
- Navigating the crowded media landscape with advanced search filters that help them pinpoint the right advertise opportunities
- FInding competitors’ winning marketing strategies via competitive intelligence tools
- Tracking performance trends and relevant keyword rankings to get a more complete picture
- Having artificial intelligence uncover hidden business opportunities in social media ads and all other types of ads
- Developing ad buying strategies by watching multiple types of ads
- Turning advertising strategy into business strategy
- Making more informed with their new advertising opportunities
The Bottom Line
To recap, here are the best [product category] software to try this year:
