In this article
Key takeaways
- Start free: the Meta Ad Library and TikTok Creative Center are enough to follow a handful of competitors.
- Global tools (Minea, AdSpy, BigSpy, Pipiads, Foreplay) are strong in Western markets, but their coverage of Arabic ads in the Gulf is limited.
- The key question before paying: does the tool cover your country and language, and keep ads after they stop?
- GccFY specialises in Arabic ads in the Gulf, with a free plan; paid plans start at $25 a month.
What is an ad spy tool?
An ad spy tool is a database that collects ads from Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and other networks and adds what the official libraries do not: advanced search, filters, sorting, keeping ads after they stop, and sometimes landing pages and store data.
The name sounds shady, but the work is legitimate: the ads are public, and Meta itself publishes them in the Facebook Ad Library. What is not acceptable is copying competitors' images, videos and copy as they are.
How to choose the right tool
- Market and language: can you find ads from Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Kuwait? Does search work in Arabic? Many global tools cover the US and Europe far better than the Gulf.
- Stopped ads: the Meta library drops a commercial ad when it stops; a good tool keeps it so you can see what failed.
- Running time: can you sort results by longest running? It is the strongest winner signal.
- Landing pages: does the tool show the store behind the ad, and its platform (Salla, Zid, Shopify)?
- Networks: Facebook and Instagram only, or TikTok, Snapchat and YouTube too?
- Price and metering: some tools sell credits that run out fast, others daily limits.
Quick comparison
Prices as shown on each tool's official pricing page in October 2026; they may change:
| Tool | Best for | Networks | Arabic ads in the Gulf | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Meta Ad Library | Getting started, following specific competitors | Facebook, Instagram, Messenger | Yes, active ads only | Free |
| GccFY | Gulf stores and the Arabic market | Facebook, Instagram | Specialised, including stopped ads | Free plan; paid from $25/month |
| Minea | Dropshipping and product research | Meta ads, products, stores | General global coverage | From $49/month |
| AdSpy | Deep Facebook/Instagram search, affiliates | Facebook, Instagram | General global coverage | $149/month |
| BigSpy | Many networks with a free plan | Facebook, TikTok and more | General global coverage | Free plan and paid plans |
| Pipiads | TikTok ads | TikTok, Facebook | General global coverage | From $49/month (credits) |
| Foreplay | Creative teams and swipe files | Saves from Meta, TikTok and other libraries | Whatever you save yourself | From $49/month |
| TikTok Creative Center | Top TikTok ads by region | TikTok | Curated picks by country | Free |
The free tools: start here
Meta Ad Library
The official source for every active ad on Facebook and Instagram, searchable by keyword, Page and country. Its limits: commercial ads vanish once they stop, there is no sorting by running time and no store-platform filter. Full guide: Facebook Ad Library.
TikTok Creative Center (Top Ads)
A curated set of TikTok's best-performing ads, filterable by region, industry and objective. Great for creative ideas, but it is a selection, not a full database, and TikTok's official ad library only covers European ads. Details in Ad libraries compared.
The global paid tools
Minea
A French tool built for dropshipping: Meta ads, product and store lists, brand tracking and AI analysis. Plans run from $49 to $199 a month. Excellent if you sell global products in Europe and the US.
AdSpy
One of the oldest and largest databases of Facebook and Instagram ads, with search across copy, URLs, comments and affiliate networks. It costs $149 a month and suits affiliates and power users.
BigSpy
Covers many ad networks and has a limited free plan. Good for a broad, multi-network overview.
Pipiads
The strongest for TikTok and TikTok Shop ads, with Facebook too. It runs on credits: every result and detail view uses credits, and plans start at $49 a month at the current offer.
Foreplay
Less a market database than a workspace for creative teams: it saves ads from Meta, TikTok and LinkedIn libraries into boards, tracks brands and writes briefs for designers. Plans start at $49 a month.
Why the Gulf needs a dedicated tool
Gulf ads have traits that global tools do not handle well:
- Language: the copy is Arabic, in several dialects and spellings, and Arabic search in most global tools is weak.
- WhatsApp selling: 32% of the newest Arabic ads in our library end in a WhatsApp chat, not a store.
- Local platforms: Salla and Zid do not exist as filters in global tools.
- Cash on delivery: the offer and the payment method are core to the ad.
That is why we built GccFY: a library of Arabic ads only, from stores selling in Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain and Oman. It holds 780,000+ ads, keeps them after they stop, and shows a snapshot of the store page behind every ad.
- Filters for country, store platform (Salla, Zid, Shopify, WhatsApp…), ad type, button and placement.
- Sort by longest running, and an advertiser window with all of their ads.
- Save ads into collections with notes, and download images and videos for study on paid plans.
- A permanent free plan (5 searches a day); paid plans from $25 a month.
Which tool should you pick?
| If you… | Start with |
|---|---|
| Follow only three or four competitors | Meta Ad Library (free) |
| Sell in Saudi Arabia and the Gulf with Arabic ads | GccFY |
| Dropship in Europe and the US | Minea or AdSpy |
| Rely on TikTok | TikTok Creative Center, then Pipiads |
| Run a creative team collecting ideas from many networks | Foreplay |
Whatever the tool, method beats tooling: read Competitor ads and Winning products.
