In this article
Key takeaways
- No separate Instagram library: its ads are in the Meta Ad Library, and the "Instagram" platform filter narrows them for free.
- In Saudi Arabia 97% of Arabic ads run on Instagram and 76% on Facebook; most ads run on both.
- The global paid tools (AdSpy about $149, Minea, BigSpy and Foreplay from about $49) cover Instagram as part of Meta, but their Arabic search is weak and they do not tell Salla from Zid.
- GccFY shows the platform icons on every ad, keeps stopped ads and the store page, from $19 dollars a month with 20 free searches a day.
There is no Instagram ads library: start from Meta's
Instagram belongs to Meta, and all of its sponsored ads are published in the Meta Ad Library together with Facebook and Messenger ads. One ad usually runs on several platforms, so you see the platform icons under it. To narrow the results to Instagram:
- Open the Ad Library, choose the country and "All ads".
- Type the brand or store name, or a word from its product. Ads appear under the advertising Page, usually the Instagram account's name or close to it.
- In the Platform filter tick "Instagram".
- Open any ad to see its versions, start date and the link it leads to.
The full step-by-step guide is in Instagram ad library, and the whole library in Facebook Ad Library.
Why Instagram comes first in the Gulf
In our study of the newest 8,272 Arabic ads shown in Saudi Arabia, 97% run on Instagram and 76% on Facebook. Instagram is not an extra channel but the main one, and most ads run on both platforms with the same creative. The numbers in detail: Instagram ads in Saudi Arabia.
The practical consequence: an "Instagram ads spy tool" is any tool that reads the Meta library well. The real question is not "does it cover Instagram?" but: does it search in Arabic, does it keep the ad after it stops, and does it show the store behind it?
Free: what the app and the library reveal
- "About this account" in the Instagram app: when the account was created, the country it is based in, and former usernames. A one-month-old store advertising heavily is a different player from a brand that is years old.
- "About the advertiser" in an ad's details: the Instagram account linked to the Page and its followers.
- Branded content: an influencer post appears only if it is labelled "Paid partnership", and the library has a separate search for it.
The limits of free: a commercial ad disappears when it stops (outside the EU), there is no sort by running time, and no spend, reach or sales. Every free option is in Free ad spy tools.
The paid tools for Instagram ads
Prices as the sites themselves published them in October 2026 (BigSpy checked 6 November 2026); they may change:
| Tool | Strength | In the Gulf | Published price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AdSpy | Facebook and Instagram | The largest archive, with comments, URLs and affiliate networks | Weak Arabic search; does not tell Salla from Zid | About $149 a month |
| Minea | As part of Meta ads | Dropshipping: products, stores, influencers, TikTok | English index; no per-country Gulf filter | From about $49 a month |
| BigSpy | As part of Facebook, TikTok and more | Many networks, a free plan (10 searches a day) | Thin Arabic coverage | Starter $69 a month ($49 billed annually) |
| Foreplay | Saves from the Meta library | Boards and briefs for creative teams | An organiser, not a search | From about $49 a month |
| GccFY | Facebook and Instagram, with platform icons on every ad | Arabic Gulf ads, the store page, longest running | Specialised | Free plan; paid from $19 dollars a month |
The full comparison by criteria is in Ad spy tools, and the cheaper alternatives in AdSpy and Minea alternatives.
Instagram ads in the Gulf with GccFY
In GccFY every ad carries the icons of the platforms it runs on (Facebook, Instagram, Messenger…), you search an Arabic word inside the ad copy, and you filter by country, store platform and ad type. Stopped ads stay saved, so you see what a competitor ran last month, and you open the snapshot of the store page the ad leads to.
- Longest running as a one-click sort: the strongest signal of the ad that sells on Instagram.
- An advertiser window with all of their ads, and an Advertisers screen that searches Page names.
- What it does not do: regular posts and influencers outside branded content, TikTok and Snapchat, and markets outside the Gulf.
The free plan has 20 searches a day with no card; paid plans from $19 dollars a month.
Which tool to pick for Instagram ads
| If you… | Start with |
|---|---|
| Follow only one or two accounts | The Meta library with the Instagram filter (free) |
| Sell in Saudi Arabia and the Gulf with Arabic ads | GccFY |
| Work in affiliate marketing or sell globally in English | AdSpy or Minea |
| Run a creative team collecting ideas | Foreplay, or saved collections in GccFY |
Whatever the tool, do not copy the creative as it is: read the angle, the offer and the button, then write your own ad in your own style.
