How we make this list: we compare pricing pages, product documentation and public user reviews. Ratings come from G2, Capterra or Trustpilot, with the date we checked them.
Key takeaways
- The tools in this guide track public advertising data, such as ads shown in public libraries and on publisher pages, and they are not tools for hacking accounts or scraping private data.
- Match the tool to your traffic type first, since native and push specialists differ sharply from social ad tools and search intelligence platforms.
- Landing page access matters as much as ad creative, because the funnel behind an ad explains why it keeps running.
- Prices range from free tiers to around 249 dollars a month, and most serious affiliate tools sit between 49 and 149 dollars a month.
- Use what you learn to build original angles and offers, not to copy another affiliate creative word for word, which risks account bans and network complaints.
Quick comparison
| Tool | Best for | Starting price | Free plan |
|---|
 AdPlexity | Multi channel affiliate research | $149 per month | No |
 Anstrex | Native and push campaigns | See website | No |
 AdSpy | Facebook and Instagram research | $149 per month | No |
 BigSpy | Budget multi platform research | See website | Yes |
 PowerAdSpy | Social plus search in one tool | $69 per month | No |
 Semrush | Search and PPC intelligence | $139.95 per month | No |
 SpyFu | Search competitor history | See website | No |
 Meta Ad Library | Free public Meta ad data | Free | Yes |
Is your product missing or out of date?
We review this list regularly. Vendors can request a listing, send updated pricing or ask about featured placement.
Starting price$149 per month
Free planNo
AdPlexity is the reference tool for professional affiliates, with separate products for mobile, desktop, native, push, ecommerce, and carrier traffic. Its database covers campaigns from many countries, and filters by keyword, advertiser, affiliate network, publisher, and device let you narrow millions of ads to the few running in your niche. One click landing page access, including downloadable pages, makes it easy to study funnels rather than only creatives.
The cost is the main barrier. Tools range from about 149 to 249 dollars a month depending on the product, and running several channels means several subscriptions. There is also no free trial, so buyers commit before testing the data quality. AdPlexity fits affiliates who already spend on traffic and need the deepest multi channel database to guide that spend.
What we like- Covers mobile, desktop, native, push, and ecommerce
- Deep filters by network and publisher
- Landing page downloads
Watch out for- Price is high for beginners
- Separate products per channel add cost
- No free trial
Starting priceSee website
Free planNo
Anstrex focuses on native, push, and pop traffic, with more than 15 million ads from tens of thousands of advertisers across 92 countries. Its landing page ripper downloads full funnels for study, and a separate dropshipping product tool helps ecommerce affiliates find products alongside ads. For native affiliates, that combination of ad data and landing page access is the core workflow: find a long running campaign, study its funnel, then build an original version for your own traffic.
The limits are channel scope and trial length. Anstrex social coverage is thinner than AdSpy or BigSpy, and trials are short, so testing needs a focused plan. Reported entry pricing sits near 40 to 60 dollars a month depending on the product. Anstrex is the pick for native and push affiliates who want deep coverage in those channels at a mid range price.
What we like- Strong native and push coverage
- Landing page ripper
- Dropshipping product research included
Watch out for- Social coverage is thinner than rivals
- Short trial
- Interface takes learning
Starting price$149 per month
Free planNo
AdSpy holds one of the largest databases of Facebook and Instagram ads, with search by ad text, page, advertiser, and engagement signals such as comments and reactions. That depth matters for social affiliates, since comment sentiment often reveals whether an offer converts or draws complaints. Landing page previews show the funnel behind each ad, and filters for ad age help you find campaigns that have run long enough to suggest profitable spend.
The drawback is narrow scope and price. AdSpy covers Meta platforms only, so search, native, and push affiliates need a second tool, and 149 dollars a month with no trial is a serious commitment. AdSpy fits Meta focused affiliates and media buyers who live on Facebook and Instagram traffic and need the deepest database there.
What we like- Largest Facebook and Instagram ad database
- Detailed comment and engagement filters
- Landing page previews
Watch out for- Meta only
- 149 dollars a month with no trial
- Overkill for non social affiliates
Starting priceSee website
Free planYes
BigSpy covers Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Pinterest, and other platforms in one interface, with a free plan that lets beginners learn ad research before paying. That breadth makes it useful for creative inspiration across channels, since you can compare how similar offers present themselves on different platforms. Paid tiers add more filters and longer history, with reported entry prices varying by source, so check the current pricing page before budgeting.
The trade off is depth. BigSpy does not offer landing page access on basic plans, and its data is thinner than specialist tools for any single channel. BigSpy is the best starting point for new affiliates and small teams that want broad social coverage at low cost and can accept lighter data.
What we like- Free plan available
- Covers many social platforms
- Good for creative inspiration
Watch out for- No landing page access on basic plans
- Data depth below AdPlexity and AdSpy
- Higher tiers cost more
Starting price$69 per month
Free planNo
PowerAdSpy combines Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Google, and native ad research in one tool starting at 69 dollars a month, with a low cost trial period. Landing page previews let you study funnels, and filters by keyword, advertiser, and engagement help narrow results to campaigns worth studying. For affiliates who run both social and search traffic, that combination avoids paying for two specialist tools.
The limits are scale and polish. Its Meta database is smaller than AdSpy, and the interface feels dated next to newer rivals. Advanced filters sit on higher tiers. PowerAdSpy fits affiliates who want one mid priced tool across social and search rather than the deepest database for a single channel.
What we like- Covers social, search, YouTube, and native
- Landing page previews
- Low cost trial
Watch out for- Database smaller than AdSpy for Meta
- Interface feels dated
- Advanced filters need higher tiers
#6Semrush
Best for: Search and PPC intelligence4.4/5 on
G2 (4,035 reviews, checked Oct 2026)
Visit semrush.com
Starting price$139.95 per month
Free planNo
Semrush is primarily an SEO and PPC platform, but its advertising research tools make it a strong competitive intelligence option for search affiliates. You can see which keywords rivals buy, what ad copy they run, and which landing pages receive paid traffic, alongside organic rankings and backlinks. That search view complements social ad tools, since it shows intent driven traffic that social tools miss. Plans start at 139.95 dollars a month with a 7 day trial.
The trade off is purpose. Semrush is not built for browsing social creatives, and its breadth means a learning curve for affiliates who only need ad data. Semrush fits search focused affiliates and teams that also need SEO, content, and PPC research in the same subscription.
What we like- Deep keyword, backlink, and ad research
- Advertising research for PPC
- 7 day trial
Watch out for- Not a creative spy tool
- Price rises with higher tiers
- Learning curve for beginners
#7SpyFu
Best for: Search competitor history4.6/5 on
G2 (518 reviews, checked Oct 2026)
Visit spyfu.com
Starting priceSee website
Free planNo
SpyFu exposes search marketing history for any domain, showing every keyword a rival has bought on Google ads, every organic rank, and every ad variation over as many as 14 years. That long view helps affiliates spot seasonal patterns and offers that return year after year, which short window tools miss. A 30 day money back guarantee lowers the risk of trying it, and reported entry pricing sits near 33 to 39 dollars a month depending on billing term.
The limits are channel scope. SpyFu covers search only, so social and native affiliates need another tool, and its creative database is smaller than social specialists. SpyFu is the pick for search affiliates who value history and keyword depth at a lower price than Semrush.
What we like- Long search history up to 14 years
- Shows every keyword a rival bought
- 30 day money back guarantee
Watch out for- Search only
- Smaller modern ad creative database
- Entry price varies by billing term
Starting priceFree
Free planYes
Meta Ad Library is the free, official public database of ads running on Facebook and Instagram, and every affiliate should use it alongside paid tools. It shows active ads by page, country, and platform, with creative and start dates, and it costs nothing. For verifying whether a rival really runs an offer, or for checking what a brand says in regulated categories, it is the most reliable source available, since the data comes from Meta itself.
The drawback is analysis. The Library offers no performance estimates, no engagement filters, and no bulk export, so research is manual and slow at scale. It also covers Meta platforms only. Meta Ad Library is the essential free baseline for every social affiliate, best paired with a paid tool when volume research matters.
What we like- Free and official
- Shows all active Meta ads
- No subscription or trial needed
Watch out for- No analytics or filters by performance
- Manual research only
- Meta platforms only
How we chose
We compared published pricing, platform coverage, and feature lists for tools that track public advertising data for affiliates. We favored tools with landing page access and long running campaign filters, since those features turn ad browsing into funnel research. We excluded any tool that promises access to private data, account hacking, or scraping that violates platform terms, since those practices risk bans and legal trouble. We treated conflicting third party price reports as a reason to write See website rather than publish a figure we could not confirm.
Start with your traffic type. Native and push affiliates should shortlist Anstrex and AdPlexity, Meta affiliates should look at AdSpy and the free Meta Ad Library, and search affiliates should compare Semrush and SpyFu. Next, test whether the tool shows the landing page behind the ad, since a creative without its funnel tells only half the story. Then check the trial or guarantee terms and run a focused test on your own niche before paying for a year. Finally, set your own rule: study competitors to build original angles, never copy creatives or landing pages word for word, and stay inside network and platform policies.
Frequently asked questions
Are spy tools for affiliate marketing legal?
Yes, when they track public advertising data such as ads shown in public libraries or on publisher pages. Tools that access private accounts, scrape personal data, or break platform terms are not legitimate and should be avoided.
What is the difference between AdPlexity and AdSpy?
AdPlexity covers many channels including native, push, mobile, and desktop, while AdSpy focuses on Facebook and Instagram with the deepest Meta database, so the right choice depends on your traffic type.
Do I need a paid spy tool if Meta Ad Library is free?
Meta Ad Library is free and reliable, but it offers no performance filters or bulk analysis, so paid tools pay off when you research at volume or need landing page and history data.
How much should a beginner spend on a spy tool?
Beginners can start free with Meta Ad Library and BigSpy free plan, then move to a 40 to 70 dollar tool such as Anstrex or PowerAdSpy once they run paid traffic regularly.
Can I copy a winning ad I find in a spy tool?
No. Use it to understand angles, offers, and funnel structure, then write original creative. Copying ads word for word risks account bans, network complaints, and trademark trouble.
How long should an ad run before I treat it as a winner?
There is no fixed rule, but ads that run for weeks across many placements usually indicate sustained spend, while a few days of activity may only reflect a test.
Sources we checked (0)
Is your product missing or out of date?
We review this list regularly. Vendors can request a listing, send updated pricing or ask about featured placement.
Shihab Mia · Founder, Rankite
Shihab has 5+ years in B2B and SaaS SEO. He writes Rankite's software buying guides from pricing pages, documentation and public user reviews. More about Shihab.