Guide
How to find a competitor's ads on Instagram
Instagram ads are listed in the Meta Ad Library, the same free archive that holds Facebook ads. Search for the competitor at facebook.com/ads/library and set the Platform filter to Instagram. You will see every ad they are running there now, with the date each one started. You do not need to follow them, and they are not told you looked.
Last updated
Method 1: the Meta Ad Library
- 01
Open the Ad Library
Go to facebook.com/ads/library. It works in a browser on a phone or a computer, and most searches need no login. - 02
Choose the country and All ads
Pick the market you compete in. An advertiser can run different ads in each country. - 03
Search for the brand
Type the competitor's name and choose their Page from the suggestions. Instagram ads are run through a Facebook Page, so searching by brand finds them even when the Instagram handle is different. - 04
Filter the platform to Instagram
Open Filters, find Platform, and select Instagram. The list now shows only the ads delivered on Instagram. - 05
Open an ad for the detail
Each listing shows the creative, the caption, the call to action, the start date and whether there are several versions.
Method 2: from inside Instagram
Two shortcuts lead to the same library without searching.
- From the competitor's profile. Open their profile, open the menu (the three dots), and choose About this account. If they are running ads, an Active ads link opens their listings in the Ad Library.
- From an ad in your feed. When one of their ads appears, open the menu on the post and choose the option that explains why you are seeing it. It names the advertiser, which confirms which Page to search for.
What is different about Instagram ads
Most advertisers let Meta place one ad on both Facebook and Instagram. Filtering to Instagram is still worth doing, because it shows which creative was made for full-screen placements.
| Placement | Shape | What it tells you |
|---|---|---|
| Feed | 4:5 or square | The competitor's main message. Usually the same ad as on Facebook. |
| Stories | 9:16, full screen | Short, direct offers. Look at how much text they risk. |
| Reels | 9:16 video | Their best attempt at looking native. Note the first two seconds. |
| Explore | Feed or Reels format | Ads aimed at people who do not follow them yet. |
- A brand running vertical video made for Reels is investing in Instagram. One running a cropped square image is not.
- Partnership ads, where a creator's post is run as an ad, are listed under the brand. A competitor using many of them is paying for creator content.
- The Ad Library shows ads only. Ordinary posts and organic Reels are on the profile itself.
What you cannot see
The library does not show what an Instagram ad cost, who it was aimed at, or how it performed. The exception is ads delivered in the European Union, which carry reach and targeting information. Likes and comments on the ad are not shown either.
What you can use is the start date and the number of versions. An ad that has been running for months with several variations is one the competitor keeps paying for. The Ad Library guide covers how to read those signals.
Questions people ask
Can I see a competitor's Instagram ads without following them?
Yes. Instagram ads are listed in the Meta Ad Library, which is public. Search for the brand at facebook.com/ads/library and set the Platform filter to Instagram. You do not need to follow the account or even have an Instagram account.
Will a competitor know I looked at their ads?
No. The Meta Ad Library does not tell advertisers who viewed their listings, and it does not record views against your profile in any way the advertiser can see.
Why can't I find a brand's Instagram ads?
The usual reasons are that they are not running ads at the moment, since commercial ads are listed only while active; that the ads run from a Page with a different name; that the country filter is set to a market they do not advertise in; or that the Platform filter is hiding them.
Can I see Instagram Stories and Reels ads?
Yes. Stories and Reels ads appear in the Ad Library alongside feed ads. The listing shows the image or plays the video. Use the media type filter to show only video if you want to find Reels ads quickly.
Try it on your own competitors.
$9 for 7 days. Paste a competitor's Page and see their best ad rebuilt for your brand.
Keep reading
- Meta Ad Library guideEvery filter in the library, and how to read an ad you cannot see results for.
- How to spy on competitor adsThe free, legal sources on other platforms: Google, TikTok and LinkedIn.
- Competitor ad researchHave the checking done for you every day.
- Meta ad sizes and specsThe sizes and safe zones for Instagram feed, Stories and Reels.
Mockingbird is an independent product from Onwards Analytics and is not affiliated with, endorsed by or sponsored by Meta. Meta, Facebook, Instagram, Meta Ads Manager and the Meta Ad Library are trademarks of Meta Platforms, Inc. Meta changes its tools often; check Meta's own help pages for the current detail before you rely on it.