How to see your competitors' Meta ads
Updated November 2, 2026
ContentScout brings in the ads an Instagram account runs on Facebook and Instagram, from Meta's public ad library, and shows you which ones work for them, what they're testing and which organic posts they turned into ads. Meta doesn't publish spend or impressions: what we measure is how long each ad has been running.
It comes with the Pro and Ultra plans. On Basic, an Instagram account's Ads tab shows you the Upgrade to Pro button.
How to turn them on
Open the ⋯ menu on an Instagram account
In the Tracking table, on their row, choose Track their Meta ads. It works for your competitors and for your own accounts. You can also tick Their Meta ads, in the also follow group, when you add an Instagram account, or tap Get their ads on their Ads tab.
Pick their page if needed
We look up their Meta page by their Instagram username. If exactly one matches that username, we link it for you; if not, you pick the brand's with Use this page. You can change it later from the same ⋯ menu.
Wait a few minutes
We bring them in within a few minutes, check them every day, and you see them on the account's Ads tab. It uses no extra tracking slot and spends no rotation.
What it shows you
- How long each ad has been running: the ones still active for 60 days or more are winners, and the ones with less than 14 days are still being tested.
- Transcript and analysis of an ad: they cost the same as another account's post (1 credit and 2 credits) and, once unlocked, they're free for your whole account.
- Saved: save an ad and you'll find it on the Ads tab in Saved.
- Email alerts: we let you know when a brand you follow has a winning ad, launches a burst of new ads or starts running an organic post as an ad. Turn them off with Your competitors' ads in Notifications.
Frequently asked questions
It says we didn't find their ads. Is it broken?
Not necessarily: they may not be running ads, or their Meta page may not use that Instagram username. Try Search their Meta page again in the ⋯ menu on their row.
How do I stop seeing them?
With Stop tracking their ads in the same ⋯ menu. The account stays tracked.
Can I ask Scouty to do it?
Yes: ask Scouty in the chat to "track @account's ads" and it shows you a card; nothing changes until you confirm it. You can also ask it which ads are working for a competitor, and your assistant connected to Claude or ChatGPT sees them too.
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Related articles
- How to track your competitors and see what works for themTrack competitors from the Tracking table and each one gets its own full analytics: their pillars, hooks, posts and comments. And an all-competitors view shows you just their outliers.
- How to see your competitors' trial reelsSee which reels an Instagram competitor tests only with non-followers, and which ones they end up sharing with their followers. Turn it on from the ⋯ menu on their row in Tracking.
- What Scouty can do for youScouty doesn't only read your data: ask it to save, track, create keywords or change your bio, and it does it when you confirm its card. The ones that cost credits show you the price first and only charge when you tap the button.
Didn't find what you were looking for?
Reach us from the app via the Help button at the bottom of the menu and we'll reply by email.