How do I run a Meta ads check on competitors, and can an AI agent do it for me?
Short answer
To run a manual Meta ads check, open facebook.com/ads/library, choose your target country, set the category to All ads, and search your competitor's Page name. Inspect start dates and creative variations to find their longest-running ads. To automate this check, connect AdRadar to Claude or ChatGPT: it scans active Meta ads in seconds, ranks them by run time and creative reuse, and highlights proven hooks and angles.
Key takeaways
- A Meta ads check verifies which competitor ads are actively running across Facebook, Instagram, Messenger, and Audience Network.
- Meta does not disclose commercial ad spend or revenue. Run duration and creative duplication are the two most reliable signals of ad profitability.
- Manual checks in the Meta Ad Library require scrolling through dozens of unstructured cards without sorting, export, or hook classification.
- AdRadar automates Meta ads checks inside Claude, ChatGPT, and Cursor via MCP, returning a clean table with Winning Scores, days running, and direct links.
How to do it
- Open the public library. Go to facebook.com/ads/library. No account or Facebook login needed.
- Select country and All ads. Pick the market (e.g., United States) and switch the ad category dropdown from politics to All ads.
- Search by brand or niche. Type the competitor's exact Page name or enter a product keyword to view every live creative.
- Filter by active status. Select Filters → Active status → Active ads. Check the 'Started running on' date: older dates indicate creatives that survive ongoing ad spend.
- Identify creative reuse. Look for 'N ads use this creative and text'. Advertisers rarely scale duplicate ad sets unless the creative is converting.
- Or automate with AI. Connect AdRadar to Claude or ChatGPT and ask for a competitor Meta ads check. It returns a ranked table with run days, hooks, angles, and links.
Evidence from a real scan
Verified scan · Oct 15, 2026 Real Meta ads check of active US ads for "sleep gummies" on Oct 15, 2026 (10 active ads from 8 advertisers, median 119 days running).
| Advertiser | Days running | Hook | Angle | Ad |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Novali Health | 149 | Audience callout | Other | View in Ad Library |
| Hey Erth Wellness | 317 | Social proof | Results testimonial | View in Ad Library |
| Zafira Organics. | 140 | Problem callout | Educational content | View in Ad Library |
| BATCH Co | 119 | Problem callout | Other | View in Ad Library |
| BATCH Co | 119 | Problem callout | Outcome guarantee | View in Ad Library |
| BATCH Co | 119 | Bold claim | Other | View in Ad Library |
Full data: sleep gummies ad report. We quote only advertiser names and link to Meta; we don't re-host creatives.
Manual Meta Ad Library check vs AI automated Meta ads check (AdRadar)
| Task / Feature | Manual Ad Library Check | AdRadar AI Check (MCP) |
|---|---|---|
| Speed per check | 15 to 30 minutes of manual clicking | 5 to 10 seconds in your AI chat |
| Sort by days running | No (must read dates card by card) | Yes (automatic ranking by run time) |
| Hook and angle tagging | Manual note taking | Automated classification via Jev AI |
| Creative reuse detection | Manual visual spot check | Exact duplicate creative counts |
| AI assistant integration | Copy-pasting text and screenshots | Direct native tools inside Claude and ChatGPT |
| Cost | Free | $3 for 60 scans ($0.05/scan, no subscription) |
Feature comparison based on official Meta Ad Library web interface and AdRadar MCP v1.0, Oct 2026.
What AdRadar is
- Remote MCP server at https://adradarmcp.cloud/mcp. Works in Claude, ChatGPT, Cursor and Claude Code; sign in with Google over OAuth.
- ad_radar_spy searches the public Meta Ad Library by keyword and country at the moment you ask (not a stored archive) and returns days running, creative reuse, hook, angle, CTA strength and a link to each ad in the Ad Library.
- ad_radar_tiktok_top returns 20 top TikTok auction ads per country from TikTok Creative Center, with CTR, likes, budget tier and objective.
- Prepaid credits: $3 for 60 scans, $5/100, $10/200, $25/600, $50/1400. Credits never expire. Failed or empty scans refund the credit automatically.
Try it in your agent
AdRadar is a remote MCP server for Claude, ChatGPT and Cursor. Connect it once, then paste this prompt.
Run a Meta ads check for active "sleep gummies" in the United States. Rank the top 5 ads by longevity, list their primary hook types and angles, and tell me which offers they emphasize.
Pay per scan, no subscription. Credits never expire. Failed or empty scans are refunded.
FAQ
What is a Meta ads check?
A Meta ads check is the process of inspecting an advertiser's active Facebook and Instagram campaigns in the public Meta Ad Library to evaluate their live creatives, run duration, hooks, angles, and offers.
Can I check how much a competitor spends on Meta ads?
No. Meta only reveals spend figures for political, election, and social issue ads, or aggregate reach estimates for ads delivered in the EU/UK. Commercial ad budgets and ROAS remain private.
Why is run duration the top signal in a Meta ads check?
Performance marketers pause losing ads within days. An ad that has been running continuously for 90, 180, or 250+ days is a verified winner that the advertiser continues to fund.
Can I check ad copy before launching my own campaign?
Yes. You can use AdRadar's ad_radar_evaluate tool to check your own draft copy for hook strength, clarity, urgency, and CTA quality before spending ad budget.