Multiloop vs the Meta Ad Library
Written by James, Founder of Multiloop. Last updated 2 November 2026. Prices checked 2 November 2026.
The Meta Ad Library shows you every ad your competitors are running. Multiloop shows you which ad formats are selling for businesses like yours.
The Ad Library is free, needs no login, and lists every active ad on Facebook, Instagram, Messenger, Audience Network and WhatsApp (Meta newsroom). What it does not show is whether any of those ads worked. There is no CTR, no clicks, no conversions and no spend for ordinary commercial ads (brandsearch.co, Apr 2026). Multiloop answers the question the library cannot: of all the formats out there, which ones are ending in orders right now for your niche.
Paste your link. Get the ad that sells it.
Which should you pick?
Use the Ad Library to see what is running. Search a Page name, a keyword or a country and you get the creative, the copy, the start date and the platforms. In the EU and UK you also get targeting, estimated reach and who paid, which no other free tool gives (Oppira, Sept 2026). It is the fastest way to see how other venues, shops or labels present themselves.
Use Multiloop to find out what sells. The library is a transparency record, not analytics (Buffer). An ad being live tells you someone is paying for it, not that it is working, and standard ads disappear once they stop. Multiloop's Loopers Rate shows which formats are rising, steady or falling for everyone on Multiloop in your niche, measured at the checkout. Then paste your own link and get the ad to make, built on what is selling rather than what is visible.
Side by side
| Multiloop | Meta Ad Library | |
|---|---|---|
| What you give it | A link to your event, product, track or website | An advertiser or Page name, a keyword, a country, an ad category |
| What you get | The ad to make: hook, format, narrative, angle, visual approach | Ad creative, copy, start date, platforms, Library ID, advertiser Page |
| Tells you which ad to make | Yes, from what is selling in your niche now | No; it shows what is running with no winner signal |
| Shows other businesses' ads | No | Yes: every active ad on Meta |
| Shows other businesses' results | Yes: Loopers Rate, by format, by niche | No: no CTR, clicks, conversions or spend for commercial ads |
| Shows which visits became orders | Yes: Loop Rate from the Multiloop Pixel on the checkout | No |
| Compares you to similar businesses | Yes: vs your niche | No |
| Needs access to your ad account | No | No; no login to browse |
| Knows ad spend | No | Only coarse bands for political and social-issue ads |
| History | Your tracked ads, kept | Standard ads disappear when they stop; EU ads kept one year |
| Platforms | Any platform you run ads on | Meta only; nothing for TikTok or Google |
| EU and UK transparency | Not applicable | Targeting, reach by country, age and gender, payer and beneficiary |
| Events and ticketing | Yes; Pixel sits on the platform checkout | See how promoters advertise, not which ads sold tickets |
| Shopify and e-commerce | Yes; Pixel on the Shopify checkout | Widely used for creative research; no sales data |
| Music releases | Yes | Browse label and artist Pages' ads; same limits |
| Cost | Free, or Pro £49 a month | Free |
Cost
| Option | Cost | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Multiloop Free | £0 | adsforsales.com |
| Multiloop Pro | £49 a month (€49 in the EU) | adsforsales.com |
| Meta Ad Library | Free; no account needed to browse | Meta newsroom |
| Meta Ad Library API | Free; needs a Meta developer account | adtribute |
| Paid ad spy tools built on the library | From $49 a month (Minea, PiPiADS); $69 a month (BigSpy) | See Multiloop vs Minea, vs PiPiADS, vs BigSpy |
What each one knows
| Multiloop | Meta Ad Library | |
|---|---|---|
| Which ads exist | No | Yes, every active Meta ad |
| Which formats are selling | Yes: Loopers Rate, by niche | No |
| Your own results | Loop Rate per tracked ad | No |
| Other businesses' results | Yes, as aggregated formats and trends | No |
| Ad spend | No | Political and social-issue bands only |
Why choose Multiloop over the Ad Library
Results, not sightings. The library shows you an ad is live. Multiloop shows you whether that kind of ad is ending in orders. Sounds fine. Will it sell?
Your niche, not everyone's feed. The library is one search box for every advertiser on Meta. Multiloop groups results by niche, so a club night sees club nights and a skincare brand sees skincare.
The next step. The library leaves you with a screenshot. Multiloop gives you the ad to make for your own link, then tracked links and the Pixel to learn what happened next. Get your ads in the loop.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Facebook Ad Library free?
Yes. Anyone can browse it without an account; the API needs a Meta developer account (Meta newsroom).
Can I see how much a competitor spends on ads?
Not for ordinary ads. Spend and impression ranges are shown only for political and social-issue ads (ppc.land).
Can I see a competitor's old ads?
Standard ads are removed once they stop running. Ads delivered in the EU are kept for one year and political ads for several years (Buffer).
Does the Ad Library show which ads are working?
No. It has no CTR, clicks, conversions or sales for commercial ads (brandsearch.co). Multiloop's Loopers Rate shows which formats are rising or falling for your niche, measured at the checkout.
Can I see the reach of a competitor's ad?
For ads delivered in the EU, yes: estimated reach by country, age and gender, plus the targeting used and who paid (Oppira). You do not have to be in the EU to view it.
Why can't I see my competitor's Facebook ads?
They may not be running ads right now, the Page name may differ from the brand name, or the ads may be under a different Page (SocialFuel, Aug 2026). Advertiser name search works better than domain search.
How do I find winning ads, not just any ads?
The library cannot tell you. Multiloop can: paste your link and get the ad to make from the formats that are selling for your niche now.
Does the Ad Library cover TikTok or Google ads?
No. TikTok has its own Creative Center and Google its Ads Transparency Center. Multiloop measures any platform you run ads on.
Does Multiloop show me other businesses' ads?
No. Multiloop shows which formats are selling, as aggregated trends by niche, not individual businesses' ads or results.
Does Multiloop know how much I spend?
No. Multiloop measures visits and orders, not spend.
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