Updated January 26, 2026· 10 min

9 Best Ad Library Tools in 2026 (Free & Paid)

Discover the best ad library tools for creative inspiration in 2026. Compare Meta Ad Library, TikTok Creative Center, Benly, and more to build your swipe file.

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Key Takeaways

  • Free options (Meta Ad Library, TikTok Creative Center) are great starting points for competitor research
  • Paid tools add organization, collaboration, and advanced features worth the investment for active advertisers
  • Benly uniquely combines ad discovery with AI-powered analysis and creative generation
  • Choose based on your workflow: solo vs. team, organization needs, and platform coverage
  • A well-organized swipe file is more valuable than a massive, disorganized collection

A well-organized ad library is the secret weapon of top-performing marketers. The right tool helps you save, organize, and draw inspiration from winning ads across platforms.

We evaluated 9 ad library tools designed to help you build and manage your creative swipe file. From free platform-native options like Meta Ad Library to sophisticated paid solutions, we assessed each tool on organization features, search capabilities, collaboration options, and overall value. Whether you need a simple bookmark system or a full creative intelligence platform, this guide covers your options.

Our methodology: We evaluated each tool based on ease of saving ads, organization and tagging capabilities, search and filtering, collaboration features, and integration with creative workflows.

Quick Comparison

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#ToolBest ForPriceRating
1
Meta Ad Library
Free Facebook/Instagram AdsFree
4.5
2
TikTok Creative Center
Free TikTok TrendsFree
4.4
3
BenlyBenly
AI-Powered Ad Library$99/mo
4.8
4
Foreplay
Swipe File Management$49/mo
4.6
5
Swiped.co
Curated Swipe Files$29/mo
4.2
6
AdSearch
Google Ads LibraryFree
4.0
7
Swipe-Worthy
Email + Landing Pages$19/mo
4.1
8
Creative OS
Team Collaboration$39/mo
4.3
9
Ads of the World
Brand CampaignsFree
4.0

Detailed Reviews

#1

Meta Ad Library

Best Free Option for Facebook & Instagram

4.5

Free

Meta Ad Library is the official, free tool from Meta that provides transparency into all active ads running across Facebook and Instagram. While primarily designed for ad transparency, it's become an essential resource for marketers looking to research competitor strategies and find creative inspiration. The platform offers robust filtering by advertiser, country, and ad category.

Key Features

  • 100% free access to all active Meta ads
  • Search by advertiser name or keyword
  • Filter by country and ad category
  • View ad creative, copy, and landing pages
  • Political and social issue ad archive
  • No account required for basic searches
Best for: Marketers who want free access to competitor ads on Facebook and Instagram without any commitment.
Visit Website
#2

TikTok Creative Center

Best Free Option for TikTok Trends

4.4

Free

TikTok Creative Center is TikTok's official hub for ad inspiration and trend discovery. It showcases top-performing ads, trending hashtags, and popular sounds. The platform provides valuable insights into what's working on TikTok right now, making it essential for anyone advertising on the platform.

Key Features

  • Top Ads showcase by industry and region
  • Trending hashtags and sounds
  • Ad templates and best practices
  • Creative insights and benchmarks
  • Keyword insights for ad copy
  • Free video editing tools
Best for: Marketers focused on TikTok who want free access to trends and top-performing creative formats.
Visit Website
#3
Benly

Benly

Our Pick

Best for AI-Powered Ad Intelligence

4.8

$99/mo

Benly combines a comprehensive ad library with AI-powered analysis and creative generation. Unlike static libraries, Benly helps you understand why certain ads work by analyzing patterns across millions of creatives. You can save ads, organize them with smart tags, and even generate new variations based on winning formats. The platform covers Meta, TikTok, and Google ads in one unified interface.

Key Features

  • Multi-platform ad database (Meta, TikTok, Google)
  • AI-powered pattern recognition
  • Smart organization with auto-tagging
  • One-click creative generation from saved ads
  • Competitor watchlists and alerts
  • Team collaboration with shared boards
Best for: Teams who want to move from inspiration to creation seamlessly, with AI helping identify and replicate winning patterns.
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#4

Foreplay

Best for Swipe File Organization

4.6

$49/mo

Foreplay has become the go-to tool for marketers who want to save and organize ad inspiration. Its Chrome extension makes it easy to save ads from Meta Ad Library and TikTok Creative Center with one click. The platform excels at organization with boards, tags, and team sharing features.

Key Features

  • One-click save from ad libraries
  • Boards and tags for organization
  • Team collaboration features
  • Discovery feed of saved ads
  • Brief creation from saved ads
  • Export for creative teams
Best for: Marketers who need a well-organized swipe file system with team collaboration features.
Visit Website
#5

Swiped.co

Best for Curated Swipe Files

4.2

$29/mo

Swiped.co offers a curated library of high-converting ads, landing pages, and marketing emails. Instead of searching through millions of ads, you get access to hand-picked examples that have been vetted for effectiveness. Great for marketers who want quality over quantity.

Key Features

  • Hand-curated marketing examples
  • Ads, landing pages, and emails
  • Category and industry filters
  • Weekly new additions
  • Breakdown of why each example works
  • Personal boards for saving favorites
Best for: Marketers who prefer quality curated examples over searching through massive databases.
Visit Website
#7

Swipe-Worthy

Best for Email & Landing Page Inspiration

4.1

$19/mo

Swipe-Worthy focuses on email marketing and landing page examples, making it a perfect complement to ad-focused libraries. The platform curates high-converting email sequences and landing pages with detailed breakdowns of what makes them effective.

Key Features

  • Email marketing examples library
  • Landing page swipe file
  • Conversion-focused breakdowns
  • Industry-specific categories
  • Weekly new examples
  • Export and share features
Best for: Marketers who need inspiration for email campaigns and landing pages alongside their ad library.
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#8

Creative OS

Best for Team Collaboration

4.3

$39/mo

Creative OS is designed for creative teams that need to collaborate on ad inspiration and production. The platform combines swipe file features with brief creation and creative workflow tools, making it easy to go from inspiration to finished ad.

Key Features

  • Team swipe file with permissions
  • Brief builder from saved ads
  • Creative workflow management
  • Feedback and approval system
  • Integration with design tools
  • Brand guideline storage
Best for: Creative teams that need to collaborate on ad inspiration and production workflows.
Visit Website
#9

Ads of the World

Best for Brand Campaign Inspiration

4.0

Free

Ads of the World is a free creative archive showcasing award-winning campaigns from agencies worldwide. While it focuses more on brand campaigns than direct response, it's invaluable for big-picture creative inspiration and seeing what top agencies are producing.

Key Features

  • Award-winning campaign archive
  • Global agency work
  • Filter by industry and medium
  • Campaign case studies
  • Agency profiles and portfolios
  • 100% free access
Best for: Marketers seeking inspiration from award-winning brand campaigns and agency work.
Visit Website

How to Choose the Right Tool

Key Criteria

  • 1
    Platform coverage - Does it include the ad platforms you advertise on?
  • 2
    Organization features - Can you easily save, tag, and find ads later?
  • 3
    Team collaboration - Can you share boards and work together?
  • 4
    Search capabilities - How easily can you find specific types of ads?
  • 5
    Price vs. value - Does the cost justify the features for your needs?
  • 6
    Integration - Does it connect with your creative workflow?

Questions to Ask

  • ?Do you need a free option or are you willing to pay for better features?
  • ?Are you working solo or with a team that needs collaboration?
  • ?Do you want just organization or also ad discovery features?
  • ?Which advertising platforms are most important to you?
  • ?Do you need AI analysis or just storage and organization?

Frequently Asked Questions

An ad library tool helps you discover, save, and organize advertising examples for creative inspiration. These tools range from free platform-native options like Meta Ad Library to paid solutions with advanced organization, AI analysis, and team collaboration features.
Yes, Meta Ad Library is completely free to use. It's Meta's official transparency tool that shows all active ads running on Facebook and Instagram. You can search by advertiser, country, and category without any account or payment required.
Ad library tools focus on saving and organizing ads you find, while ad spy tools actively help you discover competitor ads through large databases and advanced search. Some tools like Benly combine both capabilities in one platform.
Focus on quality over quantity. Save ads that genuinely resonate with your target audience, organize them by format or industry, and note what specifically works about each ad. Regularly review and prune your swipe file to keep it relevant.
Yes, using competitor ads as inspiration is legal and common practice. However, directly copying creative assets, copy, or concepts can lead to legal issues and poor performance. Use swipe files to understand what works, then create original content.
Free tools like Meta Ad Library and TikTok Creative Center are sufficient for basic research. Paid tools add value through better organization, team features, AI analysis, and multi-platform coverage. Consider paid options if you save lots of ads or work with a team.

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Gaultier D'Acunto

Gaultier D'Acunto

Co-founder

Published January 20, 2026· Updated January 26, 2026