AdSwipeFile vs AdSpy
AdSpy is a large searchable database of Facebook and Instagram ads, built for affiliate marketers and media buyers: search by ad text, advertiser, comments, affiliate network and landing page technology, for $149 a month, which its home page calls an introductory offer. AdSwipeFile files winning Facebook and Instagram ads by brand, niche and format, and your AI agent searches them for you in Claude or ChatGPT. It is free to start and $39 a month for every ad.
Who each tool is built for
AdSpy is built for people who buy traffic and need to know what is behind an ad: affiliates, media buyers, anyone who searches by offer, affiliate network or landing page technology. Its home page calls it the largest searchable database of Facebook and Instagram ads and claims 213.9M+ ads from 30M+ advertisers in 225 countries and 88 languages.
AdSwipeFile is built for people who make the ad: creative strategists, freelancers, media buyers writing a brief. It is a curated library of 63,244+ ads, filed by brand, niche and format, that you browse or hand to your AI agent. It is not a spy tool for offers, and it holds no spend or performance data.
If you are deciding between them, ask whether your next step is "find the offer behind this ad" (AdSpy) or "write a better ad from these" (AdSwipeFile).
Search: filters against browsing
AdSpy lists search by ad text, URL, Page name and advertiser, comment search (it looks through user comments on ads), affiliate network, affiliate ID, offer ID and landing page technology. It also filters by likes, reactions, media type and last-seen date, can sort by longest-running ads, and shows estimated targeting by location, gender and age range.
AdSwipeFile searches the ad copy, the brand name and a description of the visual, and filters by niche, visual format and hook tactic. Its "longest running" sort puts the ads a brand kept running first, which is a signal worth studying and not proof of results. It has no comment search, no affiliate or landing page filters and no targeting estimates.
Price and plans
AdSpy: $149 a month, a figure its home page calls an introductory offer. $149/mo, which its home page calls an introductory offer; no plan list or annual price on its site (the subscribe page is a sign-up form). No free plan or trial listed. Full refund within 24 hours of purchase. One login per account: its terms say you may not let anyone else use your user name or password.
AdSwipeFile: free; Pro $39 a month; Agency $99 a month; plus tax.
That is a difference of $39 against $149 for the paid entry point, and the two include different things. AdSpy's money buys a deep archive and affiliate filters. Pro buys every ad in the library, unlimited boards, 10 followed brands, and 10,000 MCP/API calls a month for your agent. Agency, at $99 a month, follows 50 brands. The free plan, with no card, shows the first 50 ads of every list with their copy.
AI agent access
AdSpy lists no API or MCP server on its site, so Claude or ChatGPT cannot search it for you. AdSwipeFile's MCP server is on every plan, Free included (50 MCP/API calls for the life of the account): connect it in Claude, ChatGPT or Cursor and ask for "testimonial ads in skincare" or "what is this brand running", and the agent reads the ads and writes hooks, angles or a brief from them. Setup is at the MCP docs. See also how to use Facebook ads in Claude or ChatGPT.
Following brands and sharing the account
AdSpy lists no follow or alert feature. Its home page says you can monitor competitors' brands through search, including comment search. Its terms allow one person per login.
On AdSwipeFile, paid plans follow brands (10 on Pro, 50 on Agency): new library ads land in one feed, and brands with a Facebook page also get their newest Meta ads, checked weekly. Team members are unlimited on every plan, sharing the plan, calls, saves and follows.
If you switch from AdSpy
- List the AdSpy searches you actually run. If most are by offer, network or landing page, AdSwipeFile will not replace them: look at AdSpy alternatives for AdPlexity and Spytrend.
- If most are "ads from this brand" or "ads in this niche", make a free account and open the brand and niche pages: brands, niches.
- Follow the brands you watch on Pro, and let the Following page replace the searches.
- Connect your agent and re-run the research as questions.
- Keep AdSpy for a month if you still need comment search, then cancel. Its refund window is 24 hours from purchase, so do not rely on a refund to test.
At a glance
Scroll sideways to see every column.
| Compared on | AdSwipeFile | AdSpy |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free; Pro $39/mo ($390/yr); Agency $99/mo ($990/yr); plus tax | $149/mo, which its home page calls an introductory offer; no plan list or annual price on its site (the subscribe page is a sign-up form) |
| Free plan or trial | Free plan, no card: 50 MCP/API calls for the life of the account and the first 50 ads of every list. 7-day trial on paid plans (card required); 14-day money-back | No free plan or trial listed. Full refund within 24 hours of purchase |
| Platforms | Meta (Facebook and Instagram) | Facebook and Instagram |
| Library | 63,244+ real ads, curated and filed by brand, niche and format | They claim 213.9M+ ads in 88 languages across 225 countries and 30M+ advertisers, with likes, reactions, comment search and estimated targeting (location, gender, age). Filters: ad text, URL, Page name, advertiser, media type, last-seen date, longest-running, likes, affiliate network, affiliate ID, offer ID and landing page technology. How long stopped ads stay is not listed |
| MCP server (AI assistants) | Yes, on every plan, Free included: 27 tools, OAuth sign-in or an API key; they read the library and change only your own follows and boards | Not listed on its site |
| API | JSON API on every plan, sharing the MCP allowance | Not listed on its site |
| Brand tracking | Follow 10 brands on Pro, 50 on Agency: their new library ads in one feed; brands with a Facebook page also get their newest Meta ads, checked weekly | No follow or alert feature listed; its home page says you can monitor competitors' brands through search, including comment search |
| Analytics on your own ads | No: the library holds no spend or performance data | Not listed on its site |
| Seats | Unlimited team members on every plan, sharing its plan, calls, saves and follows | One login per account: its terms say you may not let anyone else use your user name or password |
| Chrome extension | No | Not listed on its site |
AdSpy's column is from its own site, checked on 6 November 2026 (sources below).
Where AdSpy is stronger
AdSpy is a searchable database of Facebook and Instagram ads with search by ad text, advertiser, comments, affiliate network and landing page technology, on one plan.
- A far larger Facebook and Instagram archive, by its own count (213.9M+ ads, 225 countries).
- Search inside ad comments, and by affiliate network, affiliate ID, offer ID and landing page technology.
- Estimated targeting on ads: location, gender and age range.
- Last-seen date and longest-running sorting, plus a claim that it gets past cloakers to show the real landing page.
Where AdSwipeFile is stronger
- AdSwipeFile's Free plan includes the MCP server (50 MCP/API calls for the life of the account), with no card. AdSpy lists no free plan, trial, API or MCP server.
- Pro is $39 a month for every ad and 10 followed brands. AdSpy lists $149 a month and no way to follow a brand.
- Filed by niche and format, and ranked by how long brands kept each ad running, so you browse a category instead of building a search query.
- Unlimited team members on every plan. AdSpy's terms allow one person per login.
- Boards you share by link and notes on saved ads, for briefing a team.
Who should pick which
- Pick AdSpy: Affiliate marketers and media buyers who search Facebook and Instagram ads by offer, network and comments.
- Pick AdSwipeFile: Marketers and creative teams who want ad ideas by niche and format through their AI agent, rather than affiliate offer research.
Guides
Try AdSwipeFile with your assistant
Copy the setup prompt and paste it into Claude, ChatGPT or Cursor. It connects the library and asks for recent ads from your niche. Free: 50 MCP/API calls for the life of the account and the first 50 ads of every list, no card.
FAQ
Is AdSwipeFile an AdSpy alternative?
For creative research on Facebook and Instagram ads, yes. For affiliate research (search by offer, affiliate network, comments or landing page technology), AdSpy goes deeper.
How much does AdSpy cost?
Its home page lists $149 a month, which it calls an introductory offer, as of 6 November 2026. We found no annual price or plan list on its site.
Does AdSpy have a free trial?
None is listed on its site. Its policy page offers a full refund within 24 hours of purchase.
Does AdSpy have an API or MCP server?
None is listed on its site. AdSwipeFile's Free plan includes the MCP server (50 MCP/API calls for the life of the account), with no card.
How big is AdSpy's database compared with AdSwipeFile?
AdSpy claims 213.9M+ ads. AdSwipeFile holds 63,244+ curated ads, so it is far smaller: it is a library to study, not a database to exhaust.
Can I search AdSpy ads by niche and format?
Not as filters that we found: its listed filters are text, advertiser, comments, affiliate network, offer and landing page technology. AdSwipeFile files every ad by niche and visual format.
Sources
Checked on 6 November 2026 on each tool's own site. Prices are in US dollars as listed, and change: check the source before you buy. AdSwipeFile's facts come from its pricing page.