Cheap and free ad libraries compared (2026)

Ad libraries run from free to over $1,000 a month. If you are a freelancer or a small team, most of what you need is in the free and low cost tier. Each option below comes with what it gives you, and prices checked on 24 October 2026 on each tool's own site.

Free

Meta Ad Library. The Meta Ad Library is Meta's own transparency search: every ad running now on Facebook, Instagram and Meta's other apps, free, with no account needed. Ads leave it when they stop running, and we found no way to follow a brand.
TikTok Creative Center. TikTok Creative Center is TikTok's free hub for advertisers: Top Ads, trends and creative tools. Top Ads shows ads with likes, a CTR percentile and budget level, filtered by region, objective and format.
AdSwipeFile Free. Free, with no card: the first 100 ads of every list, saves, 1 shareable board and 50 MCP/API calls a day for your AI agent. Winning Facebook and Instagram ads filed by brand, niche and format, which stay after Meta takes them down.
Atria. A permanent free plan, no card: one ad account and one brand, 30 MCP and 30 API calls once (its help center); paid-plan trials on request.

Under $60 a month

Gethookd, from $29/mo, for ecommerce teams that only advertise on Facebook and Instagram.
AdSwipeFile Starter, $29 a month: every ad of every list, ad copy, 10,000 MCP/API calls a month and 5 followed brands.
Swipekit, from $39/mo, for small teams that want to build their own swipe file from ad libraries and track a few brands.
Foreplay, from $59/mo: a swipe file you fill with its Chrome extension or mobile app, plus a large ad database. Competitor tracking starts on Workflow ($175 a month).

Side by side

Scroll sideways to see every column.

Tool	Cheapest plan	Free plan or trial	Brand tracking from	MCP server
AdSwipeFile	Free; $29/mo	Free plan: 50 MCP/API calls a day	$29/mo (Starter)	Yes, every plan
Meta Ad Library	Free	Free	No follow that we found	None found
TikTok Creative Center	Free	Free, login for all Top Ads	Not listed	None for Top Ads
Gethookd	$29/mo	7-day trial for $0	$29/mo (every plan)	From Team ($79/mo); its pricing also lists yearly plans
Swipekit	$39/mo	14 days, no card	$39/mo (Basic)	Yes, every plan
Foreplay	$59/mo	7-day trial, card	$175/mo (Workflow)	From Workflow ($175/mo)
Atria	$159/mo (promo)	Free plan, 30 MCP calls once	$159/mo (Core, promo)	Yes, 600 calls/mo on Core
Motion	$999/mo	Trial, no card	$999/mo (Starter)	Yes, Meta only for now

Above $100 a month

Atria, from $159/mo (promo): analytics on your own Meta and TikTok accounts, AI briefs and ad generation.
Motion, from $999/mo: AI creative analytics on your own ad accounts, for brands with real spend.

These answer a different question (which of your ads work), so they are rarely the cheap way to find ideas.

Which one to pick

You check one advertiser now and then: the Meta Ad Library.
You advertise on TikTok: TikTok Creative Center.
You want ads that stay, filed by niche and format, and your AI agent to search them: AdSwipeFile Free, then Starter.
You want to save ads from any library yourself: Swipekit, or Foreplay for a team.
You only run Facebook and Instagram ads and want a big library: Gethookd.

More detail on each tool, including where it beats AdSwipeFile: the best ad swipe file tools.

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 a day and the first 100 ads of every list, no card.

Setup steps for each assistant

FAQ

Are there any free ad libraries?

Yes. The Meta Ad Library and TikTok Creative Center are free. AdSwipeFile has a free plan with no card: the first 100 ads of every list and 50 MCP/API calls a day.

What is the cheapest paid ad library?

As of 24 October 2026, Gethookd starts at $29 a month ($19 billed yearly), AdSwipeFile Starter at $29 and Swipekit at $39.

Is a paid ad library worth it?

If you research a few times a month, the free tools cover it. Paying buys time: ads that stay after they stop, filed by niche and format, brands followed for you, and an AI agent that searches them.

Sources

Checked on 24 October 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.