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March 31, 2025

The 18 Best Competitor Analysis Tools for Digital Ads in 2025

Need a competitor analysis tool for your digital ads? Check out Bestever, Adbeat, and Semrush to track trends, analyze strategies, & improve ad performance in 2025.

A competitor analysis tool reveals competitor strategies, ad trends, and audience insights to help you refine your campaigns. Whether you need data on ad spend, creative performance, or targeting tactics, platforms like Bestever, Adbeat, and Semrush can help to give you the edge. Today, we’ll dive into the top 18 tools in 2025.

In this article, we’ll cover: 

  • What a competitor analysis tool is
  • Top 18 tools, their features, and pricing
  • FAQ

Let’s start by talking about what a competitor analysis tool is.

What is a competitor analysis tool?

A competitor analysis tool is a form of digital ad intelligence that helps you see what’s working for other businesses in your industry so you can make data-driven marketing decisions. They track things like ad spend, keywords, creative strategies, and audience targeting, giving you insight into how your competitors run their campaigns.

For example, if a competitor’s Facebook ads are getting a ton of engagement, a tool like Bestever can break down their top-performing creatives and messaging. If another brand is ranking high on Google, platforms like Semrush can show you which keywords they’re targeting.

Instead of guessing what works, competitor analysis tools give you real data so you can refine your own strategy, optimize your ads, and stay ahead of the competition.

The 18 best competitor analysis tools at a glance

  1. Bestever - Best for AI-powered ad and creative performance analysis
  2. ​Semrush - Best for overall SEO and paid ad insights
  3. ​Ahrefs - Best for backlink analysis and organic search tracking
  4. Moz - Best for keyword research and domain authority tracking
  5. ​Adbeat - Best for tracking display and native ads
  6. SpyFu - Best for uncovering competitors’ Google Ads strategies
  7. AdPlexity - Best for affiliate marketers 
  8. ​Similarweb - Best for website traffic analysis and benchmarking
  9. ​Brandwatch - Best for social listening and sentiment analysis
  10. ​BuzzSumo - Best for content performance and influencer tracking
  11. ​iSpionage - Best for PPC campaign tracking and keyword research
  12. ​Owler - Best for business intelligence and company tracking
  13. ​Serpstat - Best for all-in-one SEO and PPC analysis
  14. Sprout Social - Best for social media analytics
  15. Talkwalker by Hootsuite - Best for brand monitoring and trendspotting
  16. Majestic - Best for advanced backlink data and link-building insights
  17. Rival IQ - Best for competitive social media audits
  18. LowFruits - Best for finding low-competition keywords for SEO

How we chose the best competitor analysis tools

With so many competitor analysis tools out there, we wanted to narrow it down to the ones that actually give you useful insights. Here’s what we focused on when making our picks:

  • Data accuracy: If the data isn’t reliable, it’s not worth your time. We looked for tools that pull real, up-to-date insights so you can make informed decisions.
  • Comprehensive coverage: We made sure to choose tools that cover multiple channels to give you the full picture, whether you’re tracking paid ads, SEO, or social media strategies.
  • User-friendly interface: A great tool should be easy to use, even if you’re not a data expert.
  • Real-time updates: Since digital advertising moves fast, we prioritized tools that refresh data frequently so you’re never working with outdated numbers.

We also factored in a few extras, like:

  • Integrations: We made sure to include options that offered various integrations so you can find a platform that suits your needs.
  • Customizable reports: We know how important it is to be able to tweak the reports to focus on the data that matters most to you, so we chose platforms that offer the ability to do so.
  • Scalability: If your business grows, can the tool keep up? We made sure to include tools that suit small to large businesses that can scale either way if needed.
  • Bang for your buck: We compared pricing to make sure you’re getting solid value for what each tool offers. 

The 18 best competitor analysis tools for digital ads in 2025

1. Bestever - Best for AI-powered ad and creative performance analysis

Bestever is a competitive ad analysis and creative optimization tool that helps marketers figure out what’s working in their campaigns (and why). It connects to your ad accounts, tracks past performance, and benchmarks competitor ads to give you data-backed insights. It also highlights top-performing creatives, spots when ads start losing steam, and suggests ways to improve based on audience engagement and past results. 

Features

Bestever has many helpful features, such as:

  • Competitor ad tracking: See what kinds of ads your competitors are running and how they’re performing.
  • Ad analysis dashboard: Get AI-driven insights on what makes an ad effective, from visuals to messaging. It can analyze image and video ads, even if they’re user-generated content that you want to use in your campaigns.
  • Historical data insights: Look at past ad performance to help you make better creative decisions and optimize your campaigns.
  • AI-powered recommendations: Get suggestions on how to refresh creatives and boost engagement.

Ideal users

Bestever is great for advertisers, media agencies, and marketers with $5,000 to $20,000 in ad spend each month who want to stay ahead of the competition while optimizing their own campaigns. 

Pricing

You can explore Bestever’s Creative Studio for free, but full competitor tracking and in-depth ad analysis require a paid plan. Subscriptions start at $49 for the Basic plan.

The bottom line

If you want to see how your ads stack up against the competition and get ideas for improving them, Bestever is a solid choice. But if you want more in-depth analysis and information on keywords, you might want to try a different tool instead.

2. ​Semrush - Best for overall SEO and paid ad insights 

Semrush is a go-to tool for businesses looking to analyze both organic and paid search strategies. It provides deep insights into competitor SEO, PPC campaigns, and keyword performance, helping marketers spot opportunities and optimize their own strategies. 

Features

Some of Semrush’s best features include:

  • Keyword research: Discover the top keywords competitors are ranking for in both organic and paid search.
  • PPC competitor tracking: Analyze competitor Google Ads campaigns, including ad copy, budget estimates, and keyword bidding strategies.
  • Backlink analysis: See where competitors are getting backlinks and find opportunities to build your own.
  • Website competitor analysis: Get insights into competitor website traffic, including visitor sources and engagement metrics.
  • Site audit: Identify SEO issues on your own site and get recommendations for improvement.

Ideal users

Semrush is a great fit for digital marketers, SEO specialists, and businesses looking to improve their search visibility and ad performance.

Pricing

Semrush has a free trial, then paid plans start at $139.95 per month.

The bottom line

If you're looking for an all-in-one competitor analysis tool for SEO and paid ads, Semrush is one of the best options out there. It helps you track rankings, analyze competitor ad strategies, and find ways to improve your own digital marketing efforts.

3. ​Ahrefs - Best for backlink analysis and organic search tracking 

Ahrefs is a powerful tool for tracking organic search performance and analyzing backlink profiles. It helps marketers see which websites link to their competitors, uncover keyword opportunities, and monitor ranking changes over time. 

Features

Let’s take a look at some of Ahref’s best features:

  • Backlink analysis: See where competitors are getting their backlinks and find link-building opportunities.
  • Keyword explorer: Discover high-ranking keywords, track search volume, and analyze keyword difficulty.
  • Site audit: Identify SEO issues and get recommendations for improving your site’s performance.
  • Rank tracking: Monitor keyword rankings over time and compare your site’s performance to competitors.
  • Content explorer: Find top-performing content in your niche and analyze what makes it successful.

Ideal users

Ahrefs is ideal for SEO professionals, content marketers, and businesses looking to improve their organic search presence and strengthen their backlink strategy.

Pricing

Ahrefs does not have a free trial, though they have free webmaster tools you can use. The lite plan starts at $129 per month.

The bottom line

If you're serious about SEO and want to track backlinks, keywords, and rankings, Ahrefs is a great choice. It’s one of the best tools for understanding how competitors gain traffic and where you can improve your own search strategy.

4. Moz - Best for keyword research and domain authority tracking 

Moz is a well-known SEO tool that helps businesses improve their search rankings through keyword research, backlink analysis, and domain authority tracking. It provides a clear view of how well a website is performing in search results and what factors influence its rankings. 

Features

Some of Moz’s best features include:

  • Keyword explorer: Find relevant keywords, check their difficulty, and discover ranking opportunities.
  • Domain Authority (DA) tracking: Measure the strength of your website and compare it to competitors.
  • Link explorer: Analyze backlinks and track new and lost links over time.
  • Site audit tool: Identify technical SEO issues and get recommendations for fixes.
  • Rank tracking: Monitor your keyword rankings and see how they change over time.

Ideal users

Moz is great for SEO professionals, digital marketers, and businesses that want to improve their search rankings and check domain authority.

Pricing

Moz Pro gives you a 30-day free trial, then plans start at $49 per month.

The bottom line

If you're looking for an SEO tool that makes keyword research and domain authority tracking easy, Moz is a solid option. It provides actionable insights to help you optimize your site and stay ahead of the competition.

5. ​Adbeat - Best for tracking display and native ads 

Adbeat is designed to help advertisers and marketers track competitors' display and native ad strategies. It provides detailed insights into where competitors are advertising, which creatives they’re using, and how their campaigns are performing. 

Features

Some of Adbeat’s main features include: 

  • Competitor ad tracking: See what display and native ads competitors are running and where they’re placing them.
  • Ad spend insights: Estimate how much competitors are spending on display and native advertising.
  • Creative analysis: View ad creatives, formats, and messaging to understand what’s working.
  • Ad network comparisons: Compare performance across different ad networks like Google Display Network, Taboola, and Outbrain.

Ideal users

Adbeat is ideal for advertisers and media buyers who want to track competitor display and native ad strategies.

Pricing

Adbeat offers their Basic plan instead of a free trial. The standard plan starts at $249 per month and comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee.

The bottom line

If you want to keep tabs on competitors’ display and native ad strategies, Adbeat gives you the insights needed to spot trends and improve your own campaigns.

6. SpyFu - Best for uncovering competitors’ Google Ads strategies

SpyFu is a competitive intelligence tool that helps businesses analyze their competitors’ Google Ads and organic search strategies. It reveals which keywords competitors are bidding on, how much they’re spending, and how their ads have performed over time.

Features

Some key SpyFu features include:

  • Google Ads competitor tracking: See which keywords competitors are bidding on and how their ads perform.
  • PPC budget estimates: Get insights into how much competitors are spending on paid search.
  • Keyword research: Discover profitable keywords for both paid and organic search.
  • Domain comparison: Compare multiple competitors’ PPC and SEO strategies side by side.

Ideal users

SpyFu is best for PPC marketers and advertisers who want to analyze competitor Google Ads strategies and improve their own campaigns.

Pricing

SpyFu doesn’t have a free trial. The basic plan starts at $39 per month and comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee.

The bottom line

If you’re looking for a way to see behind the scenes of your competitors’ Google Ads strategies, SpyFu provides detailed insights into their keywords, budgets, and ad performance.

7. AdPlexity - Best for affiliate marketers 

AdPlexity is a competitor analysis tool built for affiliate marketers who want to track successful ad campaigns across multiple traffic sources. It provides real-time insights into what’s working in affiliate marketing, allowing users to analyze competitor creatives, landing pages, and ad placements.

Features

AdPlexity’s key features include:

  • Affiliate ad tracking: Monitor competitor ads across native, push, mobile, and desktop traffic sources.
  • Landing page analysis: View and download competitor landing pages to study their conversion strategies.
  • Real-time data: Get up-to-date insights on the most effective affiliate campaigns.
  • Traffic source filtering: Track ads based on specific networks, geolocations, and devices.

Ideal users

AdPlexity is ideal for affiliate marketers looking to track and optimize their paid ad campaigns.

Pricing

AdPlexity doesn’t offer a free trial, but you can book a personalized demo call before you commit. Plans start at $149 per month.

The bottom line

For affiliate marketers who want to analyze high-performing competitor campaigns and find winning strategies, AdPlexity is a powerful tool with real-time insights.

8. ​Similarweb - Best for website traffic analysis and benchmarking

Similarweb provides in-depth insights into website traffic, helping businesses understand how competitors attract visitors and where their traffic comes from. It tracks key metrics like referral sources, engagement rates, and audience demographics.

Features

Some of Similarweb’s best features include:

  • Traffic analysis: See how much traffic a competitor’s website gets and where it comes from.
  • Audience insights: Understand visitor demographics, interests, and browsing behavior.
  • Referral and ad traffic tracking: Identify which channels drive the most visitors to competitor websites.
  • Keyword research: Discover which search terms bring organic and paid traffic to competitor sites.
  • Industry benchmarking: Compare your site’s performance against others in your market.

Ideal users

Similarweb is great for marketers, SEO professionals, and business owners who want to track competitor web traffic and benchmark their performance.

Pricing

Similarweb allows you to try for free, then plans start at $199 per month.

The bottom line

If you need a clear picture of how competitors attract website visitors and how your site compares, Similarweb is one of the best tools for traffic analysis and benchmarking.

9. ​Brandwatch - Best for social listening and sentiment analysis 

Brandwatch helps businesses track online conversations, monitor brand reputation, and analyze audience sentiment across social media and the web. It uses AI to detect trends, measure public perception, and provide insights into how competitors are being talked about online.

Features

Brandwatch’s primary features include:

  • Social listening and sentiment analysis: Track mentions of your brand and competitors across social media, blogs, and news sites and understand whether it’s positive, negative, or neutral.
  • Trend detection: Identify emerging topics and industry trends in real time.
  • Competitive benchmarking: Compare brand sentiment and engagement against competitors.
  • Audience insights: Analyze demographics, interests, and behaviors of engaged users.

Ideal users

Brandwatch is ideal for marketers, PR teams, and businesses looking to track brand perception and competitor sentiment online.

Pricing

Brandwatch does not offer a free plan, and pricing is custom based on your needs.

The bottom line

For brands that want to stay ahead of public perception and understand how competitors are being discussed online, Brandwatch is a powerful social listening tool.

10. ​BuzzSumo - Best for content performance and influencer tracking

BuzzSumo helps marketers discover high-performing content, track industry trends, and identify key influencers. It provides insights into which topics generate the most engagement, making it easier to create content that resonates with audiences and outperforms competitors.

Features

BuzzSumo’s best features include:

  • Content analysis: Find top-performing content based on shares, engagement, and backlinks.
  • Competitor content tracking: See what topics and formats are driving the most traction for competitors.
  • Influencer identification: Discover key influencers in your industry and analyze their reach.
  • Trend monitoring: Stay ahead of emerging topics and viral content.
  • Backlink insights: Track who is linking to competitor content and uncover new link-building opportunities.

Ideal users

BuzzSumo is best for content marketers, social media managers, and SEO professionals looking to track content performance and identify influencers.

Pricing

BuzzSumo has a free trial, then plans start at $199 per month.

The bottom line

If you want to create content that performs well and understand what’s working for competitors, BuzzSumo is a great tool for tracking trends and finding influencers you can work with in your industry.

11. ​iSpionage - Best for PPC campaign tracking and keyword research

iSpionage is a competitor analysis tool designed for tracking PPC campaigns and uncovering profitable keywords. It helps advertisers see what’s working in their competitors’ Google Ads campaigns, including keyword bidding strategies, ad copy, and landing page performance.

Features

iSpionage’s top features include:

  • PPC competitor tracking: Analyze competitors’ Google Ads, including keywords, budgets, and ad copy.
  • Keyword research: Discover high-performing keywords for both paid and organic search.
  • Landing page insights: See how competitors structure their PPC landing pages for conversions.
  • SEO and PPC overlap analysis: Identify opportunities where paid and organic search strategies align.
  • Performance benchmarks: Compare your ad performance against industry leaders.

Ideal users

iSpionage is ideal for digital advertisers and PPC specialists looking to optimize their paid search campaigns.

Pricing

iSpionage allows you to join for free. Then, plans start at $59 per month.

The bottom line

For marketers focused on improving their Google Ads strategy, iSpionage provides valuable insights into competitor PPC campaigns, keyword opportunities, and landing page effectiveness.

12. ​Owler - Best for business intelligence and company tracking

Owler is a business intelligence tool that helps users track competitor activities, industry trends, and company insights. It provides real-time updates on funding, leadership changes, acquisitions, and other key business developments, making it a useful resource for competitive research.

Features

Some of Owler’s top features include: 

  • Company tracking: Follow competitor updates, including leadership changes and financial reports.
  • Industry insights: Get real-time news and alerts on market trends.
  • Competitive benchmarking: Compare your company’s performance against industry peers.
  • Funding and acquisition alerts: Stay updated on competitor investments and mergers.
  • Custom reports: Generate detailed reports on company and industry data.

Ideal users

Owler is best for business analysts, sales teams, and marketers who need real-time company insights for competitive research.

Pricing

Owler has a free forever plan you can use for limited insights. Then, plans start at $39 per month, billed annually.

The bottom line

If you want a simple way to track competitor business updates and industry trends, Owler is a solid choice for staying informed.

13. Serpstat - Best for all-in-one SEO and PPC analysis

Serpstat is an all-in-one digital marketing tool that provides insights into SEO, PPC, and competitor strategies. It offers keyword research, backlink tracking, and site audits, making it a well-rounded option for businesses looking to improve both organic and paid search performance.

Features

Here are some of Serpstat’s primary features:

  • Keyword research: Discover high-performing keywords for SEO and PPC campaigns.
  • Competitor analysis: Track rival rankings, ad campaigns, and traffic sources.
  • Backlink tracking: Analyze competitor link-building strategies and find new opportunities.
  • Site audit: Identify and fix technical SEO issues to improve search visibility.
  • Rank tracking: Monitor keyword performance and compare against competitors.

Ideal users

Serpstat is great for digital marketers and businesses looking for a single tool to manage SEO and PPC research.

Pricing

Serpstat offers a free trial, then plans start at $69 per month.

The bottom line

For businesses that want an all-in-one tool to track SEO and paid search strategies, Serpstat provides useful insights for both organic and paid traffic optimization.

14. Sprout Social - Best for social media analytics

Sprout Social is a social media management tool that helps businesses track engagement, analyze competitor performance, and optimize their content strategy. It provides in-depth analytics on audience behavior, social trends, and campaign effectiveness across multiple platforms. 

Features

Here are some of Sprout Social’s best features: 

  • Social media analytics: Track engagement, reach, and audience demographics across platforms.
  • Competitor benchmarking: Compare your social media performance against industry competitors.
  • Post performance tracking: Analyze which content types and posting times generate the most engagement.
  • Audience insights: Identify key demographics and behaviors of your followers.
  • Social listening: Monitor brand mentions and trends to stay ahead of industry conversations.

Ideal users

Sprout Social is ideal for social media managers and marketers who want data-driven insights to improve engagement and track competitors.

Pricing

Sprout Social offers a free trial, with paid plans starting at $249 per month.

The bottom line

For brands looking to refine their social media strategy and keep an eye on competitors, Sprout Social offers valuable analytics and audience insights to drive better engagement.

15. Talkwalker by Hootsuite - Best for brand monitoring and trendspotting

Talkwalker by Hootsuite is a powerful tool for tracking brand mentions, analyzing consumer sentiment, and identifying emerging trends. It scans social media, news sites, blogs, and forums to provide real-time insights into how brands and industries are being discussed online.

Features

Some of Talkwalker’s best features include:

  • Brand monitoring: Track mentions of your brand, competitors, and industry keywords across multiple platforms.
  • Sentiment analysis: Understand whether conversations around your brand are positive, negative, or neutral.
  • Trend analysis: Identify emerging industry trends and viral topics before they gain mainstream traction.
  • Competitor benchmarking: Compare brand awareness and engagement levels against competitors.
  • Custom alerts: Receive real-time notifications when there are significant changes in brand mentions or sentiment.

Ideal users

Talkwalker by Hootsuite is great for PR teams, brand managers, and marketers who need to track online reputation and industry trends.

Pricing

Talkwalker does not offer a free plan, and pricing varies based on business needs, with custom plans available upon request.

The bottom line

For businesses that want to stay ahead of brand conversations and industry shifts, Talkwalker by Hootsuite provides deep insights into social listening and trend analysis.

16. Majestic - Best for advanced backlink data and link-building insights

Majestic is a specialized SEO tool focused on backlink analysis and link-building strategies. It provides detailed insights into a website’s link profile, helping businesses understand their authority, find quality link opportunities, and analyze competitor backlinks.

Features

Some of Majestic’s features include:

  • Backlink tracking: Analyze competitor link profiles and find new backlink opportunities.
  • Trust Flow & Citation Flow: Measure the quality and influence of backlinks.
  • Site Explorer: Get a detailed breakdown of inbound links, referring domains, and anchor text.
  • Historic Index: Track backlink data over time to identify trends.
  • Bulk backlink analysis: Compare multiple domains for large-scale competitor research.

Ideal users

Majestic is best for SEO professionals and link-building specialists looking for in-depth backlink insights.

Pricing

Majestic has no free trial, with paid subscriptions starting at $49.99. However, Majestic does offer some free SEO tools on its website.

The bottom line

If you're focused on improving your website's authority through backlinks, Majestic is one of the best tools for analyzing link quality, tracking competitors, and building a stronger link profile.

17. Rival IQ - Best for competitive social media audits

Rival IQ helps businesses analyze competitor social media performance and identify opportunities to improve engagement. It tracks metrics like follower growth, post engagement, and content trends across multiple social platforms, making it a valuable tool for benchmarking against industry leaders.

Features

Rival’s primary features include:

  • Social media benchmarking: Compare your performance to competitors across platforms like Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.
  • Engagement tracking: Monitor likes, shares, and comments to see what content resonates with audiences.
  • Hashtag analysis: Identify trending hashtags and track their impact on engagement.
  • Content performance insights: Discover which types of posts work best in your industry.
  • Automated reporting: Generate competitive reports with actionable insights.

Ideal users

Rival IQ is great for social media managers and digital marketers looking to track competitor engagement and improve their content strategy.

Pricing

Rival IQ offers a free trial, with paid plans starting at $239 per month.

The bottom line

For businesses that want to keep a close eye on competitor social media strategies, Rival IQ provides detailed performance audits and engagement insights to help refine your approach.

18. LowFruits - Best for finding low-competition keywords for SEO

LowFruits is an SEO tool designed to help users find low-competition keywords that are easier to rank for. It analyzes search results to identify weak spots, such as websites with low authority, making it a great choice for content creators and small businesses looking to grow their organic traffic without competing against high-authority domains.

Features

Some of LowFruits’ top features are:

  • Low-competition keyword discovery: Identify search terms with ranking opportunities based on competitor weakness.
  • SERP analysis: Analyze search engine results to spot competitors with low domain authority.
  • Bulk keyword import: Upload keyword lists for quick competition analysis.
  • AI-powered suggestions: Get smart recommendations for keyword variations and content ideas.
  • Domain authority filtering: Focus on niches where you have the best chance to rank.

Ideal users

LowFruits is ideal for bloggers, small business owners, and niche website creators who want to target easy-to-rank keywords.

Pricing

LowFruits’ plans start at $29.99 per month, with a 14-day money-back guarantee. There are also pay-as-you-go credits starting at $25 for 2,000 credits.

The bottom line

If you’re looking to build organic traffic without competing against high-authority websites, LowFruits provides a simple and effective way to uncover some unique keyword opportunities.

How Bestever can help your digital campaigns succeed

Using a competitor analysis tool to understand what works in your competitors’ campaigns can give you a serious advantage. But tracking their ads, analyzing performance, and applying those insights to your own strategy isn’t always easy. That’s where Bestever comes in. 

Bestever helps you monitor competitor ad creatives, spot trends, and get data-backed recommendations to refine your own campaigns.

Here’s how:

  • Analyze your ads' effectiveness: Bestever’s Ad Analysis Dashboard gives you instant feedback on an ad's Visual Impact, Brand Alignment, Sales Orientation, and Audience Engagement. It’ll even break down each element in detail. 
  • Get suggestions to improve every frame: If an ad isn’t hitting the mark, ask Bestever to tell you what’s wrong and get instant actionable suggestions on what to do to fix it. No more guessing or wasting time — your team can start fixing those issues asap. 
  • Understand your audience: Bestever’s audience analysis tools go beyond sharing standard demographics, helping refine both targeting and messaging. You can share your website URL or integrate it with your ad manager, and it’ll quickly let you know who wants to hear more from you. 
  • Rapid asset generation: Fetch AI-generated images, stock photos, and video clips that all fit your brand voice. Then you can share the creatives with your team to make multiple ad variations faster.
  • Instant feedback loop: Know immediately why an ad variant underperforms, then pivot before wasting your budget.

Want to see how your competitors’ ads are really performing? Let our team show you how Bestever can analyze their creatives, highlight engagement drivers, and discover opportunities to improve your own campaigns.

 Schedule a free demo of Bestever now