TikTok Ad Library Search
Search TikTok's public Commercial Content Library by keyword — see live ad creatives and who's running them, without an account.
3 free searches per day, no sign-up. Results come straight from the official ad transparency libraries via the Captapi API.
How to use it
- 1
Enter a keyword or brand
A niche (“fitness app”) or a competitor's name.
- 2
Pick a country
UK and EU markets return the most results.
- 3
Study the ads
Creatives, advertiser names, and library links per result.
- 4
Automate via API
The same search as JSON — plus Top Ads and ad details.
TikTok ad research that actually works
TikTok ads burn out faster than on any other platform — a winning creative might last two weeks before the audience scrolls past it. That makes ad research a volume game: instead of copying a single ad, look for the patterns across a niche. Search a keyword here, skim twenty creatives, and note the recurring hooks (POV formats, before/after reveals, creator-style talking heads), the first-3-second visual, and the offer framing. Those patterns transfer; individual ads rarely do.
Commercial Content Library vs Creative Center
TikTok exposes ads in two public places. The Commercial Content Library (what this tool searches) is the DSA transparency database — comprehensive for EU/UK-shown ads, with advertiser identity and run dates. The Creative Center Top Ads board is a marketing showcase ranked by performance — smaller, but with engagement signals like CTR tiers. Serious ad intelligence uses both: library search to map who advertises in a niche, and Top Ads to see what performs. Both are available as JSON endpoints in the Captapi API.
Frequently asked questions
What is the TikTok Ad Library?+
TikTok's Commercial Content Library (library.tiktok.com) is a public transparency database of ads shown on TikTok, required under the EU's Digital Services Act. This tool searches that library by keyword and shows matching ads with their creatives and advertisers.
Why do some countries return no TikTok ads?+
The Commercial Content Library primarily covers ads shown to users in the EU/EEA and UK, so GB, DE, FR, and other European markets return the richest results. US-targeted ads often don't appear — try GB or an EU country if a US search comes back empty.
Is spying on TikTok ads legal?+
Yes. The library is a public transparency tool that exists precisely so researchers, journalists, and marketers can inspect what's being advertised. Searching it for competitor research is fully within the rules.
How do I find winning TikTok ads in my niche?+
Search your niche keyword, then look for advertisers appearing with many ad variations — that repetition means they're scaling something that works. For a performance-ranked view, TikTok's Creative Center Top Ads shows high-CTR auction ads; Captapi exposes that too via the Top Ads API.
Can I see TikTok ad performance metrics?+
The transparency library shows creatives and run details rather than performance. For engagement signals (likes, CTR tiers) on top-performing ads, use the Creative Center-backed Top Ads endpoint in the API.
How many free searches do I get?+
3 free searches per day without an account. For automation, a free API key comes with 100 credits — ad library searches cost 2 credits, and empty results are free.
Building a TikTok ads intelligence workflow?
Captapi's Ad Library APIs cover TikTok, Facebook/Meta, LinkedIn, and Google — keyword search, top ads, and ad details as clean JSON. Start free with 100 credits.
- 100 free credits, no card required
- 178 endpoints across 32 platforms
- Clean JSON — MCP, CLI, and n8n ready