How to Use Google Ads Transparency Center: Step by Step Guide
To use Google Ads Transparency Center, go to adstransparency.google.com, search an advertiser or website name, then filter the results by date and location to see the ads they have run on Search, Display, Gmail and YouTube. Open any ad to see its format and the last date it ran. It is free and needs no Google Ads account.
Checked October 2026. Sources are listed at the end of the page.
Google Ads Transparency Center is Google's public, searchable library of advertisers and the ads they have served on Google platforms like Search, Display, Gmail and YouTube. Marketers use it to see what competitors are running, shoppers use it to check an unfamiliar brand before buying, and anyone can use it to report an ad that seems to break Google's rules. This guide walks through the steps that work for everyone, explains what the center shows and what it does not, and then shows how to search Google, Meta and LinkedIn ads together in Infinall AI's Ad Spy.
| Question | Ads Transparency Center | Infinall AI Ad Spy |
|---|---|---|
| Which platforms | Google platforms like Search, Display, Gmail and YouTube | Meta, Google and LinkedIn in one search |
| How you search | Advertiser or website name | Brand (a website) on all three; keyword on Meta |
| Filters | Date and targeted location | Platform, results per platform and country |
| Advertiser details | Name, location, payer and verified badge | Not described in the docs |
| Save ads | Keep your own notes | Save to a folder in Library, under Saved |
| Turn an ad into your own | You write your own ad | Save to creative library or Recreate and boost, with a connected ad account |
| Cost | Free | Free, no credits, on Free and Pro |
How to Use Google Ads Transparency Center: Step by Step Guide
Open the Ads Transparency Center
Go to adstransparency.google.com in any browser. You do not need to sign in or have a Google Ads account. You can also reach it from an ad you see: on search ads, open the 3-dot icon on desktop or the info icon on mobile, and from My Ad Center you can see more about the advertiser.
Search by advertiser or website
Type the brand name or its website into the search box. Google lets you search using the advertiser or website name. Searching the website as well as the brand name helps, because the paying account can have a different legal name from the brand you know.
Check who the advertiser is
The advertiser page shows the advertiser name, its location and the entity that pays for the ads. Verified advertisers carry a verified badge. Advertisers who have not completed verification can still appear, so use the badge and the payer name to judge who is really behind the ads.
Filter by date and location
Use the filters to narrow the results by date and by targeted location. Pick the country you sell in, so you see the ads that were shown in that region rather than every ad worldwide. A short date range shows what the brand is running now.
Open an ad and read it
Choose any ad tile to open it. You can see the format of the ad and the last date it ran. Note the headline, the offer and the call to action, and write down which ads keep running, because an ad that stays live for a long time is often one the advertiser is happy with.
Record what you learn
Copy the ad text and your notes into a sheet or doc with the date you checked. Your own dated record is how you spot changes from one month to the next. Repeat the search on a regular schedule for each competitor.
Report an ad if needed
If an ad looks like a scam or seems to break Google's rules, you can report it. Google says you can report ads that you believe violate its policies. Reporting is separate from your competitor research.
What the Ads Transparency Center does not show
The center tells you which ads ran, where and when, but it is a library of ads, not a performance report. Google lists the advertiser name, location, payer and the ads served over a time period. For ads in some countries or regions, Google adds more: targeting information and the total number of recipients for each ad. Outside those places, treat the center as a view of the creative and timing only, and judge results by how long an ad keeps running.
Is there a Google Ads Transparency Center API?
Only in part. Google says it provides API access to data about ads served in the EEA in the Ads Transparency Center. For ads served outside the EEA, Google may give regulators and self-regulatory organizations API access. The help page does not describe an API for other ads, so marketers outside the EEA usually search the center by hand. A research tool that runs the searches for you is the other option.
How to do this in Infinall AI
Ad Spy in Infinall AI searches the ads a competitor is running on Meta, Google and LinkedIn at once. Open Library, where Spy is the first tab, leave Search by on Brand and type the competitor's website, for example hubspot.com. Choose a Platform (Google, or All platforms), optionally a Results size and a Country, then choose Search. You can also start from Home on the Ad Spy tab.
Results appear as a grid of ad tiles. Open a tile to read the copy, see each slide of a carousel and see how long the ad has been running. Save ads you like to a folder in Library, under Saved. With a connected ad account you also get Save to creative library and Recreate and boost, which start a new ad from the competitor's copy and picture for you to edit.
Ad Spy is free on both Free and Pro, with no credits used and no daily search count limit. Up to 3 searches run at once, each platform returns 40 to 200 results, and a stored search less than 24 hours old opens at once. Keyword search works on Meta only, so for Google ads search by brand. TikTok and X are not searchable yet.
Common mistakes
- Searching only the brand name. Try the website too, since the payer can have a different name.
- Leaving the location on every country. Filter to the market you sell in.
- Copying an ad word for word. Use competitor ads to learn the angle and offer, then write your own.
- Checking once. Ads change, so repeat the search on a schedule and keep dated notes.
- Reading run time as proof of success. A long-running ad is a hint, not a result.
Frequently asked questions
Is Google Ads Transparency Center free?
Yes. Anyone can open adstransparency.google.com and search it without signing in or paying.
Can I see how much a competitor spends on Google Ads?
Not from the center. It shows the advertiser, the payer, the ads and when and where they ran, not spend or bids.
Does the center show unverified advertisers?
Yes. Google includes advertisers who have not yet undergone or completed the advertiser verification program. Verified ones carry a verified badge.
How is Infinall AI Ad Spy different?
Ad Spy searches Meta, Google and LinkedIn together, lets you save ads to folders, and can start a new ad from a competitor's copy if you have a connected ad account. It is free on Free and Pro.
Is the Google transparency report the same thing?
No. People often search for both, but the Ads Transparency Center is the place for ads. Use it to look up advertisers and the ads they have run.
Sources and checks
Every price, rating and number on this page comes from the source pages below, checked October 2026. Prices and plans change often, so confirm on the vendor's own page before you buy.
- Google Ads policy help: Ads transparency, checked October 2026
- Google blog: Announcing the launch of the new Ads Transparency Center, checked October 2026
- Infinall docs: Search a brand or keyword in Ad Spy, checked October 2026
- Infinall docs: Ad Spy costs and common questions, checked October 2026
- Infinall docs: Recreate a competitor ad, checked October 2026