> **For coding agents and LLMs:** This is one Social Fetch marketing page (markdown export). For API orientation start with [`/llms.txt`](https://www.socialfetch.dev/llms.txt); for auth and crawl rules use [`/agents.txt`](https://www.socialfetch.dev/agents.txt); for every operation use [`/llms-endpoints.txt`](https://www.socialfetch.dev/llms-endpoints.txt).

## This page

- **On-site (HTML):** <https://www.socialfetch.dev/platforms/google>
- **Markdown (.mdx) URL:** <https://www.socialfetch.dev/platforms/google.mdx>

---

# Google Ad Library API. See any brand's ads.

Search advertisers, list their creatives and pull any ad by URL from Google's Ads Transparency Center. No Google Ads account, and the same key as the Facebook Ad Library.

- No Google Ads account
- Search by brand or URL

Google Ad Transparency Center works for one-off checks. Scheduled competitor snapshots, date-bounded archives, and agent pipelines need structured JSON on the same key as Meta Ad Library.

Social Fetch's Google tag is three Ad Library GETs. `GET /v1/google/ad-library/advertisers/search` turns a brand name into advertiser ids and related domains. `GET /v1/google/ad-library/companies/ads` lists creatives for a domain or advertiserId with filters and cursor pagination. `GET /v1/google/ad-library/ads` hydrates one public Transparency creative URL. Responses use `{ data, meta }` (`lookupStatus`, `requestId`, `creditsCharged`).

The same API key covers the rest of the marketplace catalog (25 platforms, 264 endpoints). This tag is Ad Transparency only — not Google Search, Maps, or YouTube. Use the Web tag or those platform hubs for that work.

## What you can get

- Advertiser search by name — advertiserId, region, adsEstimate, related website domains.
- Company ads by domain or advertiserId — Search, YouTube, Maps, Play, Shopping surfaces.
- Filter company ads by topic, region, date range, platform, and creative format (text / image / video).
- Cursor pagination on company ads lists (`data.page.hasMore` / `nextCursor`).
- Single creative detail from a public Ad Transparency URL — variations, region stats, impression ranges when Google exposes them.
- Shared Social Fetch envelope and API key with Facebook Ad Library and the rest of the catalog.
- Public Ad Transparency data only — not campaign management, billing, or private ads account data.

## Google endpoints

| Endpoint | Request | Credits | Docs |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Company ads | GET /v1/google/ad-library/companies/ads | 25 credits Failed requests are free | [docs](https://www.socialfetch.dev/docs/api/v1/google/ad-library/companies/ads/get) |
| Ad library ad | GET /v1/google/ad-library/ads | 1 credit Failed requests are free | [docs](https://www.socialfetch.dev/docs/api/v1/google/ad-library/ads/get) |
| Ad library advertisers | GET /v1/google/ad-library/advertisers/search | 1 credit Failed requests are free | [docs](https://www.socialfetch.dev/docs/api/v1/google/ad-library/advertisers/search/get) |

## How to start

1. **Create an API key.** Sign up at Social Fetch and copy a key (`sfk_…`). New accounts get 100 free credits — enough to run advertiser search, one company-ads page, and a single-ad hydrate against live Transparency data.
2. **Discover, then list, then hydrate.** Start with `GET /v1/google/ad-library/advertisers/search?query=…` (optional `region`, default `US`). Pass `advertiserId` or a domain from `data.websites` into `GET /v1/google/ad-library/companies/ads`. When you already have a creative URL (`/advertiser/…/creative/…`), call `GET /v1/google/ad-library/ads?url=…`. Pass `x-api-key` on every request.
3. **Archive with envelope fields.** Branch on `data.lookupStatus` before writing rows. Persist creative ids, show dates, and `meta.requestId` for support. Bill from `meta.creditsCharged` — each paginated company-ads page is a separate billed lookup.

## Pricing

Google Ad Library routes are credit-priced per completed lookup. Costs differ by operation and are shown on each endpoint page and in the API reference — do not assume a flat 1-credit rate for every Google call. Credits never expire on pay-as-you-go packs. Signup includes 100 free credits. Always trust `meta.creditsCharged`.

## Compared with the official API

Google Ad Transparency Center is Google's public UI for ads on Google surfaces. Google Ads API is for accounts you control — campaigns, reporting, billing. Social Fetch is public lookup over Transparency-style research: brand or URL in, JSON out, one Social Fetch key, no Google Ads account.

## FAQ

### What Google data does Social Fetch cover?

Three marketplace operations under the Google tag: advertiser search (`GET /v1/google/ad-library/advertisers/search`), company ads lists (`GET /v1/google/ad-library/companies/ads`), and single-ad detail (`GET /v1/google/ad-library/ads`). Exact parameters and response fields live under `/docs/api` and on this hub's endpoint list. There is no Google Search results scraper, Maps places API, or general YouTube catalog under this tag.

### Is this the Google Ads API?

No. Google Ads API is for managing and reporting on ads accounts you authorize. Social Fetch Google routes read public Ad Transparency research data. You authenticate to Social Fetch with an API key; you do not connect a Google Ads MCC or act on behalf of an advertiser you manage.

### Google Ad Transparency Center vs Social Fetch — what is the difference?

Transparency Center is Google's public UI for browsing ads. Social Fetch wraps the same public research as REST: discover advertisers, list creatives with filters and pagination, fetch one creative by URL.

### How do I find Google advertisers by brand name?

Call `GET /v1/google/ad-library/advertisers/search` with a required `query` string and optional `region` (ISO 3166-1 alpha-2; default: `US`). The response includes `data.advertisers` (name, advertiserId, region, adsEstimate), `data.websites`, and `data.totalAdvertisers`. Then pass an `advertiserId` or domain into company ads.

### How do I list ads for a company domain or advertiser id?

Call `GET /v1/google/ad-library/companies/ads` with either `domain` (for example `lululemon.com`) or `advertiserId`. Optional filters: `topic` (`all` or `political` — `region` required when `topic` is `political`), `region`, `startDate` / `endDate` (`YYYY-MM-DD`), `platform` (`google_search`, `youtube`, `google_maps`, `google_play`, `google_shopping`), and `format` (`text`, `image`, `video`). Paginate with `cursor` when `data.page.hasMore` is true.

### How do I fetch one Google Ad Transparency creative?

Pass the public creative URL to `GET /v1/google/ad-library/ads` as the required `url` query param (the `/advertiser/…/creative/…` form on adstransparency.google.com). On a hit, `data.lookupStatus` is `found` and `data.ad` can include format, show dates, impression ranges, region stats, and creative variations. On a miss, `lookupStatus` is `not_found` and `ad` is null — still check `meta.creditsCharged`.

### How much does the Google Ad Library API cost?

You buy credit packs (or use the 100 free signup credits). Each Google operation is priced in the API registry — amounts appear on the endpoint pages linked from this hub. Company ads pages can cost more than a single advertiser search; each paginated page is a separate billed lookup. Confirm every response with `meta.creditsCharged`. There is no required monthly subscription for pay-as-you-go packs.

### Do you scrape Google Search results?

No. The Google marketplace tag is Ad Transparency only. For generic page fetch, ask, or crawl-style extraction, use the Web platform hub and its routes — not `/v1/google/ad-library/...`.

### Can I use Google Ad Library routes from agents or MCP?

Yes. The same operations appear as typed MCP tools and can be reached via Ask (`POST /v1/ask`) for plain-English exploration. For production cron and competitive archives, pin the typed Google GETs with an API key so routing stays explicit.

### Is Google Ad Library / Ad Transparency data legal to use?

Ad Transparency exists so the public can inspect ads that ran on Google surfaces. Social Fetch returns that publicly visible research data. You are still responsible for how you use it under Google's terms, applicable law, and your own compliance review. We do not give legal advice.

## Related

- [Google advertiser search API](https://www.socialfetch.dev/platforms/google/ad-library-advertisers-search): Turn a brand name into Ad Transparency advertiser ids and related domains.
- [Google company ads API](https://www.socialfetch.dev/platforms/google/ad-library-companies-ads): List creatives for a domain or advertiserId with filters and cursor pagination.
- [Google Ad Library ad API](https://www.socialfetch.dev/platforms/google/ad-library-ads): Hydrate one public Ad Transparency creative URL into structured detail.
- [Ask in plain English](https://www.socialfetch.dev/ask): POST /v1/ask routes a natural-language question to the matching Google or social operation.
- [Hosted MCP server](https://www.socialfetch.dev/mcp): Call the same Google Ad Library tools from Cursor, VS Code, or Claude with OAuth — same credits as REST.
- [Facebook API hub](https://www.socialfetch.dev/platforms/facebook): Pair Google Transparency pulls with Meta Ad Library on one marketplace key.
- [Facebook Ad Library recipe](https://www.socialfetch.dev/docs/recipes/facebook-ad-library): Keyword search and company-ad patterns that mirror the Google discover → list → hydrate flow.
- [Web extraction API hub](https://www.socialfetch.dev/platforms/web): Page fetch / ask / crawl when you need general web extraction — not Ad Transparency.