What is Pathmatics?
Pathmatics is a digital advertising intelligence platform that estimates how much brands spend on ads, where those ads run and what the creatives look like. It was founded in 2011 in Santa Monica, California, and was acquired by Sensor Tower in 2021. Sensor Tower now sells it as Digital Advertising Insights, formerly Pathmatics, and says more than 2,500 enterprises use it.
Unlike most ad spy tools, Pathmatics goes beyond showing ads. It models spend and impression estimates across social networks, display and video, mobile and desktop, connected TV and retail media. Its data comes from an opted-in user panel, web crawlers, platform partnerships and machine learning. It is built for brand teams, agencies, publishers and investment analysts who need market-level data, and it is sold through sales demos. Linear TV coverage was listed as coming in early 2026.
Pathmatics at a glance
How does Pathmatics work?
- Collect ad data
Sensor Tower gathers ad data through a consumer panel, automated crawlers, partnerships and modeling. This mix lets it estimate activity on channels where advertisers do not share data publicly.
- Search brands or categories
Look up a brand, competitor set or industry to see estimated spend, impressions and active creatives. You can view data for key markets and compare several brands at once.
- Break down the strategy
Review channels, placements, flighting, audience profiles, messaging and calls to action for each campaign. This helps teams see not only what competitors say but where and when they spend.
- Report and export
Build share-of-voice or seasonal trend views and export them as PDF or CSV for planning or pitches. Seasonal trend views help plan budgets around busy periods.
Pathmatics key features
Spend and impression estimates
Modeled ad spend and impressions for brands across key markets.
Omnichannel coverage
Covers Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, X, Snapchat, LinkedIn, display, video and mobile. It also covers programmatic and direct buys, not only social campaigns.
CTV and OTT ads
Tracks ads on streaming services such as Netflix, Prime Video, Disney+, Hulu and Peacock.
Retail Media Insights
Shows advertising across retail media networks for brands selling through retailers.
Creative library
View actual creatives with messaging, CTAs, placements and flighting for each ad. This helps creative teams study messaging trends across a whole category.
Share-of-voice reporting
Compare brands within a category to see who dominates spend and impressions.
Exports
Export data and reports as PDF or CSV for decks and analysis.
Why use Pathmatics?
- It gives spend and impression estimates that free ad libraries do not provide.
- Coverage reaches CTV and retail media, not only social.
- Share-of-voice data supports media planning and budget decisions.
- Agencies can use competitor spend data in pitches and strategy.
- It is backed by Sensor Tower's wider market intelligence suite.
- Publishers can find brands that advertise with competitors and target them for sales.
Who is Pathmatics best for?
A good fit for
- Enterprise brand and media teams
- Advertising agencies planning large budgets
- Publishers and ad sales teams prospecting advertisers
- Investment and market analysts
- Retail and consumer brands tracking competitors on retail media
Less suited to
- Freelancers and small businesses on tight budgets
- Dropshippers looking for winning products
- Teams that only need creative inspiration
- Users who want a quick self-serve signup
Pathmatics pricing
| Pricing model | Contact sales |
|---|---|
| Free plan | No |
| Free trial | Not confirmed |
| Starting price | Contact sales |
Sensor Tower does not publish prices for Pathmatics. Access is arranged through a demo and sales conversation.
Prices checked October 2026. Vendors change plans often, so confirm on the official website before you buy.
Pathmatics pros and cons
Pros
- Spend and impression estimates across many channels
- Coverage of CTV and retail media
- Long track record and enterprise customer base
- Data blends panel, crawler and partner sources
Cons
- No public pricing and likely expensive
- Built for enterprises, not small teams
- Spend figures are estimates, not exact numbers
Pathmatics integrations and platforms
Available on
Pathmatics alternatives
See the full shortlist in Best Ad Spy Tools.
Pathmatics FAQ
What is Pathmatics used for?
Pathmatics is used to understand competitors' digital advertising. It estimates ad spend and impressions, shows creatives and reveals channels, placements and timing. Brands use it for competitive analysis and media planning, agencies for pitches and strategy, publishers for sales prospecting, and analysts for market research.
Is Pathmatics part of Sensor Tower?
Yes. Sensor Tower acquired Pathmatics in 2021. The product now lives on the Sensor Tower site, where it is called Digital Advertising Insights, formerly Pathmatics. It sits alongside Sensor Tower's app and market intelligence tools.
How much does Pathmatics cost?
Pathmatics pricing is not published. Sensor Tower sells it through demos and sales conversations, and the cost depends on the data, markets and users you need. It is an enterprise product, so expect pricing well above self-serve ad spy tools.
Pathmatics vs BigSpy: what's the difference?
BigSpy is a self-serve ad library with a free plan, built for finding creatives and products. Pathmatics is an enterprise platform that estimates ad spend and impressions across social, display, CTV and retail media. Choose BigSpy for creative research on a budget and Pathmatics for market-level spend data.
How accurate is Pathmatics ad spend data?
Pathmatics spend and impression figures are modeled estimates. Sensor Tower builds them from a consumer panel, web crawlers, partnerships and machine learning. They are useful for comparing brands and spotting trends, but they should not be treated as exact numbers from the advertisers' own accounts.
Sources
This overview is based on Pathmatics's official website and documentation, checked October 2026.