How to Find Your Competitors (Even the Hidden Ones)

Published 2026-09-23 · Updated 2026-09-25

"I don't think I have any real competitors" is one of the most common things people say when they start looking — and it's almost always wrong. Usually it means they searched for businesses identical to theirs and stopped when nothing turned up. Below are the places that actually turn competitors up, roughly in the order worth checking them.

If you're not sure which kinds of competitor to look for in the first place, read direct vs indirect competitors first — this post is about where to find them, not how to categorise them.

1. Search the way your customer searches

Type the plain-language problem into Google, not your category name. "Someone to fix my leaking tap tonight" finds different businesses than "plumbing services." Note who shows up in the ads as well as the top organic results; paying for that search means they want the same customer you do.

2. Check the maps and marketplaces

For anything local, Google Maps for your category and area is the fastest list you will get. For products, look where the product is sold: Amazon, Etsy, the App Store, Shopify app store. For software, G2 and Capterra category pages list everyone in a space side by side.

3. Look at the ad libraries

Meta's Ad Library and Google's Ads Transparency Center are free and show every ad a business is currently running. Search a keyword or a competitor you already know, and you'll find others advertising to the same people — plus exactly what they're promising in those ads.

4. Search "[known competitor] alternatives"

Once you have one or two names, search "[name] alternatives" and "[name] vs." The comparison articles and "alternative to" lists that come back are a ready-made map of who customers consider in the same breath.

5. Read the communities your customers use

Subreddits, Facebook groups, and industry forums are where people ask "what do you all use for X?" The answers name tools and businesses that never show up in search because they grow by word of mouth.

6. Ask your customers what they considered

If you have any customers or prospects, ask: "What were you using before this, or what else did you look at?" It's the most reliable source on this list, because it's what actually happened rather than a guess.

7. Name the do-nothing option

Write down what your customer does if they buy nothing at all — a spreadsheet, doing it themselves, putting up with the problem. It won't show up in any search, and it's often the competitor you lose to most.

Once you have a list

Trim it to five to eight names and move on to the actual comparison — see how to do a competitor analysis for a small business. Or describe your business to ScoutBrief and it will build the list for you from live search, with pricing and positioning for each. The first report is free.

Keep reading

• How to Find a Gap in the Market Using Your Competitors
  Real gaps usually sit next to existing competitors, not far away from them. Where to look, and how to test one before building.
• How to Find Your First 10 Customers
  Your first customers are already buying from someone else. Here's how to find where they are and what would make them switch.
• Direct vs Indirect Competitors: What's the Difference?
  Most competitor lists only include the obvious names. The indirect ones are usually the ones quietly taking your customers.

Looking for advice for your trade? Competitor analysis by industry →