Firebase Dynamic Links replacement

Know exactly which source drove every install.

LinkTrace routes every click to the right app store, and traces every referral back to its source.

Start tracing — freeView the docs

Free forever: 100 dynamic links and 1,000 attributed installs, no card required.

app.linktrace.in
A sample LinkTrace dashboard showing link clicks, installs, attributed installs and match rate, an installs-by-source chart, and the top-performing links by conversion. The figures shown are illustrative sample data.
What you can build

What you can build with one link.

Same two API calls underneath — deferred deep linking, contextual deep linking, and referral attribution, applied to what teams actually need.

Deferred deep linking

Get customers to the right place

Share a single link across ads, WhatsApp, and social media. It takes users to the App Store or Play Store if they need to install the app, or opens the app directly if they already have it.

linktrace.in/go/summer-saleActive
  1. 1
    Link tapped
    Instagram Story ad
    Included
  2. 2
    Device detected
    iPhone 15 · iOS 18
    Included
  3. 3
    App checked
    Found, opening
    Included
  4. 4
    Routed
    Product page opened
    Included
one link. every destination.
Contextual deep linking

Take customers straight to a product

Link to one specific product and land customers directly on it in the app — even if they need to install the app first.

linktrace.in/go/onyx
Tapped in Messages
1Link tapped
even after install.
Campaign attribution

Know which campaigns are driving results

See which ads and promotions are leading to app installs and signups, so you know what's working.

know what actually works.
Referral attribution

See who is bringing in new customers

Track who invited whom, making it easier to run and measure a referral program.

know who started the chain.
Contextual deep linking

Make offers easier to redeem

Attach a coupon to a link so it's applied automatically, without customers having to enter a code themselves.

Exclusive deal inside
No code needed — just tap
1Link clicked
no code hunting.
Don't lose the user

Your users install the app. They don't lose their place.

LinkTrace sends users to the right store, remembers what brought them there, and opens the exact destination after install and login.

session — quickstart.sh
01CAPTURERemember the destination
InstagramSponsored
Learn more
User clicks the link
IncludedContext captured
/product/2381
02ROUTESend them the right way
App installed?
YESOpen app directly — opens the exact destination instantly.
NORoutes to App Store / Google Play, then Install + Login, and the context is restored.
Context remembered through the install
03RESTOREPick up where they left off
IncludedContext restored
/product/2381
Your app/product/2381
IncludedRight destination
How it routes

Click to install, in three hops.

A click, a store visit, and a first launch — with the attribution surviving the gap in the middle, which is the part that is actually hard.

  1. Link is minted

    Your server calls LinkTrace with a referrer, source, and campaign. You get back a short link to share anywhere — share sheets, social posts, email, QR codes.

  2. Click routes through

    LinkTrace reads the device and routes the click — App Store, Play Store, or straight into the app if it is already installed — and records the click for matching.

  3. First open, attributed

    Your app calls LinkTrace on first launch and gets back the exact referrer, source, campaign, and any custom payload you attached to the link.

The direct trace

The direct trace vs. the long way around.

Deep linking, install attribution and referrals are table stakes — every MMP does them. What differs is what you have to go through to get them: a sales cycle and an SDK in your binary, or a signup form and two HTTP calls.

LEGACY MMP

The long way around

  1. Book a demo

    Pricing is quote-gated, so the first step is a calendar invite rather than a signup form.

  2. Wait on a quote

    You cannot compare what nobody publishes. Third-party estimates for one major vendor run from $199 to $999 a month and do not agree with each other.

  3. Sign a contract

    Entry tiers are negotiated and enterprise-contracted, and those terms are not published either.

  4. Integrate their SDK

    Vendor code goes inside your app binary — separately on iOS and on Android.

  5. Ship a release

    Nothing is attributed until your next build is written, submitted, and through store review.

  6. Keep it current

    From then on every SDK version and OS change is something your release cycle has to carry.

Not publishedquote-gated — no price on the tiers we checked
LINKTRACE

The direct trace

  1. Sign up

    Free plan, no card, no call. The price is published on this page and on the pricing page.

  2. POST /api/v1/referral-links

    From your backend. Returns a short link carrying your referrer, source, and campaign.

  3. POST /api/v1/attributions

    From your app on first launch. Returns the exact link that brought the user in.

No SDK. Nothing is added to your app binary, there is no vendor version to keep current, and no release of yours is ever waiting on one of ours.

$9.99flat per month, free to start

Both roads end in the same place.

  • Deferred deep linking
  • Deep linking
  • Install attribution
  • Referral attribution

How long the long way around takes depends on whose calendar you are waiting on. Most teams finish the LinkTrace integration in under an hour.

Vendor by vendor

Who does what, and what it costs.

Pricing model

LinkTrace
from $9.99/mo
Branch
Not published
AppsFlyer
$0.07/conversion
Firebase
Deprecated Aug 2025

Deferred deep linking

LinkTrace
IncludedYes
Branch
IncludedYes
AppsFlyer
IncludedYes
Firebase
Shut down 2025

Install attribution

LinkTrace
IncludedYes
Branch
IncludedYes
AppsFlyer
IncludedYes
Firebase
GA4 only, limited

Referral tracking

LinkTrace
IncludedYes
Branch
IncludedYes
AppsFlyer
Paid add-on
Firebase
Never supported

Integrate in under an hour

LinkTrace
IncludedYes
Branch
Days, with SDK
AppsFlyer
Days, with SDK
Firebase
N/A

No enterprise contract

LinkTrace
IncludedYes
Branch
Not published
AppsFlyer
Enterprise contracted
Firebase
N/A

Actively maintained

LinkTrace
IncludedYes
Branch
IncludedYes
AppsFlyer
IncludedYes
Firebase
Not includedNo
LinkTrace compared with Branch, AppsFlyer, and Firebase Dynamic Links on pricing, deep linking, attribution, referral tracking, integration time, and contract terms.
FeatureLinkTraceBranchAppsFlyerFirebase
Pricing modelfrom $9.99/moNot published$0.07/conversionDeprecated Aug 2025
Deferred deep linkingIncludedIncludedIncludedShut down 2025
Install attributionIncludedIncludedIncludedGA4 only, limited
Referral trackingIncludedIncludedPaid add-onNever supported
Integrate in under an hourIncludedDays, with SDKDays, with SDKN/A
No enterprise contractIncludedNot publishedEnterprise contractedN/A
Actively maintainedIncludedIncludedIncludedNot included

Every competitor figure here is one the vendor publishes, or is marked as not published. See the sourced, dated breakdowns.

No surprises · Cancel anytime

Priced for the size you're at.

Three tiers, every price published. Flat monthly rates — no per-install fee, no per-click fee, and no annual contract on any plan.

U1 — STARTERStarterFree forever

For side projects and first experiments.

  • 100 Dynamic Links
  • 1,000 attributed installs
  • Deferred Deep Linking
  • Referral Tracking
  • Link-wise click counts
Get started free
U2 — GROWTHGrowth$9.99 / month

For indie devs and small teams scaling up.

  • Everything in Starter
  • 1,000 Dynamic Links / mo
  • 10,000 attributed installs / mo
  • Analytics dashboard
  • Support to integrate & go live
Get started
U3 — SCALEScale$29.99 / month

For growing products that need the full attribution suite.

  • Everything in Growth
  • Unlimited Dynamic Links
  • Unlimited attributed installs
  • Contextual Deep Linking — full suite
  • Custom Event Tracking
  • Advanced analytics dashboard
  • Branded Subdomain
  • Enterprise support
Get started

Full plan comparison, billing terms & pricing FAQ

Before you sign up

Questions worth a straight answer.

What is LinkTrace?

LinkTrace is a mobile attribution and deep linking API for app developers and startups. It tracks which links drove app installs, enables deferred deep linking so new users land on the right in-app screen after installing, and powers referral programs — all with two API calls and no SDK required.

Do I need to install an SDK?

No. LinkTrace is entirely API-based. Integration requires two standard HTTP POST requests: one from your server to create a tracking link, and one from your mobile app on first launch to record the install. There is no SDK to download, configure, or keep updated.

How long does integration take?

Most developers complete the full integration in under an hour. The first API call creates a referral or campaign link. The second API call, made from your mobile app on first launch, records the attribution. Both endpoints require only an API key and one required parameter each.

What is deferred deep linking and does LinkTrace support it?

Deferred deep linking solves a specific problem: a user clicks a link before they have the app installed. Without it, they get sent to the App Store, install the app, and open the home screen — losing the original context entirely. With deferred deep linking, that context is preserved. LinkTrace captures the intended destination at click time, routes the user through the App Store or Play Store, and on first launch delivers them directly to the right in-app screen — a product page, referral welcome, or personalised onboarding flow. It works on both iOS and Android with no SDK required.

What is the attribution window?

LinkTrace uses a 24-hour attribution window. If a user installs the app within 24 hours of clicking a referral link, the install is attributed and the API returns the full link metadata — including referrer, source, campaign, and custom payload. Installs outside this window return attributed: false.

Is LinkTrace a Firebase Dynamic Links alternative?

Yes. LinkTrace is purpose-built as a Firebase Dynamic Links replacement. Firebase Dynamic Links reached end-of-life in August 2025. LinkTrace provides the same core functionality — deferred deep linking, install attribution, and referral tracking — with a free plan and paid tiers from $9.99/month, with no SDK requirement.

Is there a free plan?

Yes. The Starter plan is free forever and includes 100 Dynamic Links, 1,000 attributed installs, deferred deep linking, and referral tracking — enough to fully validate the integration and run a small referral program. No credit card is required to sign up.

All 34 questions

From the blog

Attribution, explained by people who build it.

Deep linking, install attribution, and referral mechanics — what actually breaks, and what to do about it.

Do You Need an MMP? A Decision Guide for Early-Stage App Teams

An MMP is an arbitration layer for competing ad-network attribution claims. If you run one paid channel — or none — you probably need something else. A decision guide.

read

Does Your App Need an MMP Like AppsFlyer?

A practical framework for deciding whether your app needs a full Mobile Measurement Partner like AppsFlyer or lightweight attribution instead — covering what AppsFlyer actually does, its real pricing and minimum commitments, when the economics shift in its favor, and the best AppsFlyer alternatives (Branch, Linkrunner, LinkTrace) for teams migrating off Firebase Dynamic Links.

read

Deferred Deep Links vs Deep Links: What's the Difference and Why It Matters

A precise technical breakdown of the difference between deep links and deferred deep links — how each works, why deferred deep linking is the harder problem to solve, and why it matters for referral programs, paid acquisition, and personalized onboarding flows.

read

All posts

Ready when you are

Trace your next install.

Start tracing — freeRead the docs