LinkTraceBlogs
Attribution, referral tracking, deferred deeplinking, and mobile growth strategies — written for app developers and early-stage startups.
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React Native and Expo Deep Linking Without an SDK: Universal Links, App Links and Install Attribution
React Native and Expo deep linking needs OS wiring either way - AASA, assetlinks.json, intent filters. What you can skip is the vendor SDK: two HTTPS calls.
Read articleBest Deep Linking Platforms (2026): An Honest Comparison
An honest comparison of deep linking platforms in 2026: LinkTrace, Branch, AppsFlyer and what replaced Firebase Dynamic Links - pricing transparency, SDK requirements and when each platform is the right choice.
Read articleDeep Link Not Working? How to Debug Universal Links and App Links
A symptom-first guide to debugging Universal Links and App Links: find the failure class, validate AASA and assetlinks.json, and verify with adb and curl.
Read articleWhat Is Deep Linking? How It Works on iOS and Android
What a deep link is, how Universal Links and App Links work, why deep links break, and how deep links, deferred deep links, and attribution fit together.
Read articleGoogle Play Install Referrer: The Complete Developer's Guide (2026)
How Google Play Install Referrer works: setup, Kotlin code, the data you get back, its real limits, and when to use an SDK-less alternative instead.
Read articleDo 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 articleWhat Is an MMP? AppsFlyer's Cost, Limits, Alternatives
What an MMP actually does, what AppsFlyer costs with its minimum commitments, when the economics justify it, and the lighter alternatives for early-stage apps.
Read articleDeferred 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 articleHow We Solved Referral Attribution for Knudge.me: Crediting the Right Referrer, Automatically, Even After a Fresh Install
How to credit the right referrer when a new user installs your app fresh, using deferred deep linking. A real walkthrough from Knudge.me — and why we built LinkTrace as a Firebase Dynamic Links alternative.
Read articleDeferred Deep Links Are Harder Than They Look (And Most Teams Get Them Wrong)
A ground-level technical breakdown of deferred deep linking: how fingerprint matching and deterministic attribution differ, where iOS and Android implementations silently break, and what separates production-ready infrastructure from demos that fail at scale — with a clear guide to build-vs-buy after Firebase Dynamic Links shutdown.
Read articleHow to Run a Mobile Referral Program (Android, iOS & Web)
A complete guide to designing, building, and tracking mobile referral programs across Android, iOS, and web — covering deferred deep linking, double-sided rewards, fraud prevention, K-factor measurement, and real examples from Dropbox, Lyft, Rappi, and Robinhood.
Read articleFirebase Dynamic Links Alternatives: What Actually Replaces FDL in 2026
Firebase Dynamic Links shut down on 25 August 2025 and every link now returns a 404. A sourced comparison of the replacements — Branch, AppsFlyer, Kochava, Adjust, Airbridge, ChottuLink, LinkTrace, Bitly, Dub and build-your-own — grouped by what you were actually using FDL for.
Read articleYou're Getting Installs from Twitter, Reddit, and LinkedIn — But You Can't Attribute It
Organic social is one of the highest-ROI channels for app growth — but without the right attribution infrastructure, you'll never know which posts, platforms, or community members drove your installs. This guide breaks down the attribution gap on Twitter, Reddit, and LinkedIn, why existing tools fail, and how Linktrace solves it at the link layer with no SDK required.
Read articleHow to Track App Installs Without Firebase or AppsFlyer
A practical guide for engineering and growth teams on SDK-free app install attribution — covering server-side fingerprinting, Play Install Referrer, SKAdNetwork, privacy compliance, and owned redirect infrastructure as alternatives to Firebase Dynamic Links and AppsFlyer.
Read articleInstall Attribution for Indie Developers: Track Your App's Growth with Simple APIs
Learn how indie developers and startups can implement install attribution to track app downloads and optimize marketing campaigns. Step-by-step guide with API examples using LinkTrace
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Flutter Deep Linking Without an SDK: Universal Links, App Links and Install Attribution
Flutter deep linking needs OS wiring either way - AASA, assetlinks.json, intent filters. What you can skip is the vendor SDK: app_links plus two HTTPS calls.
Read articleHow to Track App Installs from ChatGPT, Perplexity and AI Assistants
AI assistants send real app installs, but their mobile apps often strip the referrer. What you can measure - links you tag and control - and what you cannot.
Read articleHow to Open Your App from a WhatsApp Link: Previews, Deep Links, and Attribution
How to open your app from a WhatsApp link, fix a missing link preview, and keep install attribution when links travel through chats.
Read articleDeep Links in In-App Browsers: Why Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook Break Your Links (and How to Keep the Attribution Too)
Social apps open links in their own embedded browsers, so Universal Links and App Links never fire. What breaks, what it costs your attribution, and the fix.
Read articleUniversal Links vs App Links: How They Work and Where They Stop
Universal Links (iOS) and App Links (Android) open your app from an HTTPS link when it's installed. How each works, how to debug them, and where they stop.
Read articleApp Growth & Link Tracking: A Practical Guide for Founders
A practical guide for founders on app growth experimentation, link tracking, and attribution clarity to make better distribution and scaling decisions.
Read articleHow to Grow App Installs Organically with Referral Programs: A Complete Guide for Startups
Learn how to grow app installs organically using referral programs. Discover proven strategies to build sustainable growth loops for your startup app.
Read articleReferral Programs for Product-Led Growth: How to Achieve App Virality in 2025
Learn how to implement referral programs for product-led growth and achieve app virality. Complete guide with API examples using LinkTrace for tracking referral attribution and optimizing your viral loops.
Read articleReferral Tracking for Mobile Apps: 2-API Guide, No SDK
Add referral tracking to your iOS or Android app with two API calls - no SDK. Code examples, attribution matching, common pitfalls, and how to measure success.
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