LinkTrace is a privacy-first install attribution and referral tracking platform for mobile apps. It lets developers track which campaigns, referral links, and channels drive app installs — without requiring any third-party SDK in the app binary. Integration takes minutes using two API calls.

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.

Does LinkTrace require an SDK?

No. LinkTrace uses server-side fingerprint matching. There is no SDK to embed in your app binary. Attribution is handled entirely at the redirect layer, keeping your app lightweight.

How does LinkTrace compare to Branch.io?

Branch.io is an enterprise attribution platform with per-install billing that becomes expensive at scale. LinkTrace offers the same core attribution and deep linking functionality at a flat rate of $9.99-$29.99/month with no per-install charges — designed specifically for indie developers and early-stage startups.

Is LinkTrace privacy-compliant?

Yes. LinkTrace performs fingerprinting at the server and redirect layer — not inside the app — and does not use device identifiers like IDFA or GAID. This approach is outside the scope of Apple's ATT framework and is compatible with India's DPDP Act and Android Privacy Sandbox requirements.

How much does LinkTrace cost?

LinkTrace has a free Starter plan. Paid tiers are Growth at $9.99/month and Scale at $29.99/month. There is no per-install billing on any plan — pricing stays predictable as your app grows.

API Reference

Complete reference for the LinkTrace Client API — link creation, install attribution, link metadata, and event tracking.

Base URL

https://api.linktrace.in

Your API Key

your-api-key(issued once you sign up)

Endpoints in this reference

Links & Attribution

Event Tracking

Authentication

Every request is authenticated with your secret API key. Here's how to send it and what each plan can call.

API Keys

Every request must include your API key in the x-api-key HTTP header. You can find your key in the LinkTrace dashboard under Settings → API Key.

http header

x-api-key: your-api-key

Keep your API key secret. Never expose it in client-side JavaScript, mobile app binaries, or public repositories. Rotate it immediately from the dashboard if you suspect compromise.

Plan requirements

Endpoint	Free Plan	Scale Plan
`POST /api/v1/referral-links`	✓ Available	✓ Available
`POST /api/v1/attributions`	✓ Available	✓ Available
`GET /api/v1/referral-links/metadata`	✓ Available	✓ Available
`POST /api/v1/events`	✗ Scale only	✓ Available

Link Creation & Attribution

Generate traceable links, attribute new installs to the referrer that drove them, and resolve link metadata.

Generate Dynamic Links

POST

Generate a unique traceable link for a referrer or campaign. Share this link anywhere — in-app share sheets, social posts, email campaigns, or QR codes. Anyone who clicks this link and installs your app within the attribution window will be attributed to this referrer.

https://api.linktrace.in/api/v1/referral-links

Headers

Header	Value	Required
Content-Type	application/json	Yes
x-api-key	your-api-key	Yes

Example Payload

json

{
  "referrerIdentifier": "user_id_223",
  "source": "home_tab",
  "campaign": "in_app_referral",
  "environment": "production",
  "customPayload": {
    "date": "15 Aug, 2025",
    "cta": "share app pop up in home"
  }
}

Track App Installs

POST

Call this endpoint from your app after a new user completes signup. Pass their unique identifier (userId) — LinkTrace matches the install to a prior link click and returns the full referral data. A given userId is only attributed once — repeat calls return the existing attribution.

https://api.linktrace.in/api/v1/attributions

How Attribution Works

First-touch attribution — LinkTrace attributes an install to the first dynamic link the user clicked.
Attribution window — 24 hours from the link click. If a user installs within that window, the install is attributed.
Deterministic matching — Attribution is based on the device clicking the link, not probabilistic fingerprinting.
Custom payload passthrough — Any customPayload fields you set on the link are returned in the attribution response.

Headers

Header	Value	Required
Content-Type	application/json	Yes
x-api-key	your-api-key	Yes

Example Payload

json

{
  "userId": "user_275"
}

Integrate this endpoint with an AI coding assistant

Skip the manual wiring. This prompt gives your AI coding tool full context for the Attribution API above, so it can drop the install-tracking call into your signup flow, tailored to your stack. Sign in to copy it pre-filled with your API key.

ClaudeCursorCopilotWindsurf

GET

/api/v1/referral-links/metadata

x-api-key

Resolve metadata for a referral link by full URL, path, or bare short code.

Query parameters

Parameter	Type	Required	Description
link	string	required	Accepts a full URL (`https://app.linktrace.in/r/497b3422`), a path (`/r/497b3422`), or a bare short code (`497b3422`).

Example request

bash

curl "https://api.linktrace.in/api/v1/referral-links/metadata?link=https://app.linktrace.in/r/497b3422" \
  -H "x-api-key: your-api-key"

Response fields — 200 OK

Field	Type	Description
shortCode	string	The resolved short code.
referrerIdentifier	string	The referrer as set when the link was created.
source / medium / campaign	string \| null	UTM-style fields.
environment	string	`production` or `stage`.
customPayload	object \| null	Custom metadata attached to the link.
active	boolean	Whether the link is currently active.
createdAt	string (ISO 8601)	Timestamp when the link was created.

Privacy by design. The API returns an identical 404 Link not found error whether the link does not exist or belongs to a different account — to prevent link enumeration.

Event Tracking

Send post-install conversion events to measure what your referred users do after they sign up.

Scale plan required. Event ingestion is available on the Scale plan only. Calls from non-Scale accounts return 403 PLAN_UPGRADE_REQUIRED.

POST

/api/v1/events

Scale x-api-key

Ingest a named event against a referral link's short code — purchases, sign-ups, level completions, anything meaningful — and attribute it back to the link that drove the install. Writes are fire-and-forget: the endpoint responds immediately and the database write happens asynchronously.

Request body

Field	Type	Required	Description
linkShortCode	string	required	The 4–32 character alphanumeric short code of the referral link (e.g. `497b3422`).
eventName	string	required	A snake_case event name. Must start with a letter and contain only lowercase letters, digits, and underscores — max 128 characters. Names are normalised to lowercase automatically. Reserved names (rejected): `click`, `install`, `impression`, `open`.
entityId	string	optional	A unique identifier for the entity this event represents (e.g. an order ID, user ID, session ID). When provided, LinkTrace deduplicates events: if the same `(linkShortCode, eventName, entityId)` tuple has already been recorded, the second call returns `200 { deduplicated: true }` instead of writing a new row. Max 255 characters.

Basic — no dedup

json

{
  "linkShortCode": "497b3422",
  "eventName": "web_link_click"
}

With entityId — deduplication enabled

json

{
  "linkShortCode": "497b3422",
  "eventName": "purchase",
  "entityId": "order_9876"
}

Responses

202Accepted

Event queued for async write. Normal success path.

{ "success": true, "queued": true }

200Deduplicated

Same (shortCode, eventName, entityId) already recorded.

{ "success": true, "deduplicated": true }

429Quota exceeded

Monthly limit of 5,000 events reached.

{ "code": "QUOTA_EXCEEDED", "resetsOn": "2026-07-01T00:00:00.000Z" }

403Plan upgrade required

Account is not on the Scale plan.

{ "code": "PLAN_UPGRADE_REQUIRED" }

Quota applies to production events only. The 5,000 monthly limit tracks only events sent for the production environment. The counter resets on the 1st of each calendar month (UTC).

Code example

bash

curl -X POST https://api.linktrace.in/api/v1/events \
  -H "x-api-key: your-api-key" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "linkShortCode": "497b3422",
    "eventName": "purchase",
    "entityId": "order_9876"
  }'

Errors

Standard HTTP status codes with a consistent error envelope across every endpoint.

Error Response Format

All errors follow a consistent JSON envelope.

json

{
  "success": false,
  "message": "Human-readable description of what went wrong",
  "code": "MACHINE_READABLE_CODE",
  "resetsOn": "2026-07-01T00:00:00.000Z"
}

code is present on some errors; resetsOn is present on 429 QUOTA_EXCEEDED.

HTTP Status	Code	When it occurs
400	—	Validation error — missing or invalid request fields.
401	—	Missing or invalid `x-api-key` header. Your key is available in Settings → API Key.
403	PLAN_UPGRADE_REQUIRED	The requested endpoint requires the Scale plan.
404	LINK_NOT_FOUND	The short code does not exist or belongs to another account.
429	QUOTA_EXCEEDED	Monthly event quota (5,000) has been exhausted. `resetsOn` indicates when the counter resets.

Platform Examples

Copy-paste integration snippets for the most common mobile and web stacks.

Platform Integration Examples

kotlin

val client = OkHttpClient()
val mediaType = "application/json".toMediaType()
val body = "{
    \"userId\": \"user_275\"
}".toRequestBody(mediaType)
val request = Request.Builder()
    .url("https://api.linktrace.in/api/v1/attributions")
    .post(body)
    .addHeader("Content-Type", "application/json")
    .addHeader("x-api-key", "your-api-key")
    .build()
val response = client.newCall(request).execute()

Need Help?

Running into an issue with your integration? Send us an email — we respond within 24 hours on weekdays.

contact@linktrace.in

PreviousDeferred Deep Linking