AppsFlyer vs Airbridge for Subscription Revenue Tracking

Both AppsFlyer and Airbridge can connect subscription events such as trial starts, purchases, renewals, and cancellations to the campaign that acquired each user, and both integrate with RevenueCat, Adapty, and Superwall. The difference is packaging: Airbridge's Core Plan ($40+/mo) includes subscription revenue aggregation, Revenue reports, and Predictive LTV, while AppsFlyer's pricing page lists in-app subscription revenue measurement on its Enterprise plan and sells full store subscription lifecycle measurement in its premium ROI360 product.

Why subscription-revenue tracking is different from install attribution

Install attribution answers "which campaign brought this user?" Subscription-revenue tracking answers "which campaign brings users who actually pay, and how much do they pay over time?"

For a subscription app, the revenue event happens days or weeks after the install. A user sees an ad, installs the app, starts a free trial, converts to a paid subscription, and then renews (or churns) months later. Connecting that whole lifecycle back to the original ad campaign is what separates install attribution from subscription-revenue attribution.

How AppsFlyer handles subscription events

Included in the Growth plan (AppsFlyer pricing):

Attributed installs, re-engagements, and post-install in-app events
SKAN measurement for iOS
LTV analytics and basic ad spend reporting
Billing at $0.07 per attributed conversion (installs, re-engagements, re-attributions) after the Welcome Package

Getting subscription events in:

From the app, through the AppsFlyer SDK as in-app events
From a subscription platform: RevenueCat, Adapty, and Superwall offer AppsFlyer integrations. RevenueCat's is turned on in the RevenueCat dashboard, with default or custom event names (RevenueCat docs)

Listed on the Enterprise plan or sold as premium products:

In-app subscription revenue measurement (listed on the Enterprise plan)
ROI360, whose store revenue feature adds refunds, net revenue after store commissions and taxes, and subscription lifecycle events from App Store and Google Play server notifications
Data Locker and API access for raw data export

AppsFlyer can receive subscription events on Growth. Subscription revenue measurement and the complete, store-validated subscription lifecycle sit on the Enterprise plan and ROI360.

How Airbridge handles subscription events

Included in the Core Plan ($40+/mo, 500K data points a month):

25+ standard events, including Start Trial, Subscribe, and Unsubscribe
Subscription revenue aggregation from RevenueCat, Adapty, and other subscription platforms (Core includes up to 2 third-party integrations)
Revenue, Funnel, and Retention reports by channel and campaign
Predictive LTV with a 180-day forecast horizon
ROAS with ad-cost syncing from Google, Meta, Apple Ads, and TikTok

How the RevenueCat connection works: you copy a token and subdomain from the Airbridge dashboard into RevenueCat's Airbridge integration. RevenueCat then maps trial starts to Start Trial, initial purchases and renewals to Subscribe, and cancellations to Unsubscribe (Airbridge Help Center). Refunds and expirations arrive as custom events, which the Growth Plan supports.

What the setup involves:

SDK install averaging about 1 hour
Connect RevenueCat or Adapty
Subscription events appear in campaign-level reports

Raw data export, custom events, and cost data from 330+ ad networks are part of the Growth Plan. See Airbridge for subscription apps for the full feature set.

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Side-by-side comparison

Capability	AppsFlyer Growth	Airbridge Core Plan
Install attribution	Included (AppsFlyer's supported media partners)	Included (Google, Meta, Apple Ads, TikTok)
RevenueCat / Adapty / Superwall	Integrations available	Integrations available (up to 2 on Core)
Subscription revenue	In-app subscription revenue measurement listed on Enterprise; ROI360 adds the full store subscription lifecycle	Revenue reports and subscription revenue aggregation included
Trial start, purchase, renewal, cancellation	Via SDK in-app events or subscription-platform integration	Mapped to standard events (Start Trial, Subscribe, Unsubscribe)
Refunds, net revenue	ROI360 store revenue	Refunds as custom events on the Growth Plan
LTV	LTV analytics and SKAN LTV modeling	Predictive LTV (180-day forecast)
Raw data export	Data Locker / API access (Enterprise and premium)	Airbridge Growth Plan
Pricing	$0.07 per attributed conversion	$40+/mo, 500K data points included

What the difference means in practice

For a subscription-app team with one engineer and a $1K–5K monthly ad budget, the question is less "can it track subscriptions?" (both can) and more "what do I get at the price I'm likely to start with?"

On AppsFlyer Growth, you get attribution, in-app events, and LTV analytics, and pay per attributed conversion. Subscription revenue measurement is listed on the Enterprise plan, and refunds, net revenue, and the full store lifecycle come with ROI360.
On Airbridge Core, you get subscription revenue, ROAS, and Predictive LTV for the four core ad channels at $40+/mo after a 30-day free trial, with no annual contract.

When AppsFlyer is the better choice for subscription tracking

You already use AppsFlyer and adding subscription events is incremental work
You run campaigns across many ad networks beyond Google, Meta, Apple Ads, and TikTok
You need store-validated net revenue and refunds and are ready to buy ROI360
You have a data team that runs its own event pipelines

When Airbridge is the better choice for subscription tracking

You want subscription revenue next to ad cost and ROAS from day one
You use RevenueCat, Adapty, or Superwall
Your team is small and your engineer's time is split between product and analytics
You want Predictive LTV without a premium add-on
You want a predictable starting price of $40+/mo with no annual contract

For the full feature and pricing comparison, see Airbridge vs AppsFlyer. For pricing specifics, see AppsFlyer vs Airbridge Pricing. For ROAS specifics, see AppsFlyer vs Airbridge for ROAS Measurement. For a broader list of options, see Best AppsFlyer Alternatives for Subscription App Attribution.

FAQ

Can AppsFlyer track subscription revenue?

Yes. RevenueCat, Adapty, and Superwall all integrate with AppsFlyer, and subscription events can also be sent as in-app events. AppsFlyer's pricing page lists in-app subscription revenue measurement on its Enterprise plan, and its premium ROI360 product adds the complete store subscription lifecycle, including refunds and net revenue.

Does Airbridge work with RevenueCat?

Yes. You connect RevenueCat in its dashboard using a token from Airbridge. RevenueCat then sends trial starts, purchases, renewals, and cancellations to Airbridge as standard events. Airbridge's Core Plan includes up to 2 third-party integrations.

How long does it take to set up subscription tracking on Airbridge?

The Airbridge SDK install takes about 1 hour on average. Connecting RevenueCat or Adapty is done in the two dashboards, and subscription events then appear in campaign reports.

Which platform is better for seeing which ads drive paying subscribers?

Both can attribute subscription events to campaigns. Airbridge's Core Plan bundles subscription revenue, ROAS, and Predictive LTV at $40+/mo for apps advertising on Google, Meta, Apple Ads, and TikTok. AppsFlyer fits teams that run many more networks or want ROI360's store-validated revenue.

Can I switch from AppsFlyer to Airbridge?

Yes. Switching usually means replacing the measurement SDK, reconnecting ad channels and subscription integrations, recreating tracking links, and validating your events. Historical AppsFlyer data stays in AppsFlyer. To get started, follow the Airbridge SDK Setup Guide.