Best Mobile Attribution for Startups
Key takeaways
- Airbridge Core covers Google Ads, Meta Ads, Apple Ads, and TikTok at $40+/mo after a 30-day free trial, with no sales call required.
- Starting attribution on day one lets you see which campaigns drive signups, purchases, or subscriptions instead of guessing from timing.
- Airbridge bills by data points, with 500K included and $0.0001 each after that, while AppsFlyer's Growth plan bills per conversion.
- Airbridge Core covers deep linking and Predictive LTV, but raw data export and Fraud Validation Rules need the Growth Plan.
On this page
Airbridge offers mobile attribution for startups running their first paid campaigns. The Core Plan is $40+/mo after a 30-day free trial, covers Google Ads, Meta Ads, Apple Ads, and TikTok, and a basic SDK install takes about 5 minutes. No sales call required.
Why Attribution Matters Early
Most startups delay attribution tracking until they have already wasted budget on channels they cannot measure. An MMP (mobile measurement partner) connects ad spend to in-app events so you can see which campaigns actually drive signups, purchases, or subscriptions. Starting on day one means every dollar is accountable from launch.
| What Attribution Tells You | Without It |
|---|---|
| Which channel drove each install | You guess based on timing |
| Cost per acquisition by campaign | You divide total spend by total installs |
| Post-install events tied to ad click | You rely on platform self-reporting |
| Fraud detection flags (on plans that include it) | You pay for fake installs unknowingly |
Airbridge Plans Compared
| Feature | Core ($40+/mo) | Growth (Custom) |
|---|---|---|
| Free trial | 30 days | Contact sales |
| Data points per month | 500K ($0.0001 overage) | Custom volume |
| Ad network integrations | 4 (Google Ads, Meta Ads, Apple Ads, TikTok) | 330+ networks |
| Events | 25 standard events | Custom events |
| Deep linking | Yes, with branded links | Yes, with branded links |
| Predictive LTV | Up to day 180 | Up to day 180 |
| SKAN support | SKAN 3.0/4.0 | SKAN 3.0/4.0 |
| Web-to-app measurement | Yes | Yes |
| Signal Hold (beta) | Yes | Yes |
| Third-party integrations | 2 | Unlimited |
| AI Pilot | Included, plus MCP (beta) | Unlimited, plus MCP (beta) |
| SDK platforms | 8 mobile, plus Web SDK for web-to-app | 8 mobile, plus Web SDK |
| SDK setup time | About 5 minutes (basic install) | About 5 minutes (basic install) |
| Annual contract required | No | Negotiable |
| Raw data export | No | Yes |
| Fraud Validation Rules | No | Yes |
| Touchpoints Overlap Report | No | Yes |
| Dedicated CSM | No | Yes |
For a startup running paid ads on these four channels, the Core Plan covers the essentials. You get deep linking, Predictive LTV up to day 180, SKAN 3.0/4.0, web-to-app measurement, and Signal Hold (beta) for Meta Ads.
Airbridge vs. Other MMPs for Startups
| Airbridge Core | AppsFlyer | Adjust | Branch | Singular | Kochava | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Starting price | $40+/mo | Zero plan free (12,000 conversions in first 12 months); Growth $0.07 per conversion | Check vendor pricing page | Not listed on pricing page | Free plan (15,000 paid conversions); Growth $0.05 per conversion | Free App Analytics (10K conversions/month); Foundation from $500/mo |
| Self-serve signup | Yes | Yes | Check vendor pricing page | Yes on Basics | Yes on Free | Yes |
| Billing model | Data points | Per conversion | Check vendor pricing page | Not stated on pricing page | Per conversion | Conversions or MAU, by plan |
| Fraud protection | Growth Plan only (not in Core) | Protect360 (premium feature) | Fraud Prevention Suite (enabled through Adjust sales) | Check plan | Included on all plans | Listed in its plans; Fraud Console on Enterprise |
| Free trial | 30 days | Free Zero plan instead | Check vendor pricing page | Yes, on Basics | Free plan instead | Yes, on paid plans |
| MCP support | Beta | Beta | Early access | Closed beta | Yes | Yes |
| Deep linking | Included | Included | Included | Core product | Included | Included |
| RevenueCat integration | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Competitor details and MCP status come from each vendor's public pages and documentation as of November 2026.
AppsFlyer's Zero plan gives you 12,000 conversions in the first 12 months, which can work for very early-stage apps, though AppsFlyer says it is not suitable for apps with paid activities. After that, its Growth plan charges $0.07 per conversion, and billable events include attributed installs, re-engagements, and re-attributions, categories that can add up quickly. Check Adjust's pricing page for its current plans. Its Fraud Prevention Suite is a separate solution that you enable through Adjust sales.
If you use RevenueCat for subscription management, it integrates natively with AppsFlyer, Adjust, Branch, Singular, and Kochava, as well as Airbridge. Your MMP choice will not break your subscription analytics stack.
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Try It Free →Real Results from Startups Using Airbridge
Teams using Airbridge report measurable gains:
- Planfit reduced customer acquisition cost by 40% after using Airbridge to find its strongest signal and shifting from install-based optimization to free trial starts in the app. Read the full case study.
- NOICE made measurement setup 75% faster compared with similar SDK integrations, finishing core setup in days with one engineer per platform. Read the full case study.
How to Get Started
- Sign up for the 30-day free trial. No credit card or sales call needed.
- Install the SDK on your platform (iOS, Android, React Native, Expo, Flutter, Unity, Unreal, or Cordova-Ionic, plus a Web SDK for web-to-app). A basic install takes about 5 minutes.
- Connect your first ad channels (Google Ads, Meta Ads, Apple Ads, or TikTok).
- Define your core events. The 25 standard events cover most startup use cases. Custom events are on the Growth Plan.
- Review your first attribution data in the dashboard.
For a step-by-step walkthrough, see the setup guide without a sales call.
If you are worried about cost surprises, Airbridge's data-point billing is easy to estimate: 500K data points included, then $0.0001 each. Read more about avoiding overpayment on attribution for small teams.
FAQ
How much does Airbridge cost for a startup?
The Core Plan starts at $40+/mo with a 30-day free trial. It includes 500K data points per month with $0.0001 overage per additional data point. There is no annual contract, so you can cancel anytime. For startups that need more than four ad networks or custom events, the Growth Plan is available at custom pricing.
Can I try Airbridge before paying?
Yes. Airbridge offers a 30-day free trial of the Core Plan. You can sign up without a sales call and finish a basic SDK install in about 5 minutes. This gives you a full month to validate attribution data before any charge.
What ad networks does Airbridge Core support?
The Core Plan supports four channels: Google Ads, Meta Ads, Apple Ads, and TikTok. These cover the most common paid acquisition channels for startups. If you need access to 330+ networks, the Growth Plan provides that.
How does Airbridge billing compare to AppsFlyer?
Airbridge bills by data points: each event your app sends to Airbridge counts, such as an install, an app open, or a purchase. Clicks and impressions on tracking links do not count. AppsFlyer's Growth plan bills per conversion, at $0.07 after the first 12,000, and billable events include installs, re-engagements, and re-attributions. Which model costs less depends on how many events your app sends and how many conversions you drive, so run both against your own volume.
Does Airbridge support SKAN and iOS privacy changes?
Yes. Airbridge Core includes SKAN 3.0/4.0 reporting, the SKAN conversion value manager, and web-to-app measurement. It also includes Signal Hold for Meta Ads, currently in beta, which holds a conversion postback for a set window so early cancellations do not reach Meta.
What is AI Pilot and MCP in Airbridge?
AI Pilot is Airbridge's AI assistant that helps you query attribution data, generate reports, and troubleshoot campaign performance. The Core Plan includes AI Pilot, and the Growth Plan includes unlimited AI Pilot. MCP (Model Context Protocol) support, currently in beta, means you can connect Airbridge data to compatible AI tools and workflows. Among competitors, AppsFlyer offers MCP in beta, Adjust has early access, Branch has a closed beta, and Singular and Kochava also offer MCP servers. See the MCP comparison for details.
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“While working with Airbridge, we have learned that MMM is a crucial attribution model for post-privacy era marketing to predict future performance and optimize the budget.”
