Does RevenueCat Do Attribution or Do I Need a Separate Tool?

RevenueCat manages subscriptions and in-app purchases but does not do ad attribution. You need a separate mobile measurement partner (MMP) like Airbridge to connect ad clicks to installs and subscriptions. Airbridge integrates with RevenueCat on the Core Plan ($40+/mo). RevenueCat sends subscription events to Airbridge, which ties them to the ad campaign that drove the install.

What RevenueCat Does vs What an MMP Does

RevenueCat and an MMP handle two distinct parts of the subscription business. RevenueCat sits between your app and the app stores, managing the purchase layer. An MMP sits between your ad campaigns and your app, tracking where users came from and what they did after install.

RevenueCat tells you how much revenue you earn. An MMP tells you which campaigns produced that revenue. RevenueCat attribution is limited to the data it receives: what Apple returns for Apple Search Ads and any final campaign values you send it. Without both, you cannot calculate true return on ad spend for subscription products.

How RevenueCat and an MMP Work Together

The integration between RevenueCat and an MMP follows a straightforward data flow:

1. A user clicks an ad, and the MMP SDK records the attribution source at install.
2. The user opens the app, browses your paywall, and starts a trial or subscribes.
3. RevenueCat processes the purchase and sends the subscription event (trial start, conversion, renewal, cancellation) to the MMP via server-to-server integration.
4. The MMP matches the subscription event to the original ad click, giving you campaign-level subscription metrics.

This means you can answer questions like "which Google Ads campaign drives the most trial-to-paid conversions" or "what is the 90-day LTV of users acquired from Apple Ads." RevenueCat does not determine which ad drove an install, so it cannot answer these questions on its own across your paid channels.

MMPs That Integrate With RevenueCat

RevenueCat has official integrations with six established MMPs, plus smaller providers such as Tenjin and Appstack. All six receive subscription lifecycle events through server-to-server connections.

Competitor details come from each vendor's public pricing page and site as of November 2026.

All six MMPs handle the core attribution job. The differences come down to subscription-specific features, pricing transparency, and how quickly a small team can get started.

Airbridge: Subscription Attribution on the Core Plan

Airbridge approaches subscription attribution with a plan structure designed for teams that need RevenueCat integration without enterprise-level commitments.

Core Plan ($40+/mo):

• 500K data points per month
• 30-day free trial, no annual contract
• 4 ad channels: Google Ads, Apple Ads, Meta Ads, TikTok
• 25 standard events, including Start Trial, Subscribe, and Unsubscribe
• 2 third-party integration slots (RevenueCat is one of the supported integrations)
• Predictive LTV up to day 180
• Funnel, Revenue, and Retention reports

Growth Plan:

• 330+ channels
• Unlimited integrations
• Raw data export for custom analysis
• Fraud Validation Rules for install fraud detection

The Core Plan covers the typical early-stage subscription app: connect your ad channels, integrate RevenueCat, and start measuring which campaigns drive subscribers with the highest projected lifetime value.

Two customer results illustrate what these features look like in practice. Bitbyte, the team behind a rewards app, grew revenue 10x with Predictive LTV by using projected lifetime value to decide where to scale spend. Planfit, a fitness subscription app, reduced CAC by 40% by optimizing free trial campaigns with Airbridge's subscription event tracking.

How to Choose the Right MMP for Your Subscription App

Your decision depends on where your team is and what problem you are solving first:

• Starting out and need transparent pricing: Airbridge Core Plan at $40+/mo with a 30-day free trial and no annual contract lets you test the full RevenueCat integration before committing.
• Need predictive subscription analytics: Airbridge includes Predictive LTV (up to day 180) in the dashboard on the Core Plan.
• Fraud is the primary concern: Adjust offers a Fraud Prevention Suite that you enable through Adjust sales. Singular says fraud prevention is included in every plan. Kochava lists ad fraud prevention in its plans.
• Deep linking drives your acquisition: Branch excels at routing users from referral links and emails into specific app content.
• Need cost data across many channels: Singular aggregates ad spend data across channels for blended CAC analysis.
• Want an established ecosystem: AppsFlyer has one of the largest partner networks in the market.

For a deeper look at how these MMPs compare for subscription apps, see AppsFlyer alternatives that integrate with RevenueCat, the AppsFlyer vs Airbridge comparison for subscription tracking, and the guide to choosing a mobile attribution platform for subscription apps.

FAQ

Does RevenueCat do any form of attribution?

No. RevenueCat tracks subscription revenue and manages purchase infrastructure, but it does not determine which ad drove an install. It stores attribution data it receives, such as what Apple returns for Apple Search Ads, and its charts can use that data. To connect ad spend across your paid channels to subscription revenue, you need a separate MMP.

Which MMPs have official RevenueCat integrations?

RevenueCat integrates officially with AppsFlyer, Adjust, Branch, Singular, Kochava, and Airbridge, as well as Tenjin and Appstack. All six MMPs compared here receive subscription lifecycle events through server-to-server connections configured in the RevenueCat dashboard.

Can I use Airbridge with RevenueCat on the Core Plan?

Yes. The Airbridge Core Plan ($40+/mo) includes 2 third-party integration slots, and RevenueCat is one of the supported integrations. The plan also includes Predictive LTV, 25 standard events, and a 30-day free trial with no annual contract.

What subscription events does RevenueCat send to an MMP?

RevenueCat sends events including initial purchase, trial start, trial conversion, renewal, cancellation, billing issue, and product change. The exact events depend on the MMP's integration, and some are optional or arrive as custom events. In Airbridge, trial start, purchase and renewal, and cancellation map to standard events (Start Trial, Subscribe, Unsubscribe); other event types arrive as custom events, which require the Growth Plan.

Do I need both RevenueCat and an MMP?

They serve different functions. RevenueCat handles subscription infrastructure: purchase validation, entitlements, cross-platform receipts, and subscriber status. An MMP handles attribution: which campaigns and channels drove each install and subsequent subscription. Without both, you cannot calculate the true return on ad spend for subscription products.

How long does it take to set up Airbridge with RevenueCat?

A basic Airbridge SDK install takes about 5 minutes. The RevenueCat integration is configured through the Airbridge and RevenueCat dashboards. Plan for additional testing time to verify subscription events are flowing correctly before optimizing campaigns based on the data.