What Tool Shows the Funnel From Install to Subscription?
Key takeaways
- Airbridge's Funnel Report shows install, sign-up, trial start, and paid subscription by channel and campaign, so you see where users drop off.
- The 25 standard events include Start Trial and Subscribe, so you can build an install-to-subscription funnel on Airbridge Core without custom events.
- Subscribe combines first purchase, trial conversion, and renewal, so renewal is not a separate funnel step.
- A paywall step cannot be measured, because paywall views are not a standard event and RevenueCat, Adapty, and Superwall do not send them.
On this page
Airbridge shows the install-to-subscription funnel (install, sign-up, trial start, paid subscription) by channel and campaign in its Funnel Report. The 25 standard events include Start Trial and Subscribe, so you see where users drop off between install and payment without custom event setup. Core Plan starts at $40+/mo after a 30-day free trial.
Why Funnel Visibility Matters for Subscription Apps
Subscription apps live and die by conversion rates between stages. A user who installs but never starts a trial is a different problem from one who trials but never pays. Without stage-by-stage funnel data broken down by acquisition source, you cannot tell which channels bring users who actually subscribe versus those who never pay.
The cost implications are significant. If one ad network drives installs at half the CPI but those users convert to paid at one-fifth the rate, that channel is more expensive per subscriber. Funnel visibility by source lets you reallocate spend toward channels that produce paying users, not just installers.
Key metrics a subscription funnel should surface:
| Metric | What It Reveals |
|---|---|
| Install-to-trial rate | Whether onboarding converts curiosity into engagement |
| Trial-to-paid rate | Whether the product delivers enough value during the trial window |
| Paid-to-renewal rate | Whether subscribers stick after the first billing cycle (a subscription analytics tool shows this; Airbridge reports renewals inside Subscribe) |
| Time-to-convert | How long users take between stages, by channel |
| Drop-off point | The exact stage where each channel loses the most users |
How the Airbridge Funnel Report Works
Airbridge's Funnel Report lets you define a sequence of events and measure how users progress through them. For subscription apps, a typical funnel looks like:
- Install (attributed to channel/campaign)
- Sign Up or registration
- Free trial start
- Subscription purchase
Because Airbridge includes 25 standard events covering installs, sign-ups, trial starts, and subscriptions, you can build this funnel without defining custom events on the Core Plan.
Two limits are worth knowing. Subscribe combines first purchase, trial conversion, and renewal, so renewal is not a separate funnel step. Paywall views are not a standard event, and the RevenueCat, Adapty, and Superwall integrations do not send them, so a paywall step cannot be measured.
Core Plan ($40+/mo)
The Core Plan provides the essential toolset for subscription funnel analysis:
| Feature | Detail |
|---|---|
| Price | $40+/mo with 30-day free trial |
| Data points | 500K included ($0.0001 per overage data point) |
| Contract | No annual contract required |
| Ad channels | Meta Ads, Google Ads, Apple Ads, TikTok for Business |
| Standard events | 25 (including Start Trial, Subscribe, Unsubscribe) |
| Reports | Revenue Report, Funnel Report, Retention Report (all included) |
| Predictive LTV | Up to day 180 |
| Integrations | 2 third-party integrations; RevenueCat is a supported integration |
Growth Plan
For apps scaling beyond four channels or needing deeper analysis, the Growth Plan adds:
- 330+ ad channels for full multi-channel attribution
- Custom events to track app-specific funnel steps
- Raw data export for warehouse analysis
- Fraud detection and validation rules to check install quality
- Unlimited third-party integrations with analytics and revenue platforms
- Touchpoints Overlap Report to see how channels interact before conversion
Real-World Results
Subscription apps have used Airbridge data to improve results past the install:
- Planfit identified free trial start as the strongest signal of paid conversion, optimized campaigns around cost per free trial, and reduced customer acquisition cost by 40% (case study)
- Wasabi tracked conversion at the TikTok video level, then refined onboarding and in-app flows around its best ads. The team reports a 2x increase in monetization, with its monthly revenue run rate doubling (case study)
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Try It Free →What Other Tools Show for Install-to-Subscription Funnels
Several mobile measurement platforms offer funnel capabilities, each with different strengths for subscription tracking. This table reflects each vendor's public pages:
| Tool | Funnel Capability | Subscription Focus | Starting Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Airbridge | Built-in Funnel Report with 25 standard events | Start Trial, Subscribe, and Unsubscribe are standard events on Core Plan | $40+/mo after 30-day free trial |
| AppsFlyer | Conversion path visualization and cohort reports | In-app subscription revenue measurement is listed on its pricing page | Zero plan is free but not suitable for paid activities; Growth is $0.07 per conversion after 12K free conversions; Enterprise is custom |
| Adjust | Analytics and reporting; see Adjust's site | Subscriptions is a Growth solution added to your package through Adjust | See Adjust's pricing page |
| Branch | Conversion path visualization is listed on its pricing page | Configurable in-app events | Free trial on Basics; no prices on its pricing page |
| Singular | Cohort, retention, and ROAS reports | Subscription events supported; see Singular's docs | Free plan with 15,000 paid conversions; Growth is $0.05 per conversion; Enterprise is custom |
| Kochava | Measurement and analytics, with row-level reporting from Foundation | Custom post-install events from Foundation | $0/mo with 10K conversions; Foundation from $500/mo; Enterprise from $2,000/mo |
| RevenueCat | Subscription analytics (Charts) | Built specifically for subscription revenue | Free up to $2.5K MTR, then 1% of MTR |
RevenueCat deserves special mention because it specializes in subscription management and analytics. It integrates officially with AppsFlyer, Adjust, Branch, Singular, and Kochava to send subscription events to those attribution platforms. This means you can pair RevenueCat's subscription data with an MMP's attribution data to see the full picture.
Airbridge also integrates with RevenueCat, a supported integration on the Core Plan, along with Adapty and Superwall. This combination lets RevenueCat handle subscription receipt validation and event tracking while Airbridge attributes those events back to acquisition channels in the Funnel Report.
For a deeper comparison of subscription tracking across platforms, see AppsFlyer vs. Airbridge for subscription tracking and choosing the right MMP for subscription apps.
How to Set It Up
Setting up an install-to-subscription funnel in Airbridge involves three steps:
1. Integrate the SDK and Connect Revenue Data
Install the Airbridge SDK in your app. If you use RevenueCat for subscription management, connect it so subscription events (trial start, first purchase, trial conversion, renewal, cancellation) flow into Airbridge automatically. Send these events from one source only, because sending them from both the SDK and RevenueCat double counts them.
2. Define Your Funnel Stages
In the Airbridge dashboard, navigate to the Funnel Report and select the events that represent each stage of your subscription journey:
| Stage | Airbridge Event |
|---|---|
| App install | Install (standard event) |
| Account creation | Sign Up (standard event) |
| Trial start | Start Trial (standard event) |
| Subscription purchase | Subscribe (standard event) |
Because these are included in the 25 standard events, no custom event configuration is required on the Core Plan. RevenueCat sends first purchases, trial conversions, and renewals all as Subscribe.
3. Segment by Channel and Campaign
Group your funnel by Channel and Campaign to see which acquisition sources produce the highest conversion rates at each stage. On the Core Plan, you can compare Apple Ads, Google Ads, Meta Ads, and TikTok side by side, and tracking links cover other sources such as creator links.
Use the Revenue Report alongside the Funnel Report to connect channel-level funnel performance to actual subscription revenue. Predictive LTV, available up to day 180, estimates which channels will deliver the most long-term value, not just the most installs.
For guidance on tracking cost per install alongside your funnel data, see how to track CPI by channel.
FAQ
Can I track the install-to-subscription funnel without custom events?
Yes. Airbridge's Core Plan includes 25 standard events, including Install, Sign Up, Start Trial, Subscribe, and Unsubscribe. You can build a complete funnel using only these standard events without writing custom event definitions. Renewals arrive as Subscribe, so they are not a separate step.
How does RevenueCat work with Airbridge for subscription funnels?
RevenueCat handles server-side subscription receipt validation and sends subscription lifecycle events (trial start, first purchase, trial conversion, renewal, cancellation) to Airbridge via their integration. Airbridge then attributes those events to the original install source, so you can see the funnel from ad click through subscription by channel and campaign. RevenueCat is a supported integration on the Core Plan.
What is the difference between Airbridge Core and Growth for subscription funnel tracking?
Core Plan ($40+/mo) gives you the Funnel Report with 25 standard events, 4 ad channels, 500K data points, and 2 third-party integrations, enough to track a subscription funnel across your main acquisition sources. Growth Plan adds 330+ ad channels, custom events, raw data export, fraud detection, and the Touchpoints Overlap Report for apps that need deeper analysis at scale.
How many data points does a subscription funnel use?
One data point is one event sent to Airbridge. An install, an app open, and a purchase each count as one, so plan your volume on total events, not only funnel steps. Clicks and impressions on your tracking links don't count. The Core Plan includes 500K data points per month. Overage is $0.0001 per data point.
Can I see how long users take to move between funnel stages?
Yes. The Funnel Report shows average and median conversion time, and you can group it by channel. To see the time for one stage, such as trial to paid subscription, build a separate funnel with only those two steps. The Retention Report then lets you compare retention across channels.
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