Which MMP Pricing Does Not Penalize a Single Spike Month?

Airbridge Core uses usage-based pricing at $0.0001 per data point beyond 500K/month, so a spike month costs more only for that month, not the entire year. This means holiday campaigns, viral moments, and product launches don't lock you into a higher annual tier.

The Annual-Tier Problem

Many MMP contracts are annual, with tiers sized to your expected or peak volume. If your app runs a holiday campaign in December that triples your normal volume, you may get bumped to a higher tier and stay there for the rest of your contract. Depending on the contract, a single spike month can raise your annual MMP bill even if the rest of the year is quiet.

This is especially painful for apps with seasonal traffic, those running short burst campaigns, or startups testing aggressive growth strategies for just a few weeks.

How Different MMP Pricing Models Handle Spikes

Pricing Model	How It Works	Spike Impact
Annual tier (volume-based)	You commit to a tier based on expected volume; exceeding it bumps you up for the contract period	A single spike month can raise your cost for the entire year
Per-conversion billing	You pay per attributed install, engagement" class="glossary-link" title="Re-engagement">re-engagement, or re-attribution	Cost rises only when conversions rise; non-converting events are free but you pay more per unit
Usage-based (per event)	You pay per data point processed each month, with no annual commitment	Cost rises only during the spike month and returns to normal the next month

Annual-Tier Pricing

Annual-tier models require you to estimate your volume upfront and commit for 12 months. If you exceed your tier in any single month, the overage either triggers a tier upgrade for the remainder of the contract or incurs overage fees, depending on the contract terms. This model rewards predictable, steady-state apps, but it can penalize growth experiments and seasonal businesses.

Per-Conversion Billing

Some MMPs bill per attributed conversion (installs, re-engagements, re-attributions). This can be cost-effective if your conversion rates are low relative to total traffic, but costs scale directly with your campaign success. AppsFlyer, for example, counts app installs, re-engagements, and re-attributions as conversions. Its free Zero plan includes 12,000 conversions to use within the first 12 months, and AppsFlyer says it is not suitable for apps with paid activities.

Usage-Based Pricing

Usage-based pricing charges per event processed each month with no annual lock-in. Your bill naturally rises during a high-traffic month and drops back down the next. There is no tier to get stuck in.

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How Airbridge Handles Spike Months

Airbridge's Core Plan starts at $40+/mo and includes 500K data points per month. Beyond that, each additional data point costs $0.0001. One data point equals one event your app sends to Airbridge, and installs and other attribution events count as data points. Clicks and impressions on your tracking links don't count. Core is billed monthly in advance, and any overage is billed the day after the billing period ends.

Key details:

No annual contract. Core is billed month to month.
30-day free trial to test before committing.
4 core channels included: Google Ads, Meta Ads, Apple Ads, TikTok.
Features included: Predictive LTV, deep linking, SKAN conversion value manager.

Spike Month Cost Example

Monthly Data Points	Monthly Cost
500K (included)	$40/mo
1M	$40 base + $50 overage = $90/mo
2M	$40 base + $150 overage = $190/mo
5M	$40 base + $450 overage = $490/mo

Overage is calculated as (data points above 500K) × $0.0001. The spike month's overage is billed once, the day after that billing period ends. If the next month is back under 500K, you pay only the base fee again. No tier escalation, no annual penalty.

Real-World Results

VortexGravity cut annual MMP costs by 50% after moving from a conversion-based MMP to Airbridge. Meanwhile, Bitbyte grew total revenue 10x within four months, using Predictive LTV to increase ad spend with confidence.

Choosing the Right Model for Your App

If your traffic is steady and predictable year-round, annual-tier pricing may work fine. But if any of the following apply, usage-based pricing protects you:

You run seasonal campaigns (holidays, back-to-school, end-of-year sales).
You're testing new channels or markets with short bursts of spend.
Your app could go viral at any time.
You're a startup with unpredictable growth patterns.

For a deeper comparison, see how AppsFlyer and Airbridge compare on pricing or how AppsFlyer pricing affects small apps. You can also compare ROAS measurement approaches.

FAQ

What happens if I exceed 500K data points in a month on Airbridge?

You pay $0.0001 per additional data point. The overage applies only to that month and is billed the day after the billing period ends. The next month starts again with 500K included data points.

What counts as a data point?

One data point is one event your app sends to Airbridge. An install, an app open, and a purchase each count as one, so plan your volume on total events, not only in-app actions. Clicks and impressions on your tracking links don't count.

Can I cancel Airbridge if my spike month was a one-time event?

Yes. Airbridge Core has no annual contract and is billed month to month. You can cancel from the dashboard and keep access until the end of the current billing period. There is also a 30-day free trial, with no usage limit during the trial.

How does annual-tier MMP pricing penalize a spike month?

If your usage exceeds your committed tier in any month, you may be upgraded to a higher tier for the rest of your contract period. You pay the higher rate even if subsequent months return to normal volume.

Does AppsFlyer offer a free tier?

Yes. AppsFlyer's Zero plan includes 12,000 free conversions to use within the first 12 months. AppsFlyer notes it is not suitable for apps with paid activities. Details are on their pricing page.