Mobile Attribution Pricing Guide: Billing Units, Overages, Add-Ons, and Contract Terms (2026)
Compare mobile attribution pricing models across event-based, MAU, and install billing. Learn how overage spikes, add-on fees, and contract lock-in affect total MMP costs.
Key takeaways
- Metering units determine spike exposure: Mobile Measurement Partners (MMPs) meter usage primarily by app events (data points), billable conversions (attributed installs and re-engagements), or monthly active users (MAU). Transparent overage rates allow founders to calculate exact invoice spikes during user acquisition pushes, whereas quote-based tiers leave overage costs unstated until an invoice arrives.
- Base software prices often exclude core tools: Headline entry prices do not always represent the full software cost. While some vendors bundle core capabilities like fraud detection, raw data access, cost aggregation, and predictive modeling directly into entry plans, others treat advanced fraud suites and data pipelines as paid add-ons or reserve them for enterprise tiers.
- Contract terms dictate long-term risk: Self-serve options operating on month-to-month terms eliminate auto-renewal exposure. In contrast, annual enterprise agreements often include non-cancelable payment clauses and auto-renewal terms that require written notice between 30 and 45 days prior to contract termination.
- Free access varies in scope: Free tiers and entry packages range from conversion-capped introductory packages to 30-day self-serve trials with no sales call required.
How MMP billing units work (Installs vs. Events vs. MAU)
Every attribution platform calculates software usage through a designated metering unit. When an app scales ad spend across ad networks like Unity Ads or Moloco, or encounters an organic spike, the chosen billing unit determines how quickly costs escalate.
Event-based billing (data points)
Under an event-based pricing model, usage is measured by the raw number of incoming server and client events sent by your app SDK. This includes app opens, installs, in-app purchases, and custom user actions.
On the Airbridge Core Plan, pricing starts from $40+/mo and includes 500,000 data points per month. If your app exceeds that monthly allowance, additional data points are billed at a published overage rate of $0.0001 each according to Airbridge Pricing. This structure gives small development teams an inspectable calculation: tracking an extra 100,000 post-install events during a promotional push adds exactly $10 to the monthly invoice.
Conversion-based billing (attributed installs and re-engagements)
Conversion-based models bill strictly when a campaign generates a qualifying conversion event, such as an attributed install or a paid re-engagement.
- AppsFlyer: The introductory package provides 12,000 free conversion measurements for the first year on the Welcome package according to AppsFlyer Pricing. After exhausting the included allowance, the pay-as-you-go tier charges $0.07 per conversion as reported by SplitMetrics. However, billable conversions depend on the specific filters selected in your reporting dashboard, and without Single Source of Truth (SSOT) enabled, the higher daily count between SKAdNetwork and real-time attribution (RTA) is billed according to the AppsFlyer Knowledge Base.
- Singular: Singular's entry-level free tier includes 15,000 paid conversions, while its Growth tier lists a rate of $0.05 per conversion according to SplitMetrics and ClickPatrol. Singular also provides ad-spend-based pricing options.
Monthly active user (MAU) and tracked-user billing
MAU models charge based on the total count of unique users who launch your app within a given calendar month.
- Kochava: Provides a Free App Analytics tier covering up to 10,000 attributed conversions monthly, while paid Foundation tiers start from $500/month and Enterprise tiers start from $2,000/month as outlined in the Airbridge ROAS Tools Guide. Kochava tiers set explicit thresholds around conversions or active user volume according to ClickPatrol.
- Adjust: Adjust provides a free tier covering up to 1,500 monthly attributions for 12 months as reported by SplitMetrics. Higher plans tie pricing to monthly tracked users on a custom, quote-based model according to Best Analytics Tools 2026, meaning specific overage rates are not publicly listed.
- Branch: Branch structures pricing through custom Order Forms and applicable tier rates according to Branch SaaS Terms. Public usage allowances and overage rates are not stated on its website.
Billing unit comparison
As documented across platform terms, published usage allowances set the baseline before additional charges apply, as noted by Schematic:
| Attribution Platform | Primary Pricing Model | Included Base Volume | Published Overage Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Airbridge | App events (data points) | 500,000 data points/month | $0.0001 per additional data point |
| AppsFlyer | Measured conversions | 12,000 conversions (first year) | $0.07 per conversion |
| Singular | Paid conversions or ad spend | 15,000 paid conversions | $0.05 per conversion (Growth) |
| Adjust | Monthly attributions / Tracked users | 1,500 monthly attributions | Custom / Quote-based |
| Kochava | Conversions / Spend / MAU | 10,000 conversions (Free) | Tiered (Foundation from $500/mo) |
| Branch | Custom / Tiered packages | Varies by tier | Custom Order Form |
The real cost of add-ons (Fraud protection, Raw data, and Predictive LTV)
Evaluating mobile attribution software requires looking beyond entry subscription fees. Many tools necessary for daily campaign optimization, such as automated fraud detection, raw data access, cost aggregation, and predictive lifetime value (LTV) modeling, are packaged differently across vendors.
Bundled capabilities vs. premium modules
- Airbridge: Airbridge includes fraud detection, raw data export, cost aggregation, and Predictive LTV as standard platform capabilities rather than separate paid add-ons according to the Airbridge Core Plan. Core includes two third-party integrations alongside reporting, attribution, deferred deep linking, and AI workflows. Cost aggregation combines network spend with attribution metrics for performance tracking, as detailed in the Airbridge Cost Models Glossary.
- Singular: Singular bundles more than 50 fraud detection and prevention methods into its attribution product at no extra charge according to Best Analytics Tools 2026, and provides customer data access without an added surcharge as noted in the Singular Attribution Report. However, marketing ETL exports and ad-monetization analytics require paid add-ons according to ClickPatrol.
- AppsFlyer: The Welcome package includes 30 days of select premium add-ons according to AppsFlyer Pricing. After that initial trial period, premium add-ons convert to a paid subscription basis as stated on the AppsFlyer Pricing page. Additionally, its enterprise fraud suite, Protect360, is positioned above base packages with custom pricing according to ClickPatrol.
- Adjust: Adjust provides attribution and measurement on a quote basis. According to Best Analytics Tools 2026, adding Adjust's advanced fraud protection can represent a benchmarked surcharge of 15% to 30% of total contract value.
- Branch: Branch packages features into tiered plans. Deferred deep linking requires a Premium plan according to Best Analytics Tools 2026, while Connected TV (CTV) and OTT attribution are reserved for Enterprise tiers as listed on Branch Pricing.
When evaluating attribution vendors, verify which reports, exports, and analytics capabilities are included in the base subscription to determine total operating costs, as recommended in the Adjust MMP Buyer's Guide.
Contract lock-in, auto-renewal, and cancellation windows
Contractual flexibility is a critical factor for growth-stage subscription apps. Multi-year commitments and auto-renewal clauses can create significant financial exposure if campaign performance fluctuates or marketing strategies shift.
Auto-renewal notice requirements
- Airbridge: The Core plan operates on a month-to-month subscription with no annual contract or annual lock-in, allowing teams to cancel at any time directly through their billing settings as documented in the Airbridge Pricing and Contract Terms Guide and Airbridge SDK Guide.
- AppsFlyer: AppsFlyer packages under an Order Form automatically renew unless written cancellation notice is submitted at least 45 days before the term ends according to the Airbridge Pricing and Contract Terms Guide. In contrast, AppsFlyer's integrated partner agreement specifies a 30-day advance written notice window for agreement termination. The signed Order Form controls the specific exit terms. Account deletion and tier downgrades require contacting a Customer Success Manager or support representative rather than using an in-app control according to the AppsFlyer Knowledge Base.
- Branch: Under Branch SaaS Terms, payment obligations are non-cancelable and fees are non-refundable, even if provisioned services remain unused. Subscriptions automatically renew under existing Order Form terms unless written non-renewal notice is delivered at least 30 days prior to the start of the next term.
- Singular: Premium services automatically renew for periods matching the original term length unless written notice is provided at least 30 days in advance, with terms stating that outstanding amounts due become accelerated upon termination as reported in Singular Legal.
For teams managing early-stage ad budgets, confirm contract durations, cancellation windows, and account modification processes before signing an enterprise agreement.
Budgeting MMP costs for lean ad budgets ($1,000 to $5,000 monthly spend)
For consumer subscription apps spending between $1,000 and $5,000 per month across channels like Unity Ads, Moloco, and Meta, attribution software costs should remain proportionate to media spend.
Scenario: Scaling app event volume during a paid push
Suppose an early-stage subscription app generates 400,000 total monthly app events across installs, sign-ups, and subscription trials.
- Baseline Month: Usage stays within the 500,000 data-point limit on Airbridge Core. The attribution invoice remains at the base rate of $40+/mo.
- Campaign Surge Month: The team scales ad spend on Unity Ads and Moloco, driving a surge in new user registrations. App events reach 850,000 for the month (a 350,000 event overage above the baseline).
- Overage Calculation: Overage Cost = 350,000 × $0.0001 = $35.00
- Total Monthly Attribution Cost: Total Invoice = $40.00 + $35.00 = $75.00
Because the overage rate is defined and capped directly at $0.0001 per event, the team avoids unexpected billing jumps or forced transitions into multi-thousand-dollar enterprise tiers during growth phases.
FAQS
Frequently asked questions
Do mobile attribution platforms offer free trials without sales calls?
Yes, several attribution providers provide self-serve entry points:
- Airbridge: Offers a 30-day free trial with no sales call required, allowing teams to test platform workflows and track app event volume before paid billing begins at $40+/mo according to Airbridge Pricing and the Airbridge Pricing and Contract Terms Guide.
- AppsFlyer: Offers a free signup path and a Welcome package covering 12,000 free conversion measurements over the first year without requiring payment details, as outlined on AppsFlyer Pricing and the AppsFlyer Knowledge Base.
- Singular: Provides a 14-day free trial that can be started without a credit card according to Singular Fintech.
- Adjust: Provides a free signup path and a free base tier covering up to 1,500 monthly attributions for 12 months according to SplitMetrics.
- Branch: Provides a free trial path through its Basics tier as noted in the Airbridge Pricing and Contract Terms Guide.
- Kochava: Offers a Free App Analytics package for early-stage apps as well as trial options for paid tiers according to the Airbridge ROAS Tools Guide.
How do seasonal traffic spikes affect attribution invoices?
In event-based models with published overage rates, such as Airbridge Core, traffic spikes are billed at a predictable formula ($0.0001 per additional data point beyond the included 500,000 allowance).
In conversion-based models, such as AppsFlyer's pay-as-you-go tier, surges are billed per conversion ($0.07 per conversion after the welcome package according to AppsFlyer Pricing). On platforms utilizing quote-based annual contracts, usage limits and overage charges depend on individual Order Form terms.
What cancellation terms should growth marketers review before signing an MMP contract?
Review the auto-renewal notice window and account downgrade procedures:
- Check whether the subscription requires a 30-day or 45-day written cancellation notice prior to contract renewal.
- Check whether unpaid contract balances accelerate upon termination.
- Confirm whether account cancellations can be completed self-serve within the billing dashboard or require written coordination with a dedicated account representative.
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