Choose a deep linking tool by what you need it to do
Five questions, 12 live platforms: MMPs with built-in links and standalone link tools, compared from their own pricing pages and docs.
If you also need attribution, pick an MMP with built-in deep linking: on the facts compared here Linkrunner covers deferred links, Universal Links and App Links, custom domains, QR and web-to-app on its free plan. If you only need links that open an installed app, a link tool such as Dub, Short.io or Bitly is simpler. Firebase Dynamic Links shut down on 25 August 2025.
Which deep linking tool fits your app?
Answer five questions. The shortlist re-ranks on what each platform documents, and on what your budget allows.
How do deep linking platforms compare?
Six link features, the free plan and the paid price for each platform.
Free or entry plan Paid plan Yes, plan not stated Partly Not published No
| Platform | Install attribution | Deferred deep links | Universal Links and App Links | Custom link domain | QR codes | Web-to-app | Free plan | Paid price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 AdjustMMP with links | Free or entry planFree Base plan for the first yearAD1 | Free or entry planDirect and deferred deep linking on every planAD1 | Yes, plan not statedDocumented under TrueLinkAD4 | Paid planOwn domain on TrueLink Core Standard or Enterprise packagesAD2 | Yes, plan not statedQR code with short branded linksAD3 | Paid planSmart banners are a paid add-onAD1AD5 | 1.5k conversions a month, first year only | Not public beyond the free planAD1 |
 AirbridgeMMP with links | Free or entry planGoogle, Meta, Apple and TikTok attribution in CoreAB2 | Free or entry planDeferred deep links in CoreAB1 | Not publishedNot stated on the pricing pages | Free or entry planCustom domains in CoreAB2 | Free or entry planShort links and QR codes in CoreAB1 | Free or entry planWeb-to-app banner in CoreAB1 | 30-day free trial | From $40 a month (Core), billed per data pointAB1 |
 AppsFlyerMMP with links | Free or entry planZero plan with 12k free conversions in the first yearA2 | Paid planStandard deep linking tier and upA1 | Free or entry planIncluded in all packagesA1 | Paid planBranded domains on Advanced and upA1 | Free or entry planShort links and QR codes on ZeroA1 | Free or entry planWeb and social-to-app routing on Zero; smart banners on AdvancedA1 | 12k conversions, first year only | $0.07 per conversion (Growth); deep linking tiers are custom pricedA2A1 |
| BitlyLink tool | NoClick and scan analytics onlyBT1 | Not publishedNot stated | Paid planOn a custom domain, Premium and upBT1BT2 | Paid planCustom branded links from GrowthBT1 | Free or entry plan2 QR codes a month on FreeBT1 | Not publishedNot stated | 5 links and 2 QR codes a month | Mobile deep links from Premium, $199 a month billed annuallyBT1 |
 BranchMMP with links | Yes, plan not statedYes; plan details not publishedB1 | Yes, plan not statedYes; plan not publishedB1 | Yes, plan not statedThrough app.link and custom domainsB2 | Yes, plan not statedCustom link domain supportedB2 | Yes, plan not statedDocumented; plan not confirmedB2 | Yes, plan not statedJourneys banners with the Web SDKB2 | Trial only (Basics) | No public pricesB1 |
| DubLink tool | PartlyConversion tracking from Business ($81); no ad network install attribution describedD1 | Paid planPro and up: Install Referrer on Android, clipboard or IP match on iOSD2 | Paid planDeep link domains with AASA and assetlinks files, Pro and upD3 | Free or entry plan3 custom domains on FreeD1 | Free or entry planQR codes on FreeD1 | Not publishedNot stated | 25 new links a month, 3 custom domains | $27 a month (Pro) for deep linksD1 |
| Firebase Dynamic LinksRetired | Shut downShut downF1 | Shut downShut downF1 | Shut downShut downF1 | Shut downShut downF1 | Shut downShut downF1 | Shut downShut downF1 | Shut down 25 Aug 2025 | Shut downF1 |
 KochavaMMP with links | Free or entry planFree App Analytics, 10k conversions a monthK1 | Yes, plan not statedListed; plan not statedK1 | Paid planFoundation and upK1 | Yes, plan not statedCustom domain or vanity links listed; plan not statedK1 | Free or entry planSmartLinks with QR codes on FreeK1 | Not publishedNot stated | 10k conversions a month | From $500 a month (Foundation)K1 |
 LinkrunnerMMP with links | Free or entry planAttribution and deep linking in one platformL1 | Free or entry planEvery link deferred by defaultL1 | Free or entry planUniversal Links and App LinksL1 | Free or entry planBranded short links on custom domainsL1 | Free or entry planQR code deep linksL1 | Free or entry planWeb-to-app flowsL1 | 25k attributed installs, one time, no expiry, every feature | $0.012 down to $0.007 per attributed install after the free 25kL2 |
| OneLink.toLink tool | NoNo install attribution listedO1 | Paid planAndroid only, Team ($40 a month) and upO1 | Not publishedOpen in App on Team Plus; method not statedO1 | Paid plan1 on Team Plus ($80), 3 on EnterpriseO1 | Free or entry planQR codes on FreeO1 | Not publishedNot stated | 3 onelinks with QR codes | From $10 a month; deep linking from $40O1 |
| Short.ioLink tool | NoClick analytics onlySH1 | NoOpens the browser when the app is missingSH1 | Not publishedNot stated | Free or entry plan5 custom domains on FreeSH1 | Free or entry planQR codes for branded linksSH1 | Not publishedNot stated | 1k branded links, 5 custom domains | Mobile deep links from Team, $48 a monthSH1 |
 SingularMMP with links | Free or entry planFree plan up to 15k paid conversionsS1 | Yes, plan not statedSingular Links handle deferred deep links; plan not statedS4S5 | Yes, plan not statedCovered in Singular Links setupS5 | Yes, plan not statedBranded domains instead of sng.linkS2 | Yes, plan not statedQR codes for custom source linksS3 | Yes, plan not statedSmart bannersS4 | 15k paid conversions | $0.05 per conversion (Growth)S1 |
| URLgeniusLink tool | PartlyMeasures installs and app engagement without an SDKU1 | Paid planDeferred journeys on Custom, from $199 a monthU1 | NoUses URL schemes insteadU2 | Paid planOne branded domain +$49 on GrowthU1 | Free or entry planEvery link comes with a QR codeU2 | Paid planCustom app banners on CustomU1 | Starter plan with trial clicks | $0.02 per click (Growth); Custom from $199 a monthU1 |
Listed alphabetically. Superscripts link to the source for each cell; every source was read on 2 Nov 2026. Firebase Dynamic Links is shown for reference only.
What is a deep linking tool?
A deep linking tool creates links that send each user to the right place: a screen inside the app if it is installed, the right app store if it is not, and a web page on desktop.
- Deep link
- A link that opens a specific screen inside an app rather than its home screen or a web page.
- Deferred deep link
- A deep link that survives an install: the user goes to the store, installs, opens the app and still lands on the promised screen.
- MMP with built-in linking
- A mobile measurement partner whose links also attribute the install and later events to the campaign that drove them.
- Link tool
- A link shortener or app-link service that opens apps but does not attribute installs to ad networks.
Decisions people come here for
- DecisionReplacing Firebase Dynamic LinksFirebase Dynamic Links shut down on 25 August 2025. How to pick a replacement: what Dynamic Links did, which features you still need, and how platforms compare.
- DecisionReplacing Branch linksMoving deep links off Branch? Check which link features you use, what each alternative documents and costs, and how to move links on your own domain safely.
- RankingDeep linking tools with attributionThe deep linking tools that also attribute installs, ranked on six link features and free plans: Linkrunner, AppsFlyer, Airbridge, Adjust, Kochava and more.
- ShortlistFree deep linking toolsFree deep linking tools compared: which free plans include deferred deep links, custom domains, QR codes and attribution, and where paid plans start for each.
Platform pages
- MMP with linksAdjustAn MMP whose plans all include direct and deferred deep linking; the advanced TrueLink product, your own link domain and smart banners are paid packages or add-ons.
- MMP with linksAirbridgeAn MMP whose $40-a-month Core plan bundles deferred deep links, custom domains, QR codes and a web-to-app banner with attribution, after a 30-day trial.
- MMP with linksAppsFlyerAn MMP whose OneLink links are split across four deep linking tiers: the free Zero tier keeps short links, QR codes and routing, while deferred deep linking, branded domains and smart banners sit on custom-priced tiers.
- Link toolBitlyA link shortener and QR platform whose Mobile Deep Links feature, on Premium and Enterprise, opens your app through Universal Links and App Links on a custom domain.
- MMP with linksBranchAn MMP with deep linking at its core; its Basics, Essentials and Enterprise plans publish no prices, and Basics is a trial.
- Link toolDubA link management platform with branded short links, QR codes and, from the $27 Pro plan, deep links with deferred deep linking on iOS and Android.
- MMP with linksKochavaAn MMP whose free plan includes SmartLinks with QR codes every month; Universal Links and App Links support starts on the $500-a-month Foundation plan.
- MMP with linksLinkrunnerAn MMP that unifies deep linking and attribution: every link is dynamic and deferred by default, with branded links on custom domains, QR codes and web-to-app flows, and every feature is on the free plan.
- Link toolOneLink.toAn app store redirect and QR service, unrelated to AppsFlyer's OneLink, whose paid plans add Android deferred deep linking and an open-in-app option.
- Link toolShort.ioA branded link shortener with a generous free plan on your own domains; its Team plan adds mobile deep links that open the app if installed and the browser if not.
- MMP with linksSingularAn MMP whose free plan includes deep linking up to 15k paid conversions; Singular Links support deferred deep links, branded domains, QR codes and smart banners.
- Link toolURLgeniusAn SDK-free app linking service that opens apps through URL schemes, including apps you don't own, priced per click, with deferred journeys and banners on its Custom plan.
Questions
Which deep linking tool should I use if I also need attribution?
Use an MMP with built-in linking, so the link click, the install and later events sit in one record. On the six link features and free plans compared here, Linkrunner covers all six on its free plan; Airbridge bundles deferred links, custom domains, QR and a web-to-app banner from $40 a month, and AppsFlyer, Adjust, Branch, Kochava and Singular put some features on paid plans or do not say which plan.
What is the best free deep linking tool?
It depends on whether you need deferred deep links. Linkrunner's free plan includes deferred links and attribution for 25k installs; Kochava's free plan includes SmartLinks with QR codes each month; Dub and Short.io have free branded links but put deep links on paid plans.
Which link tools work without an MMP?
Dub, Bitly, Short.io, URLgenius and OneLink.to all create app links without being an MMP. Dub documents deferred deep linking from its $27 Pro plan, URLgenius opens apps through URL schemes without an SDK, and OneLink.to offers Android-only deferred links from $40 a month.
What is a deep linking tool?
A deep linking tool creates links that open a specific screen inside a mobile app instead of the home screen or a web page. Good tools also handle users without the app, sending them to the store and then to the right screen after install.
What is deferred deep linking?
Deferred deep linking keeps the link's destination through an app install. A user who taps a link without the app goes to the store, installs, opens the app and still lands on the screen the link promised.
Do I need an MMP to deep link?
No. Link tools such as Dub, Bitly or Short.io can open an installed app. You need an MMP when you also want to know which ad, creator or campaign drove each install, because MMPs tie the link click to the install and to in-app events.