Free deep linking tools

What counts as a free deep linking tool?

A free deep linking tool has a permanent or time-limited free plan that creates links which open a screen in your app. What the free plan includes varies far more than the word free suggests.

Check three things on any free plan:

• Deferred deep links: do new users still land on the right screen after installing?
• Your own domain: can links run on a domain you control, so they survive a future move?
• Limits: is the allowance one-time, monthly or only for the first year?

Which free plans include deferred deep links?

The table shows every platform with a free plan, Linkrunner first, then A to Z. Columns show what is on the free plan specifically.

Free or entry plan Paid plan Yes, plan not stated Partly Not published No

Platform	Deferred deep links	Universal Links and App Links	Custom link domain	QR codes	Install attribution	Free plan	Paid price
LinkrunnerMMP with links	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 planAttribution and deep linking in one platformL1	25k attributed installs, one time, no expiry, every feature	$0.012 down to $0.007 per attributed install after the free 25kL2
AdjustMMP with links	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	Free or entry planFree Base plan for the first yearAD1	1.5k conversions a month, first year only	Not public beyond the free planAD1
AppsFlyerMMP with links	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 planZero plan with 12k free conversions in the first yearA2	12k conversions, first year only	$0.07 per conversion (Growth); deep linking tiers are custom pricedA2A1
BitlyLink tool	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	NoClick and scan analytics onlyBT1	5 links and 2 QR codes a month	Mobile deep links from Premium, $199 a month billed annuallyBT1
DubLink tool	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	PartlyConversion tracking from Business ($81); no ad network install attribution describedD1	25 new links a month, 3 custom domains	$27 a month (Pro) for deep linksD1
KochavaMMP with links	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	Free or entry planFree App Analytics, 10k conversions a monthK1	10k conversions a month	From $500 a month (Foundation)K1
OneLink.toLink tool	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	NoNo install attribution listedO1	3 onelinks with QR codes	From $10 a month; deep linking from $40O1
Short.ioLink tool	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	NoClick analytics onlySH1	1k branded links, 5 custom domains	Mobile deep links from Team, $48 a monthSH1
SingularMMP with links	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	Free or entry planFree plan up to 15k paid conversionsS1	15k paid conversions	$0.05 per conversion (Growth)S1

• Linkrunner: every feature on the free plan, including deferred links and attribution, for 25k attributed installs once, with no expiry.
• Adjust: deferred links on every plan, including Base, free to 1.5k conversions a month for the first year.
• Kochava: SmartLinks with QR codes on the free plan of 10k conversions a month; Universal Links and App Links support from Foundation.
• Singular: deep linking on the free plan up to 15k paid conversions; Singular does not say which plan covers deferred links.
• AppsFlyer: short links, QR codes and routing on Zero; deferred links from the Standard tier.

Which link tools are free?

Link tool: a link shortener or app-link service that does not attribute installs to ad networks.

• Short.io: 5 custom domains and 1k branded links free; deep links from the $48 Team plan.
• Dub: 3 custom domains and QR codes free; deferred deep links from the $27 Pro plan.
• Bitly: 5 links and 2 QR codes a month free; custom domains from Growth, deep links on Premium.
• OneLink.to: 3 free app store links with QR codes; Android deferred links from $40 a month.

These suit teams whose links mostly open an installed app, or who want branded links first.

When is free not enough?

• Volume: one-time and monthly caps run out as campaigns grow; first-year plans end on a date.
• Deferred links behind a paywall: several tools keep them for paid plans, which matters most after replacing Firebase Dynamic Links.
• Attribution: if you need to know which campaign drove each install, see deep linking tools with attribution.

The App Attribution Guide's chapter on deep linking and deferred deep linking explains why deferred links depend on matching the install to the click. Linkrunner's glossary entry on deferred deep linking covers the same idea in brief.