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Mobile Development · head to head

AppsFlyer vs BuildFire

AppsFlyer logo

AppsFlyer

Mobile Development

Mobile attribution and marketing analytics measuring which campaigns produced which installs

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
BuildFire logo

BuildFire

Mobile Development

Launch your app in weeks

From
$165/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: AppsFlyer pricing is per attributed conversion on an annual commitment, so a successful quarter raises the measurement bill in step with media spend and overage rates above the commitment are usually punitive.; BuildFire standard plan at $165/month is limited to 1 in-app purchase, 1 admin seat and 5GB storage
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which AppsFlyer and BuildFire actually diverge.

Attributes where AppsFlyer and BuildFire differ
AttributeAppsFlyerBuildFire
Starting priceOn request$165/month
Pricing modelPer attributed conversionsubscription
PlatformsiOS, Android, WebWeb

Identical on both: free tier (No), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Mobile Development).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in AppsFlyer

  • Multi touch install attribution
  • SKAdNetwork and iOS aggregation
  • Deep linking
  • Fraud protection
  • Raw data export
  • Incrementality testing

Only in BuildFire

Nothing recorded that AppsFlyer does not also cover.

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

AppsFlyer

  • An app spending meaningfully on paid acquisition across several networks that need reconciling against one source of truthnot BuildFire
  • Publishers who suspect they are paying for fraudulent installs and want them rejected before billingnot BuildFire
  • Teams that must move event level marketing data into a warehouse for their own modellingnot BuildFire
  • Apps running deferred deep links from web, email and social into specific in app contentnot BuildFire

BuildFire

  • Publishing apps to iOS, Android, webnot AppsFlyer
  • Building community apps without codingnot AppsFlyer
  • Sending geofenced push notifications to usersnot AppsFlyer
  • Monetizing apps with in-app purchasesnot AppsFlyer

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

AppsFlyer

  • Pricing is per attributed conversion on an annual commitment, so a successful quarter raises the measurement bill in step with media spend and overage rates above the commitment are usually punitive.
  • iOS attribution lost genuine capability when App Tracking Transparency arrived, and a good deal of what the interface now shows is modelled rather than observed, which the reports do not always make obvious.
  • The headline price covers attribution only; deep linking, fraud protection, audiences and raw data export are separate modules, so the quoted figure and the invoice differ substantially.
  • Self attributing networks such as Meta and Google report their own numbers, and reconciling those against AppsFlyer is ongoing work that no vendor eliminates.
  • Historic attribution data does not transfer between measurement partners, so switching vendors resets year on year comparisons and effectively locks in the incumbent after a couple of years.

BuildFire

  • Standard plan at $165/month is limited to 1 in-app purchase, 1 admin seat and 5GB storage
  • Unlimited in-app purchases require the $440/month Scale plan

Pricing, plan by plan

AppsFlyer

On request
  • AppsFlyer$undefined/year
    • Annual commitment purchasing a volume of attributed conversions, with overage charged above it
    • Deep linking, fraud protection, audiences and raw data export are priced as separate modules

BuildFire

$165/month
  • Standard$165/month
    • 100K push notifications
    • 5GB storage
    • 1 admin seat
  • Growth$315/month
    • 150K push notifications
    • 15GB storage
    • Monetization with one in-app purchase
  • Scale$440/month
    • 300K push notifications
    • 50GB storage
    • Unlimited in-app purchases
  • Professional Services$null/month
    • Custom pricing

Which should you pick?

Choose AppsFlyer if

  • You need multi touch install attribution.
  • You work on iOS, Android, Web.
  • You also want skadnetwork and ios aggregation.
AppsFlyer review

Choose BuildFire if

Nothing in the data separates BuildFire from AppsFlyer on the points above - pick on price and on how each one feels to use.

BuildFire review

Questions people ask

Is AppsFlyer or BuildFire better?
Neither clearly leads. AppsFlyer starts at On request and BuildFire at $165/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, AppsFlyer or BuildFire?
AppsFlyer starts at On request and BuildFire at $165/month.
Does AppsFlyer or BuildFire run on more platforms?
AppsFlyer runs on iOS, Android, Web. BuildFire runs on Web.
What is AppsFlyer best used for?
AppsFlyer is most often used for an app spending meaningfully on paid acquisition across several networks that need reconciling against one source of truth, publishers who suspect they are paying for fraudulent installs and want them rejected before billing, teams that must move event level marketing data into a warehouse for their own modelling, apps running deferred deep links from web, email and social into specific in app content. Of those, an app spending meaningfully on paid acquisition across several networks that need reconciling against one source of truth and publishers who suspect they are paying for fraudulent installs and want them rejected before billing are not what BuildFire is typically brought in for.
What can AppsFlyer do that BuildFire cannot?
AppsFlyer covers Multi touch install attribution, SKAdNetwork and iOS aggregation, Deep linking, Fraud protection.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

AppsFlyer: How is it priced?

Per attributed conversion against an annual commitment, plus separate fees for the additional modules. Negotiate the commitment carefully.

BuildFire: What are BuildFire's pricing tiers?

Standard starts at $165/month, Growth at $315/month, and Scale at $440/month. All plans support iOS, Android, tablet, and PWA publishing. Professional services with custom development are available at custom pricing.

Source
AppsFlyer: Did App Tracking Transparency break attribution?

It removed deterministic device level attribution for users who decline tracking. What remains on iOS is aggregated and delayed, and vendors fill the gap with modelling.

BuildFire: Does BuildFire offer an annual discount?

Yes. All pricing tiers receive a 20% discount when billed annually instead of monthly, allowing for upfront savings on development costs.

Source
AppsFlyer: Can we take our data if we leave?

You can export raw data while under contract. Attribution history itself does not migrate to another vendor.

BuildFire: What push notification limits apply to BuildFire plans?

Standard includes 100K monthly push notifications, Growth includes 150K, and Scale includes 300K. Push notifications are a key metric for engagement tracking across all tiers.

Source
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