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Mobile Development · head to head

AppsFlyer vs Firebase

AppsFlyer logo

AppsFlyer

Mobile Development

Mobile attribution and marketing analytics measuring which campaigns produced which installs

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Firebase logo

Firebase

Mobile Development

Google's platform for building web and mobile applications with cloud backend

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Firebase has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • 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.; Firebase spark plan limited to 1 GiB storage, 50,000 daily reads, 20,000 daily writes
  • They diverge on capability: AppsFlyer covers Multi touch install attribution, Firebase covers Real-time Database.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which AppsFlyer and Firebase actually diverge.

Attributes where AppsFlyer and Firebase differ
AttributeAppsFlyerFirebase
Starting priceOn requestFree
Pricing modelPer attributed conversionfreemium
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsiOS, Android, WebiOS, Android, Web, Flutter, C++, Unity
FoundedUnknown1998

Identical on both: 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 Firebase

  • Real-time Database
  • REST API
  • Authentication
  • Google Cloud
  • Cloud functions
  • Cloud Storage
  • Web support
  • Mobile support

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 Firebase
  • Publishers who suspect they are paying for fraudulent installs and want them rejected before billingnot Firebase
  • Teams that must move event level marketing data into a warehouse for their own modellingnot Firebase
  • Apps running deferred deep links from web, email and social into specific in app contentnot Firebase

Firebase

  • Mobile app backend developmentnot AppsFlyer
  • Real-time data synchronisationnot AppsFlyer
  • Web application backendnot AppsFlyer
  • Cross-platform app developmentnot 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.

Firebase

  • Spark plan limited to 1 GiB storage, 50,000 daily reads, 20,000 daily writes
  • Spark plan restricts to 100 concurrent database connections
  • Spark plan limits Firebase Studio to 3 workspaces maximum
  • Document size capped at 1 MiB per document
  • Transaction time limited to 270 seconds with 60-second idle expiration
  • Maximum 100 databases per project (increase requires support request)

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

Firebase

Free
  • SparkFree
    • No-cost usage with daily-refreshing quotas
    • Cloud Firestore: up to 1 GB storage, 20K writes/day, 50K reads/day
    • Cloud Functions: up to 2M invocations/month, 400K GB-seconds/month
  • Blaze$null/variable
    • Pay-as-you-go usage beyond free tier
    • Cloud Firestore: $5/GB after 1 GB, writes beyond 20K/day at overage rates
    • Cloud Functions: $0.40 per million invocations beyond 2M/month, $0.12/GB for outbound networking beyond 5 GB/month

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 Firebase if

  • You need real-time database.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on iOS, Android, Web, Flutter, C++, Unity.
  • You also want rest api.
Firebase review

Questions people ask

Is AppsFlyer or Firebase better?
Neither clearly leads. AppsFlyer starts at On request and Firebase at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, AppsFlyer or Firebase?
Firebase has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for AppsFlyer and Free for Firebase.
Does AppsFlyer or Firebase run on more platforms?
AppsFlyer runs on iOS, Android, Web. Firebase runs on iOS, Android, Web, Flutter, C++, Unity.
Can I use Firebase for free?
Yes. Firebase has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. AppsFlyer starts at On request.
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 Firebase is typically brought in for.
What can AppsFlyer do that Firebase cannot?
AppsFlyer covers Multi touch install attribution, SKAdNetwork and iOS aggregation, Deep linking, Fraud protection. Firebase covers Real-time Database, REST API, Authentication, Google Cloud.

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.

Firebase: What are Firebase's free tier limits?

Firebase Spark plan includes no-cost daily-refreshing quotas: Cloud Firestore up to 1 GB storage with 20K writes and 50K reads per day; Cloud Functions up to 2M invocations monthly; Cloud Storage 5 GB-months with 100 GB downloads monthly; Hosting 10 GB storage and 360 MB daily data transfer; Realtime Database up to 1 GB storage. No payment method required.

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.

Firebase: How much does Firebase Blaze plan cost?

Firebase Blaze is pay-as-you-go beyond free tier limits. Pricing includes Cloud Firestore storage at $5/GB after 1 GB; Cloud Functions $0.40 per million invocations beyond 2M monthly; Cloud Storage $0.026/GB beyond 5 GB; Hosting $0.15/GB beyond 360 MB daily. New eligible customers receive $300 free credit.

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.

Firebase: Which Firebase services are always free regardless of tier?

A/B Testing, Analytics, App Check, Cloud Messaging, and Crashlytics are offered at no cost on both Spark and Blaze plans, with no usage limits stated.

Source
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