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Mobile Development · head to head

AppsFlyer vs Kotlin Multiplatform

AppsFlyer logo

AppsFlyer

Mobile Development

Mobile attribution and marketing analytics measuring which campaigns produced which installs

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Kotlin Multiplatform logo

Kotlin Multiplatform

Mobile Development

JetBrains-funded technology for sharing Kotlin business logic across iOS, Android, web, desktop and server

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Kotlin Multiplatform 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.; Kotlin Multiplatform it shares logic, not UI, by default, so a team expecting a Flutter-style single UI codebase has to also adopt Compose Multiplatform, which is newer and less proven on iOS than on Android.
  • They diverge on capability: AppsFlyer covers Multi touch install attribution, Kotlin Multiplatform covers Shared Kotlin logic.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which AppsFlyer and Kotlin Multiplatform actually diverge.

Attributes where AppsFlyer and Kotlin Multiplatform differ
AttributeAppsFlyerKotlin Multiplatform
Starting priceOn requestFree
Pricing modelPer attributed conversionOpen source, no licence fee
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsiOS, Android, WebiOS, Android, Windows, macOS, Linux, Web

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 Kotlin Multiplatform

  • Shared Kotlin logic
  • Native UI retained
  • Compose Multiplatform (optional)
  • IDE tooling
  • Gradle-based builds
  • Incremental adoption

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

Kotlin Multiplatform

  • A company with existing separate native iOS and Android codebases wanting to stop duplicating business logic and networking codenot AppsFlyer
  • A team that wants shared logic but is not willing to compromise on fully native UI per platformnot AppsFlyer
  • An organisation already using Kotlin on the backend that wants to reuse the same models and validation on mobile clientsnot AppsFlyer
  • A team evaluating Compose Multiplatform for UI sharing but wanting the option to fall back to native UI per screennot 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.

Kotlin Multiplatform

  • It shares logic, not UI, by default, so a team expecting a Flutter-style single UI codebase has to also adopt Compose Multiplatform, which is newer and less proven on iOS than on Android.
  • iOS interop relies on Kotlin/Native compiling to a framework consumed from Swift, and debugging across that boundary is more friction than debugging pure Swift or pure Kotlin.
  • Because logic-sharing is the whole premise, teams still need genuine iOS and Android UI expertise on staff; it does not reduce the native skills bar the way a full cross-platform UI framework aims to.
  • Build times and tooling maturity for multiplatform Gradle projects lag behind single-platform Kotlin or Swift projects, and multiplatform-specific build errors are less well documented.
  • JetBrains funds it as part of the broader Kotlin investment, so its roadmap priority competes internally with IntelliJ, Android Studio and other JetBrains commitments rather than having dedicated headcount the way Flutter has at Google.

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

Kotlin Multiplatform

Free
  • Kotlin MultiplatformFree
    • Apache 2.0 licensed, unlimited apps
    • IDE tooling in the free Android Studio and free-tier IntelliJ IDEA Community
    • No paid Kotlin Multiplatform edition exists

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 Kotlin Multiplatform if

  • You need shared kotlin logic.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on iOS, Android, Windows, macOS, Linux, Web.
  • You also want native ui retained.
Kotlin Multiplatform review

Questions people ask

Is AppsFlyer or Kotlin Multiplatform better?
Neither clearly leads. AppsFlyer starts at On request and Kotlin Multiplatform at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, AppsFlyer or Kotlin Multiplatform?
Kotlin Multiplatform has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for AppsFlyer and Free for Kotlin Multiplatform.
Does AppsFlyer or Kotlin Multiplatform run on more platforms?
AppsFlyer runs on iOS, Android, Web. Kotlin Multiplatform runs on iOS, Android, Windows, macOS, Linux, Web.
Can I use Kotlin Multiplatform for free?
Yes. Kotlin Multiplatform 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 Kotlin Multiplatform is typically brought in for.
What can AppsFlyer do that Kotlin Multiplatform cannot?
AppsFlyer covers Multi touch install attribution, SKAdNetwork and iOS aggregation, Deep linking, Fraud protection. Kotlin Multiplatform covers Shared Kotlin logic, Native UI retained, Compose Multiplatform (optional), IDE tooling.

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.

Kotlin Multiplatform: Does Kotlin Multiplatform replace my native UI code?

Not by default. It shares business logic and data layers; UI stays native per platform unless you separately adopt Compose Multiplatform.

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.

Kotlin Multiplatform: Is there a paid version?

No. It is Apache 2.0 licensed and free, funded by JetBrains as part of the Kotlin project.

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.

Kotlin Multiplatform: Do I need Compose Multiplatform to use it?

No, they are separate. You can share only logic and keep fully native UI on each platform indefinitely.

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