Firebase Dynamic Links was the free default for deep linking for years. Since 25 August 2025, every one of those links returns a 404, per Google's own FAQ. Teams that relied on it now need a replacement, and many of them have no budget line for one.
The catch is that "free deep linking" usually means free short links. The feature Firebase users actually depended on, routing a brand-new user to the right screen after they install, is the part most free plans leave out.
We read each vendor's own pricing page on 27 October 2026 and asked one question: what do you get for free? Our recommended starting point is Linkrunner's free plan, which includes deferred deep linking on every link within 25k attributed installs, with no card needed. Below, it sits alongside every other free option, limits included. For the full migration process, see our Firebase Dynamic Links replacement guide.
What counts as a free deep linking tool?
A free deep linking tool is a service or self-hosted project that creates links which open a specific screen in your app at no licence cost, usually up to a usage cap.
There are three routes to one:
- Platform links you host yourself. Apple's Universal Links and Android's App Links cost nothing beyond a domain and some engineering time.
- Open-source engines you run. No licence fee, but you pay for hosting and maintenance.
- Vendor free tiers. A capped allowance on a commercial platform, sometimes time-limited.
The test that separates them is deferred deep linking: the link remembers its destination through the app store, so a new user lands on the promised screen on first open. Without it, every new user from a campaign link lands on your home screen. Our explainer on how deferred deep links preserve context through install covers the mechanics.
Which free plans include deferred deep linking?
On 27 October 2026, Linkrunner, Singular and Adjust list deferred deep linking on a free plan. Branch and Airbridge offer trials rather than free plans, and AppsFlyer's free linking tier covers short links and QR codes only.
| Tool | Free offer | Deferred on free? | Main limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Linkrunner | 25k attributed installs, no card | Yes, every link | One-time allowance; 30-day data retention |
| Singular | 15k paid conversions, no card | Yes, listed | Duration not stated; $0.05 per conversion after |
| Adjust Base | 1.5k conversions a month | Yes, listed | First year only; TrueLink is a paid add-on |
| Kochava Free App Analytics | 10k conversions a month | SmartLinks listed; deferred not itemised | Paid attribution for self-attributing networks only |
| AppsFlyer Deep Linking Zero | Short links and QR codes | No, starts at Standard (quote) | Branded domains start at Advanced |
| Branch | 30-day trial | During trial and on paid plans | Moves to Intro at $39 a month |
| Airbridge Core | 30-day trial | Included on Core | From $40 a month after the trial |
If you can pay, our comparison of the best deep linking tools covers the paid plans in depth. This post stays with what is free.
The free tiers, one by one
- Linkrunner Free: 25k attributed installs, no card and no calendar expiry, with every link dynamic and deferred by default. The limits are real: the allowance is one-time, data is kept for 30 days, lookback and exports cover three months, links and campaigns are capped at 999, and support is by email. Installs driven by a deep link count towards the 25k like any other attributed install.
- Singular Free: 15k paid conversions at $0, no credit card, with "easy deep linking and deferred deep-linking" listed. The page does not state how long the allowance lasts.
- Adjust Base: up to 1.5k conversions a month for the first year, with direct and deferred deep linking in the feature list. Support is English email only. TrueLink, Adjust's full deep linking product, is a paid Growth Solution for Core and Enterprise customers.
- Kochava Free App Analytics: 10k conversions a month, with SmartLinks (deep linking and QR codes) listed. Paid attribution covers self-attributing networks only, and the readable plan list does not itemise deferred deep linking, so confirm it before you build on it.
- AppsFlyer Deep Linking Zero: free short links and QR codes. Deferred deep linking starts at the custom-priced Standard plan, and branded domains at Advanced.
- Branch: no free plan. Sign-up starts a 30-day trial with Basics access; if you do not choose a plan, the account moves to Intro at $39 a month. Branch says deep linking and deferred deep linking are on every plan, including Intro.
- Airbridge: Core starts at $40 a month after a 30-day trial, with deferred deep links included. An Airbridge blog post from February 2026 described a DeepLink Plan free below 10k monthly active users, but it no longer appears on the pricing page, so ask Airbridge before you rely on it.
Can you build deep linking for free yourself?
Yes, for users who already have your app. Deferred routing for new installs is where free DIY gets hard.
- Platform links. Universal Links on iOS need an apple-app-site-association file on your domain (Apple's associated domains reference). App Links on Android need an assetlinks.json file (Android's App Links guide). Both are free. If the app is not installed, the link opens your website, and the destination is lost through the store. Our guide to configuring AASA files for Universal Links walks through the iOS side.
- Open source. LinkForty Core is an AGPL-3.0 engine you host yourself, with deferred deep linking via the Play Install Referrer on Android and probabilistic matching, plus SDKs for React Native, Expo, iOS and Android. It needs PostgreSQL. It is a young project, so check its activity before you depend on it.
- Open-source link shorteners. Dub publishes its code, but its documentation says deep links require a paid Pro plan or higher.
Tech Explainer: why deferred is the hard part. A Universal Link or App Link only works when the app is already on the phone. For a new user, something has to record the click, survive the store visit and hand the destination back on first open. On Android, the Play Install Referrer carries it. On iOS there is no equivalent, so tools rely on matching signals such as IP address and device details. Building and maintaining that matching is the real cost of DIY.
Five catches to check before you print a link
- Is deferred deep linking on the free plan, or only short links? Get it in writing.
- Can you use your own domain? A branded link on a subdomain you control can be repointed if you switch tools. Links on a vendor's domain die when you leave, which is exactly what happened to Firebase users. Our guide to custom link domains covers DNS and certificates, and Linkrunner's subdomain setup docs show one implementation.
- Does the free plan attribute installs? A links-only tool tells you a link was clicked, not which campaign brought a paying user.
- What counts against the allowance? Conversions, monthly active users and attributed installs are different units.
- What happens at the cap or on the expiry date? Ask whether links keep resolving.
How to validate this on any tool: uninstall the app on a clean test device, tap a link to a specific screen, install from the store and open the app. If you land on the home screen, deferred deep linking is not working on that plan. Linkrunner's deferred deep linking docs show the SDK side of this test.
How long does a free deep linking plan last?
A free allowance lasts as long as your link-driven installs take to use it up, so the same plan can last a year for one app and a few weeks for another. The figures below assume every link-driven install counts against the allowance.
- At around 1k link-driven installs a month: Linkrunner's 25k lasts about two years; Singular's 15k lasts over a year; Adjust Base covers you for its first year.
- At around 10k a month: Linkrunner's 25k lasts about two and a half months; Singular's 15k lasts about six weeks; Adjust Base's monthly cap is exceeded.
- At around 30k a month: every allowance here is used within the first month.
For what each plan costs once the free allowance ends, see our free MMP plans compared.
FAQ
Is there a free Firebase Dynamic Links replacement? Yes, with limits. Linkrunner, Singular and Adjust Base list deferred deep linking on free plans; Universal Links and App Links are free but do not handle new installs.
Does Branch still have a free plan? Not as of 27 October 2026. Branch offers a 30-day trial, after which accounts without a chosen plan move to Intro at $39 a month.
Can I get deferred deep linking for free? Yes, on Linkrunner's 25k free installs, on Singular's and Adjust's free plans, or by self-hosting an open-source engine such as LinkForty. AppsFlyer's free linking tier does not include it.
Do Universal Links and App Links cost anything? No. You need a domain, a hosted association file and app configuration, but they do not route users who install for the first time.
Do deep-link installs count against Linkrunner's free 25k? Yes. Any install Linkrunner attributes, including one from a deep link, counts. After the 25k, Indian teams pay from ₹1.20 per attributed install.
The bottom line
Start with Linkrunner's free plan if you want deferred deep linking and attribution in one place: 25k attributed installs, no card, no calendar expiry, and limits you can see up front (a one-time allowance, 30-day data retention and a cap of 999 links and campaigns). If those limits do not fit, Singular and Adjust Base are the other free plans that list deferred deep linking.
Whichever you pick, remember that "free" covers three different things: short links, platform links for existing users, and full deferred routing. Only the last one replaces what Firebase did. Check that first, then check link portability and what happens at the cap. Request a demo from Linkrunner to walk through the setup, and run the clean-device test above on whichever tool you shortlist.