AppsFlyer or Sendora — pick the trade-off, not the marketing.
AppsFlyer is best-in-class for install attribution. The data lives in AppsFlyer though — to act on it you ship a separate analytics + lifecycle + CRM stack. Sendora bundles install attribution + cohort LTV + workflow follow-up into the same tenant as the rest of your product data.
Mobile attribution standard. Big SDK footprint. Deep but standalone — events live in AppsFlyer.
Attribution that closes back into your Sendora Analytics + Audiences + Workflows automatically.
Side-by-side
| Capability | AppsFlyer | Sendora |
|---|---|---|
| iOS install attribution (canonical fingerprint match) | ✅ | ✅ IP-pinned + 2h window |
| Android Play Install Referrer (100% accurate) | ✅ | ❌ — not integrated |
| Single-touch (last-click) attribution | ✅ | ✅ |
| Multi-touch models (first / linear / position-based) | ✅ rich engine | ❌ — single-touch only |
| Fraud filters (click flooding / install hijacking / CTIT outliers) | ✅ Protect360 | ❌ — no fraud filter code |
| S2S postbacks to Meta / Google / TikTok conversion APIs | ✅ | ❌ — not built |
| Cohort LTV + ROAS computation | ✅ joined to in-app events via export | ❌ — stats are install counts only. Build your own roll-up via Analytics module against same tenant. |
| SDK helpers (`reportInstall` / `checkDeferred`) | ✅ + 200+ partner SDKs | ✅ on Web + RN |
| Same tenant as Customers + Analytics + Auth + Push | ❌ | ✅ |
| Audience-build from attributed installs | Via integration | ✅ Customers module — query attribution rows |
| Workflow trigger from installs | ❌ | Via `attribution.install` event on platform bus |
| Pricing model | $0.07/conversion (~$700/mo at 10K installs) | Bundle |
Why teams switch to Sendora
- AppsFlyer at 10K installs is ~$700/mo — Sendora bundles the install + deferred ingest + stats endpoints.
- Installs land in the same tenant as Customers + Analytics, so SQL joins for your own LTV / ROAS roll-ups are inside one DB, not a warehouse round-trip.
- One SDK on Web / RN / iOS / Android (not AppsFlyer + separate analytics SDK + separate CRM SDK).
When AppsFlyer is the right call
- You need Android Play Install Referrer integration (100% deferred-install accuracy) — Sendora ships iOS fingerprint match only.
- You need multi-touch attribution models (first / linear / position-based) — Sendora is single-touch only.
- You need Protect360-equivalent fraud filters (click flooding / install hijacking / CTIT outliers) — Sendora ships none.
- You need S2S postbacks to Meta / Google / TikTok conversion APIs — Sendora doesn't push to ad networks.
- You need built-in cohort LTV / ROAS computation — Sendora returns install counts; the join against in-app events is BYO.
- You're a high-spend paid-UA shop where per-campaign postback depth + SKAdNetwork chain handling are load-bearing.
- You need AppsFlyer's depth on view-through attribution / cross-promotion / SKAdNetwork postback chains for high-value paid UA.
- Enterprise contract is in place and migration cost outweighs the bundling savings.
Common questions
Does Sendora match AppsFlyer's SKAdNetwork postback chain depth?
No. Sendora ingests install + deferred events and reports counts by campaign / source. SKAdNetwork postback chain handling, view-through windows, and per-ad-network postback shapes are NOT built. AppsFlyer remains the right choice for high-spend paid UA.
Fraud filters?
Not built. Click flooding, install hijacking, CTIT (click-to-install time) outlier detection are NOT shipped today. If your install volume includes paid UA where fraud is a real cost line, keep AppsFlyer Protect360.
Cohort LTV / ROAS — how do I build it?
Sendora's stats endpoints return install counts. To roll up LTV, query the Analytics module against the same tenant joining on `user_id` — installs are a row your SQL can include. Build the dashboard in the Analytics insights surface or your warehouse via Import/Export.
Android deferred-install attribution?
Not via Play Install Referrer (not integrated). Today the only deferred-install path is iOS canonical fingerprint match. Android deferred deep links work through the manual `attribution.checkDeferred()` call but accuracy is lower than the Play Install Referrer signal AppsFlyer uses.
Can I run AppsFlyer + Sendora SDKs in parallel during migration?
Yes — both SDKs can coexist for 2-4 weeks while you A/B conversion counts. Once Sendora reports parity, sunset the AppsFlyer SDK.
Attribution
Install + deferred-install ingest with iOS canonical fingerprint match. Stats by campaign + source. Honest about not being AppsFlyer yet.
AppsFlyer + Adjust + Branch tell you which install came from where via multi-touch models, fraud-filtered, post-back to ad networks. Sendora's Attribution module is leaner today: single-touch install + deferred-install ingest with iOS canonical-fingerprint deferred match, stats endpoints by-campaign + by-source, SDK helpers on Web + RN. Honest about the gaps: no multi-touch model engine, no LTV / ROAS computation joined against Analytics events, no fraud filters, no S2S postbacks to ad networks, no Android Play Install Referrer integration. The bundle win remains — installs land on the same `user_id` as your messaging + auth + analytics, so building those joins yourself is one tenant of work, not three.
Switch from AppsFlyer. Keep your weekend.
Free plan covers real product use, no credit card. Bulk hash import for auth, CSV import for profiles, schema-validated event import for analytics — Data Sync module handles the migration in a day.