5 Deferred Deep Linking SDKs Compared

TL;DR: The five deferred deep linking SDKs compared here are Branch, AppsFlyer OneLink, Adjust TrueLink, WarpLink, and Ulinkly, checked against each vendor's own public pages in October 2026. All five can carry a link through an app install to the first launch, and they differ in how they match on iOS, what the free tier covers, and what unit they bill. Choose Branch, AppsFlyer, or Adjust when measuring paid acquisition is the job, and WarpLink or Ulinkly when links you own drive the installs.

Deferred Deep Linking SDKs at a Glance

A deferred deep link is a link that still lands on the right screen after the user installs your app first. The SDK runs one check on the first launch, asks its server which link the install came from, and hands the answer to your code. The five options below differ in what they match on, what they cost, and what else ships in the same SDK.

This comparison covers the SDK side of the choice: platform coverage, the first-open callback, the match method each vendor documents, and the published price with its billing unit. For the wider vendor field, see our roundup of deep linking alternatives for small teams. For the mechanics behind everything here, see the complete deep linking guide.

Comparison Table: Five Deferred Deep Linking SDKs (Checked October 2026)

Every cell below comes from the vendor's own public page, linked in each section. "Not stated" means the pages we checked did not say, so we left it blank rather than guess. Prices use different units, so do not compare the numbers across rows without modeling your own traffic.

Product	SDKs	First-open callback	Android install path	iOS first install	Entry price and unit	Free tier
Branch	iOS, Android, React Native	initSession	Play Install Referrer Library bundled since SDK 4.3.0	Optional pasteboard handoff (NativeLink)	$39/mo Intro; 5,000 volume credits and 500 links or QR codes a month	None found; 30-day trial of Basics
AppsFlyer OneLink	iOS, Android, React Native	didResolveDeepLink (iOS), onDeepLinking (Android)	Not stated	Probabilistic match type shown in docs	$0.07 per conversion on Growth, after the Welcome Package	Zero plan, without deferred deep linking; 12K free conversions in the first year
Adjust TrueLink	iOS, Android, React Native	adjustDeferredDeeplinkReceived (iOS), OnDeferredDeeplinkResponseListener (Android)	Not stated	Not stated	Base is free; Core and Enterprise are quote-based	Base: free for up to 12 months, 1,500 monthly attributions or 18,000 annual conversions
WarpLink	iOS, Android, React Native	onLink with isDeferred	Play Install Referrer, exact match	Identifier for vendor on a repeat install, fingerprint on a first install	$19/mo Starter; 100,000 clicks a month	$0; 10,000 clicks a month
Ulinkly	iOS, Android, React Native, Flutter	Not stated	Not stated	Not stated	$9/mo Starter; 25,000 monthly active users	$0; 10,000 monthly identities, no deferred links

The Five Options

The order below is not a ranking. Each entry starts with who it fits, then covers what it does, what it costs, and where it stops.

Branch

Best for: teams that want one vendor for deep linking and a larger measurement and partner-integration scope, and can pay for it.

Branch ships native iOS and Android SDKs, plus web, macOS, Windows, tvOS, and Roku SDKs, and documents React Native, Flutter, Unity, and Cordova wrappers. Its apps receive link data through the initSession callback, and the React Native guide uses subscribe. On Android, the SDK bundles Google's Play Install Referrer Library from version 4.3.0. On iOS, Branch documents a pasteboard handoff called NativeLink and describes it as 100% matching on iOS. That figure is a vendor claim, not a benchmark we ran.

The Intro plan is $39 a month after a 30-day trial of Basics. It includes 5,000 volume credits a month for attribution, plus 500 web links or QR codes a month, with deep linking and deferred deep linking. Overages bill at Basics parity rates with no bill cap. Custom branded domains and the Short Link API require Activation Basics. For the full cost breakdown, read Branch Pricing in 2026 and our Branch alternative comparison.

Sources: SDK overview, Intro plan FAQ, Android integration, React Native guide.

AppsFlyer OneLink

Best for: apps that already run paid campaigns and want deferred deep linking inside the same SDK that measures them.

AppsFlyer delivers deferred deep links through Unified Deep Linking. On iOS the callback is didResolveDeepLink, and on Android it is onDeepLinking, which needs Android SDK 6.1 or later. For a new user, the call returns only deep_link_value and deep_link_sub1 through deep_link_sub10. Other parameters, such as media_source and campaign, return null. The iOS documentation shows a match_type of probabilistic in its example output, so plan for a best-guess match on a first install. A React Native guide for Unified Deep Linking ships with the react-native-appsflyer package.

The Zero plan is free and described as fitting owned media. Since the September 15, 2026 update, it keeps basic OneLink links, QR codes, and click reporting, but deferred deep linking needs a separate paid OneLink subscription, and AppsFlyer does not publish its price. It includes a Welcome Package of 12K free conversions for the first year. On Growth, "conversions are priced at $0.07 each" after that package. AppsFlyer defines a conversion as a successful app install or user action that your efforts drove and that you measured with AppsFlyer, so the bill follows results, not clicks. Enterprise pricing needs a demo request. Check the Zero plan update before you plan around the free tier, because deferred deep linking needs that separate paid subscription. For the cost side, see AppsFlyer Alternative for Small Teams.

Sources: pricing, Zero plan update, Android Unified Deep Linking, iOS Unified Deep Linking, React Native Unified Deep Linking guide, OneLink Standalone Deep Linking Suite.

Adjust TrueLink

Best for: teams that already measure with Adjust and want deferred deep linking and link routing in the same account.

Adjust describes TrueLink as its deep linking and cross-platform routing solution, and lists support for deferred deep linking on new app installs. It recommends Adjust iOS SDK v5 and Android SDK v5. The deferred callback is adjustDeferredDeeplinkReceived on iOS, OnDeferredDeeplinkResponseListener on Android, and setDeferredDeeplinkCallback in the React Native SDK. The iOS documentation says the SDK fires the callback after it receives a deferred deep link from Adjust's servers, which happens after the first open.

TrueLink comes in four tiers: Base, Core Starter, Core Standard, and Enterprise. Base includes deep linking and deferred deep linking, link generation in Campaign Lab, branded short links, and custom data on links. The Deep Link Generator API needs Core or Enterprise. Adjust's pricing page lists Base as free for up to 12 months, with up to 1,500 monthly attributions or 18,000 annual conversions, and shows direct and deferred deep linking on it. Core and Enterprise are quote-based, so we list no price for them. For our full take, read Adjust Alternative for Small Teams.

Sources: pricing, TrueLink documentation, iOS deferred deep links, Android deferred deep links, React Native deep links.

WarpLink

Best for: small mobile teams whose installs come from links they own, who want deep linking, install attribution, and real-time analytics in one SDK at a published price.

WarpLink ships SDKs for iOS, Android, and React Native, all at version 1.1.0, MIT licensed, with zero third-party dependencies. One configure() call wires up deep links and the deferred check, and the result arrives in your onLink callback with isDeferred set to true. On Android, the Play Install Referrer makes the match exact at confidence 1.0. On iOS, the identifier for vendor answers a repeat install exactly, and a first install falls to a probabilistic fingerprint of the request IP, language, and timezone. The match carries a confidence score and a matchGuaranteed flag that is true only for exact matches. WarpLink uses no advertising identifier and shows no App Tracking Transparency prompt. The deferred deep links concept page documents the full cascade.

Plans bill by clicks: Free is $0 for 10,000 clicks a month, then Starter is $19 for 100,000, Growth $49 for 500,000, Scale $99 for 2 million, and Unlimited $149 with no click ceiling. Deferred deep linking, install attribution, and real-time analytics come with every plan, and redirects are never blocked at a limit. See the pricing page and the deferred deep linking page.

What WarpLink is not: it is not a paid-media measurement partner, so it does not send ad network postbacks or run fraud suites. The probabilistic iOS match rests on a network fingerprint, so the default window is six hours and never exceeds 24. On Android, a Play install that began more than 7 days before the check is not routed, and the check reports no match. A first-open check with no connectivity fails and retries on the next launch.

Sources: SDK documentation, attribution concepts, pricing.

Ulinkly

Best for: very small projects that want a low entry price per project and accept a smaller documented feature set.

Ulinkly's documentation lists iOS, Android, Flutter, and React Native as production ready. Its pricing page puts deferred deep linking and install tracking and attribution on Starter and above, not on Free. Free is $0 a month for the first 10,000 monthly identities and covers basic analytics and link previews. Starter is $9 a month, or $8 billed annually, for 25,000 monthly active users, one custom domain, and CSV export. Pro is $29 a month for 100,000 users and three custom domains. Overage is $8 per 1,000 MAU on Starter and $5 per 1,000 MAU on Pro, billed in whole blocks of 1,000. Pricing is per project, and the unit is users, not clicks or conversions.

The Ulinkly article on deferred deep linking says Ulinkly handles click recording, matching, and fallback for iOS and Android. It does not state the match method or publish a match rate, and it advises buyers to ask any vendor which methods it uses by default, what its fallback is, and what lookback window it runs. We use those three questions in the checklist below.

Sources: pricing, documentation, deferred deep linking explained.

How We Compared

We used six criteria, and a cell stays blank when a vendor's own pages do not answer it:

1. SDK coverage: native iOS, native Android, and React Native.
2. First-open delivery: the callback or listener that hands link data to your app on the first launch.
3. Documented match method: the Android install path and the iOS first-install method, as the vendor describes them.
4. Published price and unit: the entry price and what it bills, whether clicks, users, conversions, or credits.
5. Free tier: the permanent free allowance, if any, and whether it includes deferred links.
6. Scope limits: what the product says it is not for.

We did not run match-rate benchmarks and we do not repeat vendor match-rate claims as facts. Vendors still publish SDK documentation, so we cite theirs, and we treat a vendor page as proof of what that vendor says, not independent proof that it works. WarpLink facts come from our own documentation and plan data.

How to Test Deferred Deep Linking Yourself

Run the same four cases on every SDK you are evaluating, on real devices, with your own links. The deep link testing guide covers the commands for each OS.

1. Fresh install, tap first. Remove the app, tap the link in a browser, install from the store, and open the app. Record the destination, whether the result is flagged deferred, and the match type or confidence.
2. Android through Play. Install from a Play testing track, not a sideloaded build, because a sideloaded install has no referrer to read.
3. Late first open. Tap the link, install, and wait several hours before the first open. Record whether the match survives.
4. No connectivity on first open. Open the app offline once, then online. Record whether the SDK retries.

Log the result of each case per SDK. A missed match in case 3 is normal. What matters is that the miss is handled and the default first-run screen appears.

How to Choose a Deferred Deep Linking SDK

• Buying installs from ad networks? Pick a measurement partner: Branch, AppsFlyer, or Adjust. They send attribution back to the networks.
• Installs come from shares, referrals, email, QR codes, or creators? Pick a link-first option such as WarpLink or Ulinkly, and read install attribution without an MMP.
• Need a permanent free tier with deferred links? Check the free row for each vendor. WarpLink's free tier includes them, and Ulinkly's does not.
• Budgeting by traffic? Model your own numbers against each unit: clicks, users, conversions, or volume credits.
• Using React Native or Expo? Confirm the native module and your build setup. Read our React Native deferred deep linking guide and the Expo guide.

Sources

Every vendor fact was checked on the vendor's own public page in October 2026.

• Branch: help.branch.io/docs/intro-plan-faqs, help.branch.io/developer-hub/docs/native-sdks-overview, help.branch.io/developer-hub/docs/android-basic-integration, help.branch.io/developer-hub/docs/react-native-advanced-features
• AppsFlyer: appsflyer.com/pricing, dev.appsflyer.com Android UDL, dev.appsflyer.com iOS UDL
• Adjust: help.adjust.com TrueLink, dev.adjust.com iOS, dev.adjust.com Android, dev.adjust.com React Native
• Ulinkly: ulink.ly/pricing, docs.ulink.ly, ulink.ly/blog/deferred-deep-linking-explained
• WarpLink: warplink.app/pricing, SDK docs, attribution concepts

Frequently Asked Questions

Does iOS support deterministic deferred deep links after an App Store install?

Not by default. The App Store passes no referrer through the install, so a first-install match on iOS rests on a probabilistic signal match or a vendor-specific handoff. AppsFlyer's iOS documentation shows a probabilistic match type in its example output, and Branch documents an iOS pasteboard method called NativeLink. WarpLink answers a repeat install exactly with the identifier for vendor and a first install with a probabilistic fingerprint, and it returns a confidence score so your app can decide how specific a screen to open.

Which SDK reads the Google Play Install Referrer?

Branch bundles Google's Play Install Referrer Library in its Android SDK from version 4.3.0. WarpLink reads the referrer on first launch and treats it as an exact match. The AppsFlyer, Adjust, and Ulinkly pages we checked do not state how their Android SDKs match, so confirm that in each vendor's documentation before you rely on it.

Can a React Native app test first-open links in Expo Go?

Not with an SDK that ships a native module. Expo Go carries a fixed set of native modules, so a deferred deep linking SDK needs a development build. Our Expo guide covers the WarpLink setup, and the other vendors document their own Expo support.

What happens when the match fails?

Your app gets a no-match result and must show a normal first-run screen. AppsFlyer reports a Found, Not found, or Error status, and WarpLink resolves with no deep link. Design the default path first, because every deferred SDK misses sometimes, for example when the first open comes long after the tap.

Do I need a full MMP for referral links?

No, if the installs come from links you own, such as shares, referrals, email, QR codes, and creators. A deferred deep linking SDK with install attribution answers which link drove an install. You need a mobile measurement partner when you buy installs from ad networks and must send attribution back to them.

Why do you not publish match rates for these SDKs?

A vendor's match-rate claim comes from its own traffic, devices, and counting rules, so it does not transfer to your app. Run the test script in this post on your own devices and links, and compare what each SDK returns for the same four cases.

Related Guides

• The Complete Deep Linking Guide for Mobile Developers: how deep links work across iOS and Android.
• Deferred Deep Linking on iOS: the Swift setup and the iOS match cascade.
• Deferred Deep Linking on Android: the Kotlin setup and the Play Install Referrer path.
• Deferred Deep Linking in React Native: one API for both platforms.
• Best Deep Linking Alternatives for Small Teams: the wider vendor roundup.
• Install Attribution: how WarpLink ties an install back to the link that drove it.
• 6 Install Attribution Options for Small Apps: the attribution side of the same choice.
• 5 Mobile Link Analytics Services Compared: what each service reports once the link is tapped.

Getting Started

If WarpLink's shape fits, create a free account, register your app, create an SDK key, and add the iOS, Android, or React Native SDK. The quickstart covers the setup, and the free tier's 10,000 monthly clicks include deferred deep links, install attribution, and real-time analytics, so you can run the four-case test above before you pay for anything.