You buy installs across ad networks.
AppsFlyer exists to attribute paid installs, aggregate spend, and measure ROAS across networks. Ferry does none of that; it starts at the link open.
AppsFlyer OneLink alternative
An AppsFlyer OneLink alternative without the MMP contract.
OneLink is good deep linking attached to a full mobile measurement platform. If deep links are what you need, you should not have to buy the platform to get them. Ferry sells the links on their own, at a flat monthly price.
SHORT ANSWER
Ferry is a standalone alternative to AppsFlyer OneLink for teams that need deep links, deferred deep linking, custom domains, and link-level revenue attribution without adopting a full MMP. Pricing is flat and self-serve, from $0 to $299 per month by link opens. If you run paid UA and need SKAdNetwork, cost aggregation, or fraud protection, AppsFlyer is the right tool and Ferry is not.
SIDE BY SIDE
OneLink and Ferry, side by side.
AppsFlyer is a measurement company; deep links are one feature. Ferry is a links company. The comparison only makes sense capability by capability.
| Capability | AppsFlyer OneLink | Ferry |
|---|---|---|
| Deep links | OneLink handles deep links well across channels, as one feature of the AppsFlyer platform. | Universal Links and App Links with store routing and a web fallback, served from one hostname. |
| Deferred deep links | Yes, mature deferred deep linking through OneLink. | Yes. Server-side matching returns the original link payload with a method and a confidence level on every match. |
| Attribution | Industry-leading MMP: install attribution across ad networks, SKAdNetwork, cost aggregation, and Protect360 fraud protection. | Link-level attribution: installs, signups, purchases, and revenue by link and campaign. No ad network integrations, SKAdNetwork, or fraud suite. |
| SDKs | Broad SDK coverage across mobile platforms and game engines. | Swift, Kotlin, Flutter, and React Native SDKs, plus a plain HTTP API for anything else. |
| Custom domains | Yes, branded link domains. | One custom domain per project on Launch and above. Every plan includes a shared feryl.io subdomain. |
| Pricing model | Platform pricing negotiated with sales, typically tied to attributed conversions. OneLink is not sold standalone. | Flat monthly tiers by link opens: $0 to $299 per month for 5,000 to 3,000,000 opens. 14-day trial, no free tier. |
| Self-serve signup | An entry sign-up exists, but meaningful usage is scoped by platform plans and sales conversations. | Yes. Sign up, create a project, ship. No sales call at any tier. |
AppsFlyer does not publish standard contract pricing; its model is described here qualitatively. Verify current terms with AppsFlyer directly.
THE HONEST PART
When to choose AppsFlyer instead.
AppsFlyer has measurement infrastructure Ferry has not built and will not build. If any of these describe you, use the MMP.
You need SKAdNetwork measurement.
Privacy-era iOS campaign measurement is core AppsFlyer territory: SKAdNetwork postbacks, conversion values, and modeled reporting. Ferry has no SKAdNetwork support.
You need fraud protection.
Protect360 blocks paid-install fraud at scale. Ferry filters obvious bot and preview traffic from your bill, but it is not a fraud product.
Your org needs enterprise process.
Security reviews, procurement, agency access, and enterprise support are what an AppsFlyer contract buys. Ferry is deliberately a self-serve product for small teams.
THE MOVE
Moving your links off OneLink.
Many teams do not migrate away from AppsFlyer entirely; they move owned-channel links to Ferry and keep the MMP for paid measurement.
Separate the links from the measurement.
List what OneLink does for you today. If it is share links, referral links, QR codes, and email links into the app, that is the part Ferry replaces.
Recreate the owned-channel links in Ferry.
Create a project, connect a domain, and rebuild your OneLink templates as Ferry links with structured payloads.
Verify both journeys, then cut over.
Test installed-app routing and deferred first-open matching, then swap the URLs in your share sheets, emails, and QR codes.
FAQ
Questions developers ask first.
Can I use AppsFlyer OneLink without the full AppsFlyer platform? +
No. OneLink is a feature of the AppsFlyer platform, not a standalone product, so using it means adopting AppsFlyer and its contract model. That is the core reason teams that only need deep links look elsewhere.
What is a cheaper alternative to AppsFlyer OneLink? +
For deep links, deferred deep linking, custom domains, and link-level attribution, Ferry does those jobs at a flat $0 to $299 per month based on link opens, with self-serve signup and a 14-day trial. It does not replace AppsFlyer measurement: there is no ad network attribution, SKAdNetwork, or fraud protection.
Does Ferry do SKAdNetwork attribution? +
No. Ferry attributes what happens after a Ferry link is opened: the install, the signup, and the purchases that follow. It does not receive SKAdNetwork postbacks and does not measure paid campaigns across ad networks.
Can I use Ferry alongside AppsFlyer? +
Yes. A common setup keeps AppsFlyer for paid acquisition measurement and uses Ferry for owned channels: share links, referrals, QR codes, and email. Links you move to Ferry domains are measured by Ferry rather than OneLink, so keep each channel on one system to avoid double counting.
Does Ferry support deferred deep linking? +
Yes. After an install from a Ferry link, the first app open is matched back to the originating link server-side, and your app receives the original payload with the match method and a confidence level.
LINKS WITHOUT THE PLATFORM
Buy deep links like a utility, not a platform.
Start a trial, connect a domain, and ship attributed deep links this week. No contract negotiation.