Go back
Image of Branch – The Essential Mobile Linking Platform for App Developers

Branch – The Essential Mobile Linking Platform for App Developers

Branch is the industry-standard platform that empowers mobile app developers and growth teams to bridge the gap between web and app. It transforms simple links into powerful tools for seamless user onboarding, accurate campaign measurement, and accelerated mobile growth. By handling deep linking, attribution, and cross-platform user journeys in one unified solution, Branch eliminates technical complexity and provides the data needed to optimize every touchpoint in the user acquisition funnel.

Visit website

What is the Branch Mobile Linking Platform?

Branch is a comprehensive Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) platform built specifically for the unique challenges of mobile app ecosystems. Its core function is to create smart, contextual links—known as deep links—that can reliably route users to specific content inside a native mobile app, whether they're coming from an email, social media post, search ad, or website. Beyond just linking, Branch provides a full-stack attribution engine that tracks which marketing campaigns drive installs and in-app events, giving teams clear ROI insights. It's the foundational infrastructure for modern mobile growth, user engagement, and cross-channel marketing analytics.

Key Features of Branch

Universal Deep Linking

Branch's deep links work universally across all platforms and devices. If a user has your app installed, the link opens the app directly to the relevant content (e.g., a specific product page). If the app isn't installed, the user is sent to the appropriate app store and, after install, is seamlessly deep-linked into the intended experience. This eliminates the frustrating 'broken link' scenario and creates a smooth, conversion-optimized journey.

Cross-Platform Attribution & Analytics

Accurately attribute every app install and downstream event (like a purchase or sign-up) back to the original marketing source—be it a Facebook ad, Google Search campaign, influencer link, or email newsletter. Branch's deterministic matching and sophisticated modeling provide a single source of truth for marketing performance, eliminating guesswork and enabling data-driven budget allocation.

Journeys & Cross-Channel Linking

Design and deploy optimized user acquisition flows without engineering help. The Journeys feature lets you create beautiful, customizable smart banners, interstitials, and full-page experiences that prompt web visitors to open your app, driving higher engagement rates and better user experiences across marketing channels.

People-Based Attribution & Identity

Branch maintains a persistent, people-based identity graph that connects user interactions across devices and channels (mobile web, desktop, iOS, Android). This allows for a holistic view of the customer journey, ensuring attribution is accurate even when users switch devices, and enabling personalized re-engagement campaigns.

Who Should Use Branch?

Branch is indispensable for any team serious about mobile app success. It's a critical tool for Mobile App Developers and Engineers implementing deep linking infrastructure. Growth Marketers and User Acquisition Managers rely on it for measuring campaign ROI and optimizing spend. Product Managers use it to improve user onboarding and in-app engagement flows. Essentially, any company with a mobile app that invests in marketing, cares about user experience, or needs to understand its growth funnel will find immense value in the Branch platform.

Branch Pricing and Free Tier

Branch offers a generous free tier designed for startups and developers to implement core deep linking and access basic attribution analytics. This plan is perfect for testing the platform and powering essential linking needs. For scaling businesses requiring advanced attribution models, unlimited link creation, premium support, and enterprise features like data warehousing integrations, Branch provides paid Growth and Enterprise plans with custom pricing based on volume and needs.

Common Use Cases

Key Benefits

Pros & Cons

Pros

  • Industry-leading reliability and depth for deep linking across iOS and Android
  • Comprehensive attribution suite that serves as a single source of truth for marketing data
  • Powerful free tier allows full platform testing and implementation of core features
  • Extensive documentation, SDKs, and integrations with major marketing and analytics platforms

Cons

  • Advanced attribution features and high-volume usage require paid enterprise plans
  • Initial SDK integration and configuration require developer resources and testing
  • The full breadth of features can have a learning curve for non-technical team members

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Branch free to use?

Yes, Branch offers a robust free tier that includes deep linking, basic attribution analytics, and a monthly quota of links and events. This allows developers and startups to implement the core platform at no cost. Paid plans unlock higher limits, advanced attribution models, and enterprise support.

Is Branch good for mobile app attribution?

Absolutely. Branch is considered one of the top mobile measurement partners (MMPs) in the industry. It provides deterministic attribution for installs and in-app events, giving marketing teams accurate, actionable data on campaign performance across all paid and organic channels, which is essential for optimizing user acquisition budgets.

How does Branch deep linking work?

Branch deep linking works by using a unique link that contains contextual data. When clicked, the link checks if the app is installed. If it is, the app opens directly to the specified content. If not, the user goes to the app store, and after installation, the app opens with the original context preserved, creating a seamless 'click to content' experience.

What's the difference between Branch and Firebase Dynamic Links?

While both offer deep linking, Branch is a dedicated, platform-agnostic growth platform with a primary focus on enterprise-grade attribution and cross-channel marketing analytics. Firebase Dynamic Links is a Google product focused primarily on the technical deep linking functionality, often integrated within the broader Firebase ecosystem. Branch provides more sophisticated attribution modeling and tools specifically for growth teams.

Conclusion

For mobile app developers and growth teams, Branch is not just a tool—it's essential infrastructure. It solves the critical, interconnected problems of linking, attribution, and user journey optimization in a single, reliable platform. The ability to seamlessly connect marketing efforts to in-app outcomes with precise data transforms how teams drive and measure growth. Starting with its capable free tier, Branch provides a clear path from initial implementation to scaling into a sophisticated mobile growth engine, making it a top-recommended platform for anyone building the future of mobile.