Firebase Dynamic Links Alternatives in 2026: An Honest Comparison
Google shut down Firebase Dynamic Links on August 25, 2025. If you're still looking for a replacement, this guide compares every serious option available today — honestly, without affiliate links or paid placements.
What You Actually Need
Before comparing tools, it's worth being clear about what Firebase Dynamic Links actually did:
Deferred deep linking — if a user doesn't have your app installed, they get sent to the App Store or Play Store. After install, the app opens the correct screen automatically.
iOS Universal Links and Android App Links — so tapping a link opens your app directly instead of a browser.
Deepview pages — a branded interstitial page that previews the content and prompts the user to open or install the app.
Analytics — tracking which links drive installs and opens.
Not every alternative does all of these. That distinction matters.
The Alternatives
Flinku
Flinku was built specifically after the Firebase Dynamic Links shutdown. It covers the full feature set: deferred deep linking, iOS Universal Links, Android App Links, deepview pages, and analytics — plus features Firebase never had, like password-protected links, scheduled links, link health monitoring, and geo routing.
SDKs are available for Flutter, iOS, Android, React Native, Unity, and Capacitor — all open source.
Pricing is flat and click-based, not per monthly active user. Free plan includes 300 links and 10k clicks/month. Paid plans start at $12/month.
Best for: Developers who want a direct Firebase Dynamic Links replacement with no MAU pricing.
Branch.io
Branch is the enterprise standard for mobile deep linking. It has deep attribution, paid ad integrations (Meta, Google, TikTok), and a large feature set. The tradeoff is price — plans start at $299/month — and complexity. For most indie developers and small teams, it's overkill.
Best for: Large teams who need paid ad attribution and are willing to pay enterprise prices.
ChottuLink
ChottuLink is a newer entrant targeting the same post-Firebase gap. It offers deferred deep linking on all plans and has SDKs for Android, iOS, Flutter, React Native, and Unity (no Capacitor). Pricing is MAU-based: free up to 25k MAU, then $19/month up to 100k MAU. If your app grows, costs grow with it.
Best for: Developers who prefer MAU-based pricing and don't use Capacitor.
Smler
Smler is an Indian SaaS focused on link shortening with some deep linking features. The key limitation: deferred deep linking is only available on the $9.99/month plan and above. Links also expire automatically (15 to 60 days depending on plan), which makes it unsuitable for permanent deep links in production apps.
Best for: Short-lived campaign links, not production app deep linking.
Building Your Own
Some developers build a custom redirect server. This gives full control but means maintaining SSL, AASA files, assetlinks.json, fingerprinting logic for deferred deep linking, and analytics yourself. It's a significant ongoing maintenance burden.
Best for: Teams with specific requirements that no existing tool meets.
Feature Comparison
| Feature | Flinku | Branch.io | ChottuLink | Smler |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deferred deep linking | ✅ All plans | ✅ | ✅ All plans | ✅ $9.99+/mo |
| iOS Universal Links | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Android App Links | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Flutter SDK | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Capacitor SDK | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ |
| Unity SDK | ✅ | ❌ | ✅ | ❌ |
| Link expiry | Optional | Optional | Optional | Forced |
| Password protected links | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ |
| Scheduled links | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ |
| Link health monitor | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ |
| Geo routing | ✅ | ✅ Enterprise | ❌ | ❌ |
| MAU pricing | ❌ Never | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ |
| Free tier | ✅ | ✅ 10k MAU | ✅ 25k MAU | ✅ |
| Starting price | $12/mo | $299/mo | $19/mo | $4.99/mo |
Which One Should You Choose?
If you need a direct Firebase Dynamic Links replacement with flat pricing and no MAU surprises, Flinku is the closest match. It covers the same use cases, has the broadest SDK support, and starts free.
If you're running a large app with paid ad campaigns and need attribution data, Branch is the industry standard — budget accordingly.
If MAU-based pricing works for your growth model and you don't use Capacitor, ChottuLink is worth evaluating.
If you only need short-lived campaign links and not permanent deep links, Smler covers the basics cheaply.
Flinku is a Firebase Dynamic Links replacement built for indie developers and small teams. Start for free at app.flinku.dev.