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12 min read
December 15, 2024

Firebase Dynamic Links Shutdown: Timeline & What To Do

Firebase Dynamic Links (FDL) are being retired in August 2025. Learn what broke for your apps, the complete timeline, and discover better alternatives to migrate your deep linking infrastructure.

Urgent: Firebase Dynamic Links Sunset August 5, 2025

If you're still using Firebase Dynamic Links in production, you need to migrate immediately. Links will stop working after the sunset date.

Firebase Dynamic Links Deprecation Timeline

May 2023: Announcement

Google announced Firebase Dynamic Links deprecation, giving developers 2 years to migrate.

December 2023: Warnings Begin

Apps using FDL started receiving deprecation warnings in Firebase console and SDKs.

August 5, 2025: Sunset Date

Firebase Dynamic Links service stops working. All links become inactive.

Post-August 2025: Zero Support

No further updates or support. Service completely removed from Firebase platform.

What Broke for Apps Using FDL

Deferred Deep Linking

Apps relying on FDL's deferred deep linking capability lost the ability to track installs and route users to specific content on first launch.

Attribution Loss

Firebase Dynamic Links provided install attribution data. Apps lost visibility into how installs were generated.

App Sharing Features

In-app sharing, referral programs, and affiliate links built on FDL stopped working after the sunset date.

Cross-Platform Tracking

FDL's ability to track users across web and mobile was lost, breaking integrated marketing funnels.

Real-World Impact

Thousands of apps in production were affected when Firebase Dynamic Links shut down. Common scenarios that broke:

  • Users sharing product links couldn't route to content on app install
  • Referral programs stopped tracking reward attribution
  • Marketing campaigns lost install source tracking
  • Affiliate networks couldn't attribute commissions

Business Impact of FDL Shutdown

User Engagement Drop

Apps depending on deep linking saw a significant drop in user engagement when links stopped working. Users who couldn't access shared content directly were more likely to churn.

Revenue Loss

Referral programs, affiliate networks, and marketing campaigns relying on install attribution lost the ability to track ROI and compensate partners, resulting in direct revenue impact.

Operational Disruption

Engineering teams had to quickly rebuild deep linking infrastructure with minimal notice, diverting resources from feature development to fire-fighting.

Available Deep Linking Alternatives

Google Play Referrer API

Android's built-in install attribution. Limited to Android, no deferred deep linking.

Pros: Free, native Android integration

Cons: Android-only, basic attribution only

Universal Links & App Links

Apple and Google's native deep linking protocols. No attribution or deferred linking.

Pros: Native, SEO-friendly

Cons: No attribution, requires domain control

Branch.io

Full-featured deep linking platform with attribution and mobile measurement.

Pros: Feature-rich, well-established

Cons: Expensive, complex SDK integration

Adjust / AppsFlyer

Mobile measurement platforms with deep linking and attribution.

Pros: Industry standard, comprehensive analytics

Cons: High cost, bloated SDKs

Redirectly

Modern alternative built specifically for developers moving from Firebase.

Pros: Lightweight, easy migration, affordable

Cons: Newer platform (but that's why it was designed right)

Why Redirectly Was Built

The Firebase Dynamic Links Gap

When Firebase Dynamic Links shut down, there was no ideal replacement. Existing alternatives were either too expensive, too complex, or missing critical features that developers relied on. Redirectly was built to fill this gap.

Purpose-Built for FDL Migration

Redirectly's architecture is optimized for apps migrating from Firebase Dynamic Links, with familiar concepts and easy SDKs.

Developer-Friendly

Minimal SDK footprint, clean documentation, and SDK support for React Native, Flutter, iOS, and Android without bloat.

Transparent Pricing

Straightforward pricing without surprise fees. You only pay for what you use, not for a bloated platform.

Your Migration Path

1

Audit Your FDL Usage

Identify all places in your codebase where Firebase Dynamic Links are used. Check analytics for usage patterns.

2

Choose a Replacement

Evaluate alternatives based on your features (deferred linking, attribution, etc.) and budget. Redirectly is optimized for this migration path.

3

Integrate New Solution

Install and configure the new SDK. Most migrations take a few hours with Redirectly's straightforward APIs.

4

Remove FDL Code

Once verified, remove Firebase Dynamic Links SDK and code from your application.

5

Deploy & Monitor

Deploy the updated code and monitor deep linking performance. Most teams see zero downtime with proper staging.

Ready to Migrate from Firebase Dynamic Links?

Start your migration with Redirectly today. We have detailed guides for React Native, Flutter, iOS, and Android.

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