Why developers switch from Branch
Branch is powerful but built for enterprise marketing teams. If you're a mobile developer needing pure deferred deep linking and install attribution, you often hit these pain points:
Branch challenges
- Opaque pricing: Enterprise-only, requires sales contact, typically $2,000+/month minimum
- Complexity: Full platform when you just need deep linking—lots to learn
- Flutter support limited: Flutter SDK requires native Kotlin/Swift code for some features
- Self-serve signup unavailable: All customers route through enterprise sales process
- 3rd-party tracking: Core analytics rely on 3rd-party SDKs and data collection
Redirectly advantages
- Transparent pricing: Starter $24/mo, Pro $80/mo—no surprises
- Focused simplicity: One job done well: deferred deep linking & attribution
- Pure Dart SDK: Full Flutter support without any native code required
- Self-serve signup: Get started in minutes with API key and subdomain
- Privacy-first: No 3rd-party tracking—your data stays yours
Feature comparison table
Both Redirectly and Branch handle core deep linking and attribution. The differences emerge in SDK support, deployment model, and pricing structure.
| Feature | Redirectly | Branch |
|---|---|---|
| Deferred deep linking | ||
| Install attribution | ||
| Flutter SDK (pure Dart, no native code) | ||
| React Native SDK | ||
| Custom subdomains | ||
| AASA/assetlinks hosting | ||
| MCP Server for AI editors | ||
| Privacy-first (no 3rd-party tracking) | ||
| Real-time analytics dashboard | ||
| Free tier available | ||
| Self-serve signup |
Pricing comparison
Redirectly offers transparent, self-serve pricing with no surprises. Branch operates on enterprise sales—you won't see pricing until you talk to a representative.
Redirectly
Transparent, self-serve pricing. Pay only for what you use.
Free
$0
- 10,000 monthly links
- 1 subdomain
- Basic analytics
- Community support
Starter
$24/month
- 100,000 monthly links
- 5 subdomains
- Advanced analytics
- Email support
Pro
$80/month
- Unlimited links
- Unlimited subdomains
- Real-time dashboards
- Priority support
- Webhook callbacks
Branch
Enterprise pricing. Requires sales contact. No public pricing.
Starter / Pro
Not available for self-serve signup. No public pricing.
Contact sales
Enterprise
Typical starting point for most customers.
$2,000+ /month
* Actual pricing varies based on:
- • Monthly event volume
- • Required integrations
- • Support tier
- • Negotiation leverage
What's included: Full Branch platform, A/B testing, content management, advanced attribution, dedicated support.
Pricing savings: Redirectly vs Branch
If you only need deferred deep linking and install attribution:
$80/mo
Redirectly Pro
vs
$2,000+/mo
Branch Enterprise
Save up to $23,040/year with Redirectly
Developer experience comparison
Setup & Integration
Redirectly: Pure Dart SDK for Flutter means no native code required. Get an API key in minutes. Full setup in under 10 minutes for most apps.
Branch: iOS setup requires Xcode, Swift, and manual AASA configuration. Android setup requires Gradle and native manifest updates. Kotlin code integration needed for some features.
Flutter Support
Redirectly: Full-featured Flutter package. Pure Dart implementation. No native code needed. Works with go_router out of the box.
Branch: Flutter support available but requires native platform channels. Some features need Kotlin/Swift implementation. More complex integration for Flutter developers.
Documentation & Support
Redirectly: Developer-focused docs with Flutter and React Native examples. Active GitHub discussions. Community Slack. Email support on paid plans.
Branch: Comprehensive documentation but oriented toward marketing teams. Developer docs scattered across platform. Enterprise sales support model means slower response to technical questions.
API & Dashboard
Redirectly: Simple REST API. Lightweight dashboard focused on link creation and analytics. Real-time metrics. MCP Server integration for AI-assisted development.
Branch: Feature-rich API but steeper learning curve. Complex dashboard with many features you might not need. Requires familiarity with Branch's data model.
Migration guide from Branch SDK
Migrating from Branch to Redirectly is straightforward. Both SDKs handle deep linking and attribution similarly. You can run both simultaneously during migration to test thoroughly before fully switching.
Step 1: Update pubspec.yaml
Branch
dependencies:
flutter_branch_sdk: ^5.0.0Redirectly
dependencies:
redirectly: ^1.0.0Step 2: Initialization
Branch initialization
import 'package:flutter_branch_sdk/flutter_branch_sdk.dart';
void initState() {
final branchInstance =
FlutterBranchSdk.instance;
branchInstance.initSession(
onData: (data) {
print('Branch: ' + data.toString());
},
onError: (error) {
print('Branch error: ' + error);
},
);
}Redirectly initialization
import 'package:redirectly/redirectly.dart';
void main() async {
await Redirectly.initialize(
apiKey: 'your_api_key_here',
);
// Listen to deep link events
Redirectly.onDeepLink.listen((link) {
print('Deep link: ' + link.path);
});
runApp(const MyApp());
}Step 3: Handling deep links
Branch deep link handling
BranchDeepLinkData data =
await FlutterBranchSdk
.instance.getFirstReferringParams();
if (data.success) {
String? route =
data.jsonMap['~route'] as String?;
// Navigate based on route
}Redirectly deep link handling
// With go_router
Redirectly.onDeepLink.listen((link) {
if (link.path == 'product/123') {
context.go('/product/123');
}
});
// Or access directly
final params =
await Redirectly.getInitialLink();
if (params != null) {
print('Path: ' + params.path);
}Migration strategy
- 1Add Redirectly SDK to pubspec.yaml alongside Branch. Run both during testing.
- 2Initialize both SDKs in your main.dart. Test that deep links work through Redirectly.
- 3Run QA testing with deep links from Redirectly dashboard. Verify attribution tracking works.
- 4Deploy new version with both SDKs active (no downtime).
- 5Monitor analytics for 1-2 weeks. Watch both dashboards to ensure parity.
- 6Remove Branch SDK from pubspec.yaml. Deploy final version.
Frequently asked questions
Is Redirectly a complete Branch replacement?
Redirectly replaces Branch for deferred deep linking and install attribution—the core use case. If you need Branch's A/B testing, content management, or full attribution stacks, you can use Redirectly for linking and complement it with other tools.
Does Redirectly support Universal Links and App Links?
Yes. Redirectly handles AASA (Apple App Site Association) hosting for iOS and assetlinks.json for Android. Custom subdomains are supported. We validate your configuration and provide tools to test.
How does Redirectly pricing compare to Branch?
Redirectly: Starter $24/mo, Pro $80/mo with transparent, self-serve pricing. Branch: Enterprise-only, typically $2,000+/mo. Redirectly is 95% cheaper for most use cases.
Can I migrate from Branch without downtime?
Yes. Run both SDKs simultaneously. Update your pubspec.yaml, initialize both, test thoroughly, then remove Branch. Users won't experience any disruption.
Does Redirectly work with go_router?
Yes. Redirectly provides deep link URLs that integrate seamlessly with go_router route guards and navigation stack. Listen to Redirectly.onDeepLink and pass the path to context.go().
What if I have questions during migration?
Redirectly provides email support on Starter and Pro plans, plus community Slack and GitHub discussions. We're here to help your team transition smoothly.
Explore more alternatives
See how Redirectly compares to other mobile linking platforms: