Firebase Dynamic Links Is Shut Down. Here's How to Restore Your App Links.
Firebase Dynamic Links officially shut down on August 25, 2025. Every page.link and custom-domain FDL link now returns a 404 — breaking the deep links in your emails, referral flows, push notifications, and onboarding. The fix is to move your links to a dedicated deep-linking host. With DeepTap you can have iOS Universal Links and Android App Links working again in minutes — with no SDK and no server to maintain.
What actually broke
FDL did three things for most apps: it routed a single link to the right place on iOS, Android, and web; it sent users without the app to the store and then opened the right screen after install (deferred deep linking); and it gave you basic click stats.
Since the shutdown, all three are gone, and existing links resolve to errors. If your app still references FDL, users are hitting dead links right now.
What you actually need to replace it
Here's the part most "alternatives" lists get wrong: you probably don't need a full mobile measurement platform. FDL was a deep-linking tool, not an ad-attribution suite. The enterprise replacements Google points to — Branch, AppsFlyer, Adjust — bundle deep linking inside attribution platforms that start in the hundreds of dollars per month, and most teams end up paying for fraud detection and multi-touch attribution they'll never use.
What you need is the deep-linking part: reliable routing, deferred deep linking, and your link config hosted correctly. That's exactly what DeepTap does, and nothing you don't need.
How DeepTap replaces Firebase Dynamic Links
Zero code, no SDK
DeepTap works through native OS protocols — iOS Universal Links and Android App Links. We host your configuration files (apple-app-site-association and assetlinks.json) on a global edge network, so there's nothing to integrate into your app binary and no server for you to run.
Deferred deep linking included
When someone clicks a link without your app installed, DeepTap stores the destination, sends them to the App Store or Google Play, and hands the original context back to your app on first launch — no SDK required. (See the honest note on accuracy below.)
The links you had, restored
Branded short links, smart routing per device, and a configurable fallback URL for users without the app — the FDL building blocks, working again.
Analytics with routing insight
See clicks over time, device and platform breakdowns, referrers, and — the metric that matters for deep links — whether each click was routed into the app or sent to the store.
Starts at $5.99/month.
See all plans →Migrate in 3 steps
Create
Pick a subdomain and DeepTap sets up your deep-link endpoint and config files instantly.
Configure
Enter your app credentials (Bundle ID + Team ID for iOS, Package Name for Android) in the dashboard.
Connect
Add the domain to Xcode or Android Studio. Your links are live.
Most existing destination paths and parameters carry straight over; the dead page.link URLs are the only thing you replace.
DeepTap vs. the other options
| DeepTap | Enterprise MMP (Branch, AppsFlyer) | DIY / native only | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Setup | Minutes, dashboard | SDK integration + config | Hours of server + file hosting |
| SDK in your app | None | Required | None |
| Deferred deep linking | Included, no SDK | Included, via SDK | Build it yourself |
| Config file hosting | Done for you | Varies | You host and maintain |
| Ad attribution / fraud | Not included | Included (and you pay for it) | None |
| Starting price | $5.99/mo | Typically hundreds/mo | "Free" + your engineering time |
If you genuinely need cross-network ad attribution, an MMP is the right tool. If you just want your deep links working again, DeepTap is the faster, cheaper path.
An honest note on deferred deep linking accuracy
DeepTap matches a click to an install using a server-side fingerprint (IP + user agent) — the same SDK-free approach the big platforms use as a fallback. It's most reliable when the click and the first app launch happen on the same network. If a user clicks on mobile data, installs, and then opens the app on a different Wi-Fi network, the link still opens your app — just without the saved deep-link context. No fingerprint method avoids this entirely without putting an SDK in your app, which is the tradeoff we deliberately don't make. We'd rather tell you that up front than promise "100%."
Frequently asked questions
Is Firebase Dynamic Links really gone?
Yes. Firebase Dynamic Links shut down on August 25, 2025. Existing links return a 404 and no new links can be created. Migrating is no longer optional if your app relied on them.
Do I have to add an SDK to migrate?
No. DeepTap uses native iOS Universal Links and Android App Links and hosts your configuration files for you. Your app binary stays small and there is nothing to integrate.
Does DeepTap support deferred deep linking like FDL did?
Yes. It stores the link destination on click and returns it to your app after install using server-side fingerprint matching — no SDK required. Accuracy is highest when the click and first launch are on the same network.
Will my existing links keep working?
Your old page.link URLs are dead and must be replaced. But your destination paths and parameters map directly to DeepTap, so the migration is mostly swapping the link host, not rebuilding your link logic.
How is this different from Branch or AppsFlyer?
Those are mobile measurement platforms — deep linking bundled with ad attribution and fraud detection, priced for enterprises. DeepTap is a focused deep-linking host: no SDK, no attribution bloat, from $5.99/month. Choose an MMP if attribution is your goal; choose DeepTap if you just need deep links that work.
How long does migration take?
Most apps are live in minutes for a simple setup. The dashboard generates your config files and gives you a one-click way to verify your apple-app-site-association file is correct.
Restore your links now
Don't leave users hitting 404s. Start a free trial or check your current Universal Links setup — no sign-up required.