What Did Firebase Dynamic Links Actually Do?
Before picking a replacement, it helps to understand exactly what Firebase Dynamic Links offered:
- Deep linking — Open a specific screen inside your app from a URL
- Deferred deep linking — If the app isn't installed, send the user to the App Store/Play Store, then open the right screen after install
- Smart redirects — Route users to iOS App Store, Google Play, or a web fallback depending on their device
- Link shortening — Clean short URLs instead of long intent strings
- Analytics — Click tracking, install attribution, campaign performance
Any replacement needs to cover most — ideally all — of these. Let's see how the top options stack up.
The 3 Best Firebase Dynamic Links Alternatives in 2026
After testing and comparing every major option on the market, three tools stand out as genuine replacements. Here's what each one does well — and where each falls short.
HopLinks is one of the few purpose-built Firebase Dynamic Links replacements. Designed with Indian developers and startups in mind — but works globally. It covers every core use case: deep linking, deferred deep linking, smart routing — plus UPI payment links and WhatsApp intent links that no other tool offers out of the box.
| Plan | Price | Links/mo | Analytics |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free | ₹0 / $0 | 1,000 | Basic |
| Starter | $3.99/mo | 10,000 | Full |
Branch is the most feature-complete deep linking platform on the market — used by Airbnb, Pinterest, and Tinder. If you're running a large-scale app with millions of MAUs and a dedicated growth team, Branch delivers. But it comes with a price tag to match.
Dub.co is a modern, developer-friendly link management platform — clean, fast, with a great API. However, it's primarily a link shortener with analytics, not a deep linking platform for mobile apps.
Head-to-Head Comparison
| Feature | HopLinks | Branch.io | Dub.co |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deep linking (iOS + Android) | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes | ❌ No |
| Deferred deep linking | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes | ❌ No |
| Smart OS/device routing | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes | ⚠️ Partial |
| Custom branded domains | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes |
| UPI payment deep links | ✅ Yes | ❌ No | ❌ No |
| WhatsApp intent links | ✅ Yes | ❌ No | ❌ No |
| QR codes | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes |
| Click analytics | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes |
| React Native SDK | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes | ❌ No |
| Flutter SDK | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes | ❌ No |
| INR pricing | ✅ Yes | ❌ No | ❌ No |
| Free plan | ✅ Generous | ⚠️ Limited | ✅ Yes |
| Starting price | Free → $3.99/mo | ~$499/mo | Free → $19/mo |
How to Choose the Right Alternative
- You need a drop-in Firebase replacement
- You're based in India or targeting Indian users
- You use UPI or WhatsApp in your flow
- You're a startup or indie developer
- You need React Native or Flutter SDKs
- You're a well-funded company ($10K+/mo)
- You need MMP integrations for paid ads
- You're running global multi-channel campaigns
- You don't need mobile deep linking
- You just need branded short links + analytics
- You're a SaaS or content platform
Migration Checklist: Firebase → HopLinks
Here's how to get from Firebase Dynamic Links to HopLinks in seven steps:
- 1Sign up for a HopLinks account at hoplinks.in — free plan, no credit card required.
- 2Install the SDK for your platform — iOS, Android, React Native, or Flutter.
- 3Replace Firebase SDK calls with HopLinks equivalents. The API mirrors Firebase conventions — rewrite is minimal.
- 4Migrate existing links via HopLinks bulk import — old Firebase short links recreated in batch.
- 5Update
AndroidManifest.xml/Info.plistfor App Links and Universal Links configuration. - 6Test deep link routing on both platforms using HopLinks' built-in test mode.
- 7Set up your analytics dashboard to track clicks, installs, and campaign attribution.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Firebase Dynamic Links completely shut down?
Yes. Firebase Dynamic Links was deprecated in August 2025 and is no longer operational. Existing links have stopped working. If your app still references Firebase Dynamic Links, your users are seeing broken flows right now. Migrate immediately.
What is the fastest Firebase Dynamic Links replacement to set up?
HopLinks offers the fastest migration path — the SDK swap can be completed in under an hour, and the API mirrors Firebase Dynamic Links conventions. Most developers complete the full migration in a single day.
Does any free Firebase Dynamic Links alternative exist?
Yes. HopLinks offers a free plan with 1,000 links/month — sufficient for indie developers and small apps. It's the most generous free tier among Firebase alternatives with full deep linking support, including deferred deep linking and smart OS routing.
Does Branch.io work in India?
Technically yes, but pricing is in USD and starts at ~$499/month (≈₹41,000/month). For most Indian startups this is prohibitive. HopLinks at $3.99/month serves the same core use case at roughly 1/50th the price, with UPI and WhatsApp features built in.
Can I use HopLinks for UPI payment links?
Yes — this is a unique HopLinks feature. You can create deep links that open GPay, PhonePe, or Paytm directly with a pre-filled payment amount and UPI ID. No other deep link platform offers this natively.