Ad cost measurement guide

The type and model supported of cost information depends on the method used.

Cost reporting Method	Cost models supported	Data granularity	Where is data available
Clicks (attribution link)	CPI	User-level	Dashboard and Performance reports Raw data reports
Cost API	All	Levels above user level	Dashboard and Performance reports
Ad Spend Ingestion (file upload)	All	Campaign	Dashboard and Performance reports

For a given media source cost can be reported by more than one reporting method. When this occurs it results in inflated cost data in the platform. To avoid cost inflation, an ad cost prioritization mechanism decides which cost data is made available in the platform. Priority is given according to the reproting method. The priority from highest to lowest is: Cost API > Ad Spend Ingestion > Click. If available use Cost API as it is the most accurate.

Ad spend reporting method prioritization

• This mechanism impacts aggregate data reports and dashboards.
• Click cost available in raw data reports are not impacted by the prioritization mechanism

Cost method priority rules

Method	Description
Cost API	Highest priority Most precise [best practice] method Cost API vs. Ad Spend Ingestion: If an integrated partner has Cost API, then Ad Spend Ingestion is disabled. Note! This occurs even if Cost API isn't activated. Enable Cost API:  On any day Cost API is enabled click cost is ignored.  On the day you enable Cost API it gets cost data for the entire day; it doesn't matter at what time during the day it was enabled. Click cost is ignored for the entire day. It may take several hours for data to be available after you enable the API.  Disable Cost API: On the day you disable Cost API click cost is ignored until the beginning of the next day. Example: On Monday at 14:00 Tokyo time, the API is disabled. On Tuesday from 00:00 Tokyo time, clicks are no longer ignored.
Ad Spend Ingestion	At the campaign level, has priority over clicks  Ad Spend Ingestion vs. Click on a given campaign day: Priority is given to cost recorded by ingestion for that day; click cost is ignored.  Example: abc_campaign on 5 and 10 December Record ingest campaign costs. Click costs are ignored.  No other campaigns or dates are impacted. If an ad network has a Cost API, then Ad Spend Ingestion is disabled for that same ad network.
Click	Lowest priority

AppsFlyer displays campaigns using the campaign ID as the key and not the campaign name. To avoid display anomalies ensure that campaigns have a unique campaign ID assigned to them and that you don't use the same campaign name with different campaign IDs.  

Changing the names of active campaigns, ad sets, and ads may cause duplication or missing cost data. Pay attention to the following cases:

• Google Ads and Facebook: Name changes permitted
• Cost API/and other SRN networks: avoid changing the names of campaigns, ad sets and ads on these networks.
• Click networks: avoid using macros with the attribution link parameters of campaigns, ad sets, and ads, if the results can be dynamic.
  Example: c={campaign} is the correct usage, as it returns the same campaign name.
  In contrast, c={campaign}_{creative_size} returns different results and records as separate campaigns in AppsFlyer.

Why do I see cost data with no installs? This occurs when ad cost is provided at the campaign level, but the performance information (clicks and installs) is provided at the adset or lower level in the advertising hierarchy. 

Status	Meaning	Remarks/action required
Success-active	The connection is live and pulling data	N/A
No active campaigns	Connection established	The data sent by the integrated partner does not match campaigns in AppsFlyer.
Never sync	The setup is complete. AppsFlyer has not yet pulled data using the connection.	This message may display for up to five hours after you initially enable the Cost API.
No data	The connection was successful.	The ad network did not return any data to our query. This can occur if the partner did not record any traffic/costs during the reporting period.
No response	The integrated partner's server is not responding to AppsFlyer.	Wait 60 minutes. If the status message persists contact the integrated partner's support.
Invalid credentials	AppsFlyer can't get the data as the credentials are not valid	Ensure that the correct credentials are set in the integrated partner's cost tab. You should get the credentials from the integrated partner.
Missing credentials	No credentials were provided	Ensure that the correct credentials are set in the integrated partner's cost tab.
Something went wrong		If this status persists for a further hour contact AppsFlyer support.
General error		If this status persists for a further hour contact AppsFlyer support.

To disable Cost API: Go to Integrated Partners, select the partner, go to the Cost tab, disable  Get Cost Data.  

Connection to some integrated partners is achieved by logging into the partner from within AppsFlyer and connecting to the account.  You can delete the connection as needed. Once deleted, AppsFlyer is no longer able to pull cost data from the account. Deleting a connection does not impact historical data. 

To delete a connected account:

1. In AppsFlyer, go to Configuration > Integrated Partners.
2. Select the integrated partner, for example, Facebook.
3. Go to the Cost tab.
   The list of connected accounts displays.
4. In the actions column, hover over an account.
   The Delete connection option displays.

   

5. Click Delete connection.
   A confirmation messages displays.

   

6. Click Delete.
   The account connection is deleted.
   The collection of cost data for the previously connected account stops immediately. There is no impact to historical data.  

If the cost currency provided by the ad network differs from that of the app-defined currency set on the platform, the cost is converted to the app-defined currency as follows:

• AppsFlyer gets the rates from openexchangerates.org
• Exchange rates are updated hourly
• Currency conversions are performed using the last know rate

• Ad networks that report cost on the click
• Dimensions supported are those contained on the click

Cost reported on the the click

Media source name	Logo	Cost reporting  method
AdAction		Click
Adattraction		Click
AdCommunal		Click
Adcrimson		Click
Adcrops		Click
AdDeals		Click
AddictiveAds		Click
Adison		Click
Adjoe		Click
Adlix		Click
Adperio		Encrypted Click
Adpick		Encrypted Click
AdTiming		Encrypted Click
AdTrial		Click
Adxperience		Click
Affilinet		Click
Altrooz		Click
AML		Click
AOL Platforms		Click
Appa		Click
Appadvice		Click
AppBrain		Click
Appcoachs		Click
Appflood		Click
Appflood Affiliate Network		Click
AppiSocial		Click
APPKIN		Click
AppLike		Click
AppNext		Click
APPSILON		Click
AppThis		Click
APUS		Click
ASB		Click
Aura by ironSource		Click
Bebi Media		Click
Beintoo		Click
Bidmotion		Click
Blind Ferret		Click
BravAds		Click
Bubbleye		Click
Camera360		Click
Chartboost		Click
CheBuoni		Click
Cheetah Mobile		Encrypted Click
Click2perform		Click
ClickDealer		Click
CommuteStream		Click
Creative Clicks		Click
Crobo		Click
Cross Install		Click
Curate		Click
DGM		Click
Digilant		Click
Directagents		Click
DirectFocus		Click
Drawbridge		Click
Digital Sunray		Click
Digital Turbine		Click
Discovry		Click
Display.io		Click
dotinapp		Encrypted Click
Ednplus		Click
Edge360		Click
Everyads		Click
Exciteco		Click
Fizzylabs		Click
Fyber		Click
Gamespipe		Click
Glispa Media CPI		Encrypted Click
Glispa Media CPR		Encrypted Click
Groundhog		Click
HangMyAds		Click
HAWK		Click
Headway Digital (MoBrain)		Click
Heyzap		Click
Hopemobi		Click
Iconpeak		Click
Immersv		Click
Implus Technology		Click
Inflecto		Encrypted Click
Infleux		Click
Inneractive		Click
Intango		Click
ironSource		Encrypted Click
IRONTRAFFIC		Click
Jampp		Click
JetFuel		Click
Jump Ramp Games		Click
KickAssOffers		Click
KissMyAds		Click
Kixer		Click
Lemmonet		Encrypted Click
LifeStreet		Click
LoopMe		Click
Lunplay		Click
Lyto		Click
Madeviral		Click
Criteo DSP (Manage)		Click
MARKETIT		Click
Matchmade		Click
MdotM		Click
Minimob		Click
Mintegral		Encrypted Click
MOA		Click
Mobair		Click
Mobcastle		Click
Mobiblade		Click
Mobikaka		Click
Mobilda		Encrypted Click
Mobile10		Click
MobilePlay		Click
MobiteMedia		Click
Mobonus		Click
MobPartner		Encrypted Click
Mobsuccess		Click
Mobupps		Click
Mobvista		Encrypted Click
Moloco		Click
Moinstall		Click
Motive		Click
Msales		Click
Naranya		Click
NativeX		Encrypted Click
Netlion		Click
NIP-Ad		Click
Octro		Click
OfferToro		Click
OnSeo		Click
Outmarketing		Click
Performance Revenues		Encrypted Click
Playhaven		Click
PMANetwork		Click
Pocket Media		Click
Promolta		Click
Pubmint		Click
Purple Friends		Click
Pusic		Click
rAPId:ads		Click
ReevAds		Click
RevMob		Click
Rocket10		Click
Rootmedia		Click
Roundcubez		Click
Seads		Click
SeccoSquared		Click
SDM		Click
Skrilo		Click
Startapp		Encrypted Click
Supersonic		Click
Surikate		Click
TA Media DSP		Click
Tapcash		Click
TapCommerce		Click
Tapmyads		Click
Tapsense		Encrypted Click
Taptica		Click
Time One		Encrypted
Tyroo		Click
Unity Ads		Click
Vungle		Click
Wagawin		Click
Wisebirds		Click
yeahmobi		Encrypted Click
Yieldmo		Click
Webpals		Click
ZPLAY Ads		Click

Cost API networks

Media source name	Logo	Dimensions Supported	Geo supported
Aarki		Campaign	No
Adcolony		Campaign	Yes
AdGate Media		Campaign	Yes
Adiketeev (Trademob)		Campaign	Yes
Adjoe		Campaign, ad	Yes
Apple Search Ads		Campaign, adset level  Keyword cost without Geo	Yes
AppLike		Campaign, ad	Yes
Applovin		Media source, campaign, site ID	Yes
Appreciate		Campaign	Yes
Aura		Campaign	Yes
Chartboost		Campaign	Yes
Digital turbine		Campaign	Yes
Facebook		Campaign, ad Set, ad, and Channel	Yes
Fyber		Campaign	Yes
Google		Campaign	Yes
Influencemobile		Campaign	Yes
ironSource		Campaign, ad	Yes
Jampp		Campaign	Yes
Liftoff		Campaign, ad	Yes
Lifestreet		Campaign, ad	Yes
myTarget		Campaign	No
Peronal.ly		Campaign, ad	Yes
Pinterest		Campaign, ad set, Ad (promoted pin)	No
Snap		Campaign, ad set, and ad.	No
Smadex		Campaign, ad	Yes
TikTok Ads		Campaign, ad set, ad	Yes
Tapjoy		Campaign, site ID	Yes
Unity Ads		Campaign	Yes
Verizon Meida (Oath Ad Platforms)		Campaign, ad set, ad,	Yes
Vungle		Campaign, ad	Yes