AppsFlyer obtains cost data from media sources using one or more methods. If a media source reports cost through more than one method, then the cost prioritization mechanism determines which data AppsFlyer uses. This prevents cost data from being inflated.

After AppsFlyer processes the data, it shows in UTC time zone (default) or according to your app-specific time zone settings.

The table at the end of this section indicates where cost data is available.

For the purposes of understanding the table, the following explanations apply, unless otherwise indicated in the table remarks:

Cost in the UA view

AppsFlyer classifies campaign cost data as user acquisition (UA) based on matching rules that vary by media source, as shown below.

Cost in the Unified view

The Unified view includes cost data for all campaigns of the selected app, regardless of whether installs, clicks, or impressions exist within ±10 days of the cost reporting date (install date).

Example

The following examples show how the ±10-day window affects where cost appears:

• If a media source that uses the ±10-day window reports the cost for campaign X on March 15, and campaign X has at least one click, install, or impression between March 5 and March 25, the cost for March 15 appears in UA and in Unified.
  • If no activity exists in that time window, the cost for March 15 appears only in Unified. For media sources that match by processing date only, the same rule applies to March 15 itself, with no ±10-day window.

Cost data availability and reports table

For a given media source, cost can be provided by more than one method. To avoid cost inflation, a campaign cost prioritization mechanism decides which cost data appears in the platform. AppsFlyer gives priority according to the aggregation method. The priority from lowest to highest is: Cost on the attribution link > Cost API > Cost Import.

The cost prioritization mechanism impacts aggregate data reports and dashboards. It doesn't impact attribution link cost data in raw data reports, as noted above.

Considerations:

• The priority mechanism works at the campaign level. This means that if you get two cost inputs for one campaign via different mechanisms, then they compete and the higher priority wins for the entire campaign.
  • On any day, when there's cost data for a specific app and media source (or agency) via Cost API, AppsFlyer ignores cost data on the attribution link.
• If you change cost aggregation methods, the change has a retroactive impact. Historical aggregate cost data can change.
• A change to the cost aggregation method affects agency-generated traffic the same way. This includes both transparent and non-transparent agencies.

Some media sources report the campaign cost data without an associated app ID. When this happens, AppsFlyer completes the app ID(s) using engagement and attribution data.

AppsFlyer matches apps based on those associated with the campaign's clicks, impressions, and conversions within a ±10-day window around the reported cost date.

If the app completion process results in multiple matched apps, AppsFlyer distributes the campaign cost across those apps as follows:

Proportional split (by conversions)

If conversions (installs, reattributions, and re-engagements) exist on the reported cost date, AppsFlyer splits the cost proportionally based on each app's number of conversions.

Example: If the total cost on Day 1 is $100, and the campaign drives 60 installs on iOS and 40 installs on Android, then:

• iOS: $60
• Android: $40

Equal split (no conversions)

If no conversions exist on the reported cost date, AppsFlyer splits the cost equally across the matched apps.

Example: If the total cost on Day 1 is $100 and the campaign has impressions but no conversions on that date, then:

• iOS: $50
• Android: $50

Limitations

The following limitations apply to this feature:

• AppsFlyer supports this feature for Google, TikTok, and DV360 cross-platform and web-to-app (W2A) campaigns (campaigns with a campaign objective that is different from mobile/app).
• Google Performance Max (PMAX) campaigns: The proportional (conversion-based) split doesn't apply. Google's API doesn't report Ad ID or Geo granularity for PMAX campaigns, so AppsFlyer splits the cost equally across the matched apps, regardless of the number of conversions per app. At the campaign level, when all platforms (iOS, Android, etc.) are selected in the dashboard, the total cost still matches Google's reported cost.

The downloadable table below lists all media sources supporting Cost API, with the data granularity available for each:

• Dimensions
• Supported features and their characteristics
• Metrics (as reported by the media sources)

Download file: CSV, XLSX

AppsFlyer displays campaigns using the campaign ID as the key.

To avoid display anomalies, make sure that:

• Each campaign has a unique campaign ID.
• You don't use the same campaign name with different campaign IDs.

Learn more about campaign name changes

Why do I see cost data with no installs? This occurs when a media source provides cost at a higher level in the hierarchy (for example, the campaign level) but provides performance information (clicks and installs) at a lower level in the advertising hierarchy (for example, the ad adset level).

AppsFlyer completes the cost data for missing dimensions from an upper-level hierarchy. This guarantees a full view of the cost data at any level and minimizes internal discrepancies.

If the campaign cost currency provided by the media source differs from the app-defined currency on the platform, AppsFlyer converts the cost to the app-defined currency as follows:

• AppsFlyer gets the rates from openexchangerates.org.
• AppsFlyer updates exchange rates hourly for data up to seven days back.
• AppsFlyer performs currency conversions using the last known rate.