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How They Got Here
Like many organizations, this company used Firebase Dynamic Links -- Google’s free tool -- to handle basic app deep linking and to drive app installs. They combined that with a free server plugin for generating QR codes. At first glance, it checked all the boxes:
- Branded URLs: The QR codes resolved through their own domain, which aligns with best practices.
- No Additional Cost: No monthly fees for links or QR codes.
- Wide Deployment: These QR codes were then placed on billing mailers received by millions of their customers.
Everything looked like a win... until now.
The Looming Problem
Firebase Dynamic Links will be deprecated in just a few weeks. Once that happens:
- Every page.link URL embedded in those QR codes will stop working.
- Customers scanning the QR codes on mailers sitting in their homes will suddenly hit dead links.
- The company has no easy way to track which QR codes are in circulation because they weren’t set up with analytics or source parameters.
In short, a decision that seemed cost-effective is now a looming PR headache -- tens of thousands of QR codes will silently fail, leaving customers frustrated and the company scrambling.
Why Free Isn’t Really Free
This is the hidden cost of free tools:
- Lack of Ownership: Whether it’s Firebase Dynamic Links or a hosted free QR generator, you don’t truly control the underlying URLs.
- No Tracking: Free QR tools often lack built-in attribution and analytics, leaving you blind to installs and engagement.
- No Failsafes: When a free service is shut down, your customer experience goes down with it.
The Path Forward
Fortunately
- Create server-side redirect rules for domain.com/qrcodepath.
- Point those redirects to pre-configured, SDK-free URLgenius app links with attribution parameters already appended to measure app installs and post-scan usage -- without touching their mobile apps.
- Gain intelligent routing that sends customers directly to the app or app store based on their device.
- Finally start capturing analytics (and even append source tags like qr.domain.com/mailerqr?source=qr-mailer) to understand which mailers are driving scans.
It’s a fix -- but it shouldn’t have come to this.
The Takeaway
When QR codes and deep links are essential to your mobile customer experience, they deserve proper investment. Free tools can be useful for testing or limited campaigns, but relying on them for mission-critical customer touchpoints is risky.
The biggest hidden cost? Lost visibility and control. Free tools like Firebase Dynamic Links and server-based QR generators don’t provide robust attribution or long-term reliability. When those services fail or shut down, not only do your links break -- you also lose the ability to measure installs, engagement, and campaign ROI.
In this case, two free tools nearly combined to create a costly, brand-damaging failure. The solution is to route those existing QR codes through pre-configured, SDK-free URLgenius links with full attribution tracking, ensuring customers reach the right app destination while your team regains visibility into performance.
The lesson is simple: if your business depends on mobile engagement, don’t duct tape together free solutions and hope they last forever. Build on infrastructure you control, with attribution baked in and no SDK dependencies to maintain -- a solution that’s future-proof, secure, and ready to scale without code changes.
If you found this content helpful, check out these blog posts about the upcoming Firebase Dynamic Links Deprecation (and why 'free' isn't always better):
- The Smartest Replacement for Firebase Dynamic Links? Your Own Domain
- The Countdown to Firebase Dynamic Links Deprecation: How Companies Are Preparing for the Change
- The FDL Exit Plan: A Practical Guide to Replacing Firebase Dynamic Links Without SDKs
- FDL Migration Checklist: Deep Link Audit & Transition Planning
- FDL Testing Template for QA Teams
- FDL QR Code Risk Assessment Template