Introduction: Google Is Shutting Down Firebase Dynamic Links. Now What?
On
- What will break
- What should we replace it with
- Is there an option that doesn’t require integrating yet another SDK
This guide is your roadmap to making that transition.
Our recent survey shows that 66% of teams have not selected a replacement. Yet concern is high (7.5 out of 10), and for good reason. For many mobile-first companies, deep links are mission-critical for installs, re-engagement, and conversion tracking. The good news? SDK-free alternatives exist, and they might even work better for your team.
Chapter 1: What Firebase Dynamic Links Did Well
FDL was popular because it helped teams:
- Create deferred deep links for app installs
- Route users into the app from web, QR, email, or social media
- Maintain context and attribution across platforms
These features made it useful across marketing, growth, product, and engineering teams.
But FDL had tradeoffs:
- SDK required
- Limited control over branded links
- Complex to manage for non-technical teams
- Not always reliable in social app browsers
- No support for branded app banners to drive installs from your website
Teachable Moment: Control Your URLs Firebase links all lived at their page.link domain. That means every deep link—and every QR code pointing to it—was dependent on Google maintaining that service. Now that it’s being deprecated, millions of links are going dark.
The lesson: Use a platform that lets you host deep links on your own domain. URLgenius does this—others don’t. If your vendor ever sunsets a service, having your own domain mapped via CNAME and SSL means you can reroute traffic without touching the links themselves. This protects brand equity, enables flexibility, and prevents disruption. Don’t let a free tool become an expensive mistake.
Chapter 2: Requirements for an FDL Replacement
Before jumping to a new vendor, it’s important to define what your team needs.
Here are the must-haves:
1. Deferred Deep Linking
Carry context across app install and open.
2. Smart Routing Across Devices and Platforms
iOS, Android, Desktop, and browser-aware fallback logic.
3. Compatibility with Social Apps and Paid Media
Should work inside embedded browsers like Instagram, TikTok, Facebook.
4. Link Branding and Domain Control
Use your own domain. Avoid generic shorteners.
5. Privacy-Friendly, SDK-Free Options
Avoid SDK overhead, app bloat, and user tracking risks.
6. QR and Email Compatibility
Must work well in omnichannel campaigns.
7. Performance Analytics
Insights on what opens, when, and where.
8. Brandable App Install Banners
Drive iOS and Android installs directly from your mobile website.
Chapter 3: The Case for Going SDK-Free
Why consider a no-SDK option?
- Privacy: SDKs raise user data concerns and compliance burdens (7.7 avg. concern level)
- App Bloat: SDKs increase technical debt and maintenance costs (also 7.7 concern)
- Speed: SDK-free links require no app updates or QA cycles.
- Control: You get full flexibility over URLs, routing, and branding.
- Future-Proofing: Social apps block iOS universal links, rendering SDK-based solutions ineffective.
SDK-free solutions like URLgenius allow non-technical teams to create advanced links for installs, re-engagement, QR, and paid campaigns without code. Importantly, they are built around native URL schemes, which are critical for opening apps from embedded browsers in social media environments—a key requirement for influencer and social commerce strategies.
Chapter 4: Side-by-Side Comparison Table
Chapter 5: Your Migration Checklist
Audit Current Firebase Use Cases
- Where are you using FDL today?
- What are your fallback needs?
- Are any of your QR codes routing through Firebase?
- Log into Firebase and sort your links by traffic over the past 90 days to identify active links
- Document where each link appears (web, email, signage, TV, app banners, etc.)
- Group links by traffic level, update feasibility, and CX risk if they break
- Identify link owners, fallback behaviors, and whether QR codes were created using free tools
Identify Hidden Risks
- Did your team use free QR code generators with Firebase links?
- Are those QR codes on packaging, signage, mailers, or other long-lived assets?
- If yes, those will break on deprecation day ('D-Day')
Replace QR Codes with Branded Links
- Use a platform like URLgenius to generate permanent QR codes using your own domain
- Ensure you can update or redirect links without reprinting codes
Test Alternatives Early
- Use links across devices, OS versions, and embedded browsers
- Test iOS and Android app opens from embedded browsers in Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and YouTube
Evaluate Cost and Pricing Models
- MAU-based? Flat fee? Pay-per-click?
Define KPIs for Success
- Speed of deployment, user experience, conversions, app opens.
Chapter 6: Common Migration Mistakes to Avoid
- Don’t assume your MMP is the only answer
- Don’t underestimate SDK installation timelines
- Don’t skip testing in real-world ad and social app environments
- Don’t delay until August -- migration takes time
- Don’t forget about legacy QR codes tied to Firebase -- they will stop working
Chapter 7: What Comes Next?
Whether you're deep in vendor review or just learning about the deprecation, this is your moment to rethink how mobile app linking works across your tech stack.
Next steps:
- Try converting a Firebase link to SDK-free with our free demo tool
- Schedule a 15-min strategy call
- Download the printable migration checklist
- URLgenius is here to help mobile teams make the switch smoothly -- without code, SDKs, or surprises.
Accelerate Your Firebase Dynamic Links Migration
As the August 25 deadline looms, organizations need fast, privacy-first alternatives that minimize technical risk. URLgenius provides a no-SDK, enterprise-ready solution aligned with modern privacy expectations and campaign performance goals. To help accelerate a risk-free transition, URLgenius is offering the first month free for organizations that sign up by the migration deadline with a 13-month agreement or longer.
Contact us to learn more about how our privacy-first solution can support your app linking strategy and share this link with your team to get started urlgeni.us/fdl-exit.
Appendix
FDL Exit Plan is a publication by URLgenius, the SDK-free deep linking platform trusted by 30,000+ marketers globally.