Short answer: At 10k paid installs a month, Kochava's free plan never runs out, Linkrunner's 25k one-time installs last into month 3 and AppsFlyer's 12k into month 2. At 30k or 100k a month, every free MMP allowance is used up in month 1, so for a startup running paid ads the rate after the allowance matters far more than its size.
What is a free MMP allowance?
A free MMP allowance is the number of installs or conversions a mobile measurement partner attributes at no charge, either once, within the first year, or every month, before paid rates apply.
The type decides how long it lasts:
- One-time, no expiry: Linkrunner gives 25k attributed installs, or 50k for VC-backed teams through its Startup Program.
- First year only: AppsFlyer gives 12k conversions to use within 12 months. Adjust's Base plan is free up to 1.5k conversions a month for the first 12 months.
- Every month: Kochava gives 10k conversions a month and Tenjin 2k a month.
- Not stated: Singular lists 15k free paid conversions without saying whether that is monthly or one-time, so both readings are shown below.
Branch and Airbridge offer trials instead: 30 days for Airbridge, unstated for Branch.
Paid install: an install credited to an ad campaign. Most free allowances are counted in paid installs or conversions, not organic installs.
When does each free MMP plan run out?
The table shows the month each allowance is used up, assuming steady volume from day one and one conversion per paid install.
| Free allowance | 10k a month | 30k a month | 100k a month |
|---|---|---|---|
| Linkrunner: 25k, one-time | Month 3 | Month 1 | Month 1 |
| Linkrunner Startup Program: 50k | Month 5 | Month 2 | Month 1 |
| AppsFlyer: 12k, first year | Month 2 | Month 1 | Month 1 |
| Adjust: 1.5k a month, first year | Month 1, every month | Month 1, every month | Month 1, every month |
| Singular: 15k, if one-time | Month 2 | Month 1 | Month 1 |
| Singular: 15k, if monthly | Never | Month 1, every month | Month 1, every month |
| Kochava: 10k a month | Never | Month 1, every month | Month 1, every month |
| Tenjin: 2k a month | Month 1, every month | Month 1, every month | Month 1, every month |
How much of year one does each allowance cover?
The same allowances as a share of a full year's paid installs (120k a year at 10k a month):
| Free allowance | 10k a month | 30k a month | 100k a month |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kochava | 100% | about 33% | about 10% |
| Singular, if monthly | 100% | about 50% | about 15% |
| Linkrunner Startup Program | about 42% | about 14% | about 4% |
| Linkrunner | about 21% | about 7% | about 2% |
| Tenjin | about 20% | about 7% | about 2% |
| Adjust | about 15% | about 5% | under 2% |
| Singular, if one-time | about 13% | about 4% | about 1% |
| AppsFlyer | about 10% | about 3% | about 1% |
Recurring monthly allowances cover the most at low volume. Above about 30k a month, no allowance covers more than half the year, and the paid rate sets the bill.
What do you pay the day it runs out?
- Linkrunner: pay-as-you-go at $0.010 per attributed install up to 50k a month, billed after the month, with no annual contract.
- AppsFlyer: Growth at $0.07 per conversion. AppsFlyer describes its free Zero plan as "not suitable for apps with paid activities".
- Adjust: Core above 1.5k conversions a month, priced through sales. Base itself ends after 12 months.
- Singular: Growth at $0.05 per conversion.
- Kochava: Foundation at $500 a month up to 33k conversions, then Enterprise from $2k a month.
- Tenjin: $0.04 per extra conversion on the free plan, or the S plan at $200 a month for 10k.
What year one costs once the allowance is gone
List prices with each allowance subtracted, one billable unit per paid install, no retargeting or add-ons.
| Vendor | 10k a month | 30k a month | 100k a month |
|---|---|---|---|
| Linkrunner | about $950 | about $3.4k | about $10.6k |
| AppsFlyer Growth | about $7.6k | about $24.4k | about $83.2k |
| Singular Growth, if one-time | about $5.3k | about $17.3k | about $59.3k |
| Kochava | $0 | about $6k | from about $24k |
| Tenjin | about $2.4k | up to about $6.6k | about $12k |
| Adjust, Branch | Quote | Quote | Quote |
At exactly 10k a month, Kochava's free plan costs nothing all year. From 30k a month, Linkrunner has the lowest published year-one bill in this table. To compare quotes on a like-for-like basis, see how to compare MMP quotes by effective cost per install, or try your own volume in the MMP cost calculator.
Three things to check before you rely on a free plan
- What the free plan leaves out. Since 15 September 2026, AppsFlyer Zero has no deferred deep linking, branded domains or raw data exports. The free MMP comparison lists every plan's limits.
- Whether your volume will grow. Paid acquisition typically starts in earnest between 1k and 10k installs, as the benchmarks on when apps start paying for installs show. Plan for the volume you will have in six months.
- Where the next plan starts. A plan band such as Kochava's 33k cap can turn a $500 month into at least $2k.
For a ranked view across free allowance, pricing and features, see the best MMP for startups.
Where Linkrunner fits
Where Linkrunner fits: Best for startups that expect to pass 30k paid installs a month. The first 25k attributed installs are free with no expiry, then billing is postpaid from $0.010 per install, with deep linking, fraud protection and unlimited seats on every plan. VC-backed teams get 50k free installs through the Linkrunner Startup Program.
The full startup offer is on Linkrunner's MMP for startups page.
FAQ
Which free MMP lasts longest? At 10k paid installs a month, Kochava's 10k conversions a month never runs out. At 30k or 100k a month, every allowance is used up in the first month, so the rate after it matters more.
Do free MMP plans expire? Some do. AppsFlyer's 12k conversions must be used within the first 12 months, and Adjust's Base plan is free for the first 12 months only. Linkrunner's 25k installs have no calendar expiry.
What is the best free MMP for startups? Linkrunner ranks first on this site for startups running paid campaigns, with 25k free installs that never expire and published per-install pricing after that. Kochava suits apps that will stay at or below 10k conversions a month.
Is Singular's free plan monthly? Singular's pricing page lists up to 15k free paid conversions but does not say whether the limit is monthly or one-time. Confirm with Singular before planning around it.
What happens when an AppsFlyer free allowance runs out? You pay $0.07 per conversion on Growth, including re-engagements. Unused Welcome Package conversions also lapse after the first 12 months.