A Branch alternative for store links

Branch is a full deep-linking and attribution platform. Many apps use one small part of it: a link that opens the right store. That part SetLinks does on its own.

Branch’s strength is deep linking with its SDK: links that survive the install and open the right screen, measurement across ad partners, fraud protection and journeys. Its pricing page lists three tiers — Basics with a free trial, Essentials and Enterprise through a demo — and no prices.

If your team reached for Branch to get “one link that works on iPhone and Android”, you may be paying in money and engineering time for far more than you use. Here is what SetLinks covers, what it does not, and how to move the simple links.

The two are not mutually exclusive. A common split is to keep Branch where its SDK earns its keep — paid campaigns, referrals, onboarding journeys — and give the everyday download links on your website, packaging and social profiles to a tool that needs no developer time.

Side by side

Feature	Branch	SetLinks
Free tier	Free trial of Basics; no permanent free tier listed	3 links, unlimited traffic
Prices on the website	No — trial or demo	Yes
SDK in the app	Yes	No
Deferred deep links	Yes	No
Install attribution with ad partners	Yes — 3 ad partners on Basics, unlimited above	No
Opens the app when it is installed	Yes	Yes, from $9 a month
One link and QR code to the right store	Yes	Yes

Facts about other services as of October 2026, from their public pages: Branch pricing

What it costs

Branch does not publish prices: as of October 2026 its pricing page offers a free trial of Basics and a demo for Essentials and Enterprise. What you pay is agreed with its sales team.

SetLinks is free for 3 links with unlimited traffic and paid plans start at $9 a month, all listed on the pricing page. Your own domain, opening the installed app and the API all come with plans from $9 a month.

Pick SetLinks if

Your links mainly need to reach the right store, from a website, QR codes, emails or bios.
You want a price you can see before talking to anyone, and a free plan to start.
You would rather not ship and maintain an SDK for links.
You need AppGallery or RuStore as well.

Pick Branch if

You need deferred deep links, referral programs or content that opens after install.
You measure paid installs across ad partners and need fraud protection.
Your product and growth teams already build journeys on Branch’s SDK.

What SetLinks does

One short link and QR code per app: iPhone to the App Store, Android to Google Play, Huawei to AppGallery, RuStore for apps not on Google Play or AppGallery, computers to your website and everyone else to your fallback URL.
In-app browsers such as Instagram and TikTok, which often cannot open a store, get a page with an “Open in store” button instead of a dead end.
Click analytics by day, platform, country and source, with CSV export. QR scans count as clicks and are also shown on their own; link-preview bots are not counted at all.
Change destinations at any time — the address and printed QR codes stay the same.
On plans that include them: your own domain (go.yourbrand.com), opening your app when it is installed (iPhone on setlinks.io, iPhone and Android on your domain), campaign tags passed to the stores, teams with roles and a REST API with read and write keys.

What it does not do

There is no SDK, so no deferred deep linking: a link is not carried through the install into a screen inside your app.
It does not attribute installs to ad networks. It passes the campaign to the store, so App Store Connect and Google Play Console show installs per link.

Moving from Branch, step by step

Moving the store links off Branch does not touch its SDK or your attribution. Start with the links that never needed either.

Find the plain store links In Branch, list links whose only job is to open the App Store or Google Play — typically on your website, in print, in emails and in social bios.
Recreate them in SetLinks Use the same store and fallback addresses. Add AppGallery, RuStore and a desktop page if they apply.
Keep the deep links on Branch Links that open a screen after install or feed attribution stay where they are, together with the SDK.
Move a domain only if it is free If a subdomain served only the simple links, point it at SetLinks and recreate the paths so printed codes keep working. Only paths that fit a SetLinks link address carry over — lowercase letters, digits and hyphens, 3 to 64 characters, no slashes; codes with other paths, such as mixed-case ones, need a reprint.
Swap and test Replace the addresses, then test on an iPhone, an Android phone and inside Instagram before retiring the old links.

Questions people ask

Is SetLinks a full replacement for Branch?

No. SetLinks has no SDK, no deferred deep linking and no ad-partner attribution. It replaces the part of Branch that sends people to the right store or opens the installed app.

Does Branch have a free plan?

As of October 2026 Branch’s pricing page offers a free trial of its Basics tier and no permanent free tier. SetLinks is free for 3 links.

Do I need to change my app to use SetLinks?

No, not for store links. Only opening the installed app requires adding the link domain to your app’s associated domains in a release.

Can I see where clicks come from?

Yes. SetLinks shows clicks and QR scans by day, platform, country and source, exports them to CSV, and passes a campaign tag to the stores so their consoles show installs per link.

What does SetLinks cost?

Free for 3 links with unlimited traffic; paid plans from $9 a month, monthly or yearly.

Can I keep Branch for some links and use SetLinks for others?

Yes. They do not interfere: Branch keeps the links that rely on its SDK, and SetLinks takes the plain store links on your website, in print and in bios.

How long does it take to set up a SetLinks link?

About two minutes: paste your App Store and Google Play addresses, add a fallback page, and the link and its QR code are ready. Nothing changes in your app.

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