SKAdNetwork
Apple's privacy-safe attribution framework for iOS 14.5+.
Overview#
SKAdNetwork (SKAN) is Apple's privacy-preserving attribution framework. It provides install attribution without requiring user-level identifiers or ATT consent. AppRefer supports SKAN 4.0 with fine-grained and coarse conversion values across multiple postback windows.
SKAN 4.0 Features#
| Feature | Description |
|---|---|
| Fine-grained conversion values | 64 possible values (0-63) for high-privacy-threshold campaigns |
| Coarse conversion values | Three tiers (low, medium, high) for all campaigns |
| Multiple postback windows | Up to 3 postback windows (0-2 days, 3-7 days, 8-35 days) |
| Hierarchical source identifiers | 2-digit or 4-digit source IDs based on privacy threshold |
Setup#
Add the AppRefer postback endpoint to your app's Info.plist:
Info.plist
<key>NSAdvertisingAttributionReportEndpoint</key>
<string>https://your-domain.com</string>Conversion Value Configuration
Configure your SKAN conversion value mappings in the AppRefer dashboard under Settings → SKAN Configuration. Map in-app events and revenue thresholds to specific conversion values so ad networks can optimize toward your goals.
How Postbacks Work#
- User installs the app from an ad. The device records the install with Apple.
- Your app updates conversion values as the user takes actions (e.g., completes a purchase, starts a trial).
- Apple sends postbacks to the registered endpoint 24-48 hours after the postback window closes.
- AppRefer receives the postback at
/api/skan/postback, validates it, and links it to attributions via campaign-id matching.
Complementary to Click-Based Attribution
SKAN provides aggregate campaign-level attribution from Apple. It works alongside AppRefer's click-based attribution (fbclid/gclid/ttclid) to give you a complete picture of your ad performance.