RevenueCat alternative (2026): attribution and support built in
By the AppRefer team. We make AppRefer, so read this as the maker's view, with sources for every competitor fact. Updated .
AppRefer is a RevenueCat alternative for subscription apps that also want ad attribution, in-app support and analytics in the same SDK. As of 22 October 2026, RevenueCat is free up to $2,500 of monthly tracked revenue and then charges 1% of what it tracks, which is less than AppRefer if subscriptions are all you need. AppRefer charges one flat monthly plan that also covers attribution, support chat and analytics.
How does AppRefer differ from RevenueCat?
RevenueCat is subscription infrastructure: it runs purchases, entitlements, paywalls and experiments, then forwards events to the attribution and analytics tools you pay for separately. In its own docs, “RevenueCat isn't an attribution network”. AppRefer does the subscription job too, on the same model (entitlements, offerings, packages and placements; RevenueCat's $rc_ package ids are accepted), and keeps attribution, support conversations and analytics on the same customer record.
In practice that means one SDK reports the purchase, verifies it with Apple, Google or Stripe, ties it to the ad click that brought the user, sends it to that ad network, and shows it to whoever answers the customer's support chat. See AppRefer Billing and offerings and experiments for the details.
AppRefer vs RevenueCat at a glance
Checked on 22 October 2026 against RevenueCat's pricing page and docs, and AppRefer's own docs.
| RevenueCat | AppRefer | |
|---|---|---|
| Stores | App Store, Google Play, Amazon Appstore, Galaxy Store, Stripe, Paddle, RevenueCat Billing | App Store, Google Play, Stripe |
| SDKs | iOS, Android, React Native, Expo, Flutter, Kotlin Multiplatform, Cordova, Capacitor, Unity, Web, Roku, Vega | iOS (Swift), Android (Kotlin), Flutter, React Native and Expo |
| Entitlements, offerings, placements | Yes | Yes, same model |
| A/B experiments | Yes: prices, offers, product mix, paywalls | Yes: offerings, with revenue per user |
| Paywall builder | Yes: RevenueCat Paywalls (no-code, remote) | No: you build the screen, AppRefer picks what it sells |
| Self-service subscription screen | Yes: Customer Center | No |
| Ad attribution | No: forwards events to MMPs and ad networks; collects Apple Search Ads data | Yes: Meta, Google Ads, TikTok, Apple Ads and ChatGPT Ads, plus SKAdNetwork |
| Purchases sent to ad networks | Through integrations (for example Meta Ads, AppsFlyer, Adjust) | Directly to Meta, Google Ads, TikTok and ChatGPT Ads through their conversions APIs |
| In-app support chat | No: Intercom and Zendesk integrations | Yes: chat, email, help centre and AI answers labelled as AI |
| Pricing | Free to $2,500 monthly tracked revenue, then 1% of tracked revenue | Flat plan from $49 a month by revenue or ad spend |
| Sign-up | Self-serve | Waitlist (an AI agent can open a test workspace) |
How much does each cost?
For subscriptions alone, RevenueCat costs less than or about the same as AppRefer at every level below. RevenueCat charges nothing up to $2,500 of monthly tracked revenue, then 1% of everything it tracks. AppRefer's plan follows the larger of your monthly revenue or monthly ad spend; this table assumes ad spend is below revenue.
| Monthly revenue | RevenueCat | AppRefer plan |
|---|---|---|
| $2,000 | $0 | $49 (Indie) |
| $5,000 | $50 | $99 (Starter) |
| $10,000 | $100 | $99 (Starter) |
| $30,000 | $300 | $449 (Growth) |
| $100,000 | $1,000 | $999 (Scale) |
What that means: pick AppRefer to save money only if it also replaces the attribution, support and analytics tools you pay for today. The pricing section on our home page works through that full stack for example apps at list prices.
When should you stay on RevenueCat?
Stay on RevenueCat if any of these is true. Each one is something AppRefer doesn't do today.
- You sell through Amazon Appstore, Galaxy Store, Paddle or RevenueCat Billing.
- Your app is built with Unity, Kotlin Multiplatform, Capacitor, Cordova or Roku, or you need a web SDK.
- You want a no-code paywall editor (RevenueCat Paywalls) or a ready-made cancel and refund screen (Customer Center).
- Subscriptions are the only tool you need, so RevenueCat's 1% is the cheaper bill.
- You need to start live today: AppRefer is on a waitlist.
When is AppRefer the better fit?
- You buy ads on Meta, Google Ads, TikTok or ChatGPT Ads and want each trial, purchase and renewal sent back to the ad that drove it, without a separate attribution contract (Apple Ads installs are attributed too). See how AppRefer attributes installs.
- You want support chat in the app that already knows what the customer paid and where they came from.
- You want App Store, Google Play and Stripe web purchases on one customer record, next to their ad source.
- You want your coding agent to set it up and run it over MCP (see AI agents and MCP).
How do you move from RevenueCat to AppRefer?
You move in four steps, with no RevenueCat data export, and old app versions keep working throughout. Full details are in Moving from RevenueCat.
- Shadow mode. Connect the stores in AppRefer without moving anything off RevenueCat. App Store notifications can be forwarded on to RevenueCat unchanged.
- Ship the SDK. On first launch it imports the store's active purchases, keeping the same app user ids you used with RevenueCat.
- Compare. The subscriptions page shows AppRefer and RevenueCat counts and revenue side by side.
- Switch to primary. Keep RevenueCat's webhook for old app versions; remove RevenueCat when none are left.
Not ready to move billing? Keep RevenueCat and add AppRefer for attribution only with the RevenueCat integration. If attribution is the bigger question, see how AppRefer compares with AppsFlyer.
Questions
Do I need a RevenueCat data export to switch?
No. AppRefer picks up existing subscribers from App Store and Google Play notifications and from the SDK's first launch, which imports the store's active purchases. Old app versions can keep buying through RevenueCat while new versions use AppRefer Billing.
Can I keep RevenueCat and still use AppRefer?
Yes. AppRefer can read RevenueCat's webhooks to tie each purchase to its ad click and send it to your ad networks, with no purchase code in the app. You can move billing later, or never.
Does AppRefer have a paywall builder like RevenueCat Paywalls?
No. AppRefer decides what each paywall sells (offerings, placements, targeting and experiments) and can carry up to 8 KB of paywall copy per offering, but you build the paywall screen in your app.
Is AppRefer cheaper than RevenueCat?
Not for subscriptions alone. RevenueCat costs less than or about the same as AppRefer at every revenue level we checked. AppRefer's plan also covers attribution, in-app support and analytics, so it saves money when it replaces those tools too.
Can I sign up for AppRefer today?
AppRefer has a waitlist for now. A coding agent can create a test workspace through apprefer.com/auth.md and you claim it with Google; live use opens when your place on the waitlist is approved.
Sources
RevenueCat pages read on 22 October 2026:
- RevenueCat pricing
- RevenueCat SDK installation
- RevenueCat Paywalls
- RevenueCat Experiments
- RevenueCat attribution integrations
- RevenueCat Customer Center
AppRefer facts come from our docs and the plans on our home page. Prices change: check both vendors before you decide.
Try it with your agent
Join the waitlist, or point your coding agent at apprefer.com/auth.md to set up a test workspace first.