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No SDK Setup

Should You Use the No SDK Setup?​

Use this setup if:

  • You care about TikTok, Google, or Meta attribution (no Apple Search Ads, Snapchat, etc.)
  • You already use the official SDK from your ad network (e.g., Meta SDK, Firebase SDK) or an MMP SDK
info

The SDK can be added later if you need Apple Ads attribution or deep linking.

Setup Overview​

Setting up Appstack without an SDK requires coordination between your marketing and development teams:

For Marketers: Connect Your Ad Networks​

Connect your ad network integrations to Appstack so campaign data (spend, impressions, clicks) flows into the dashboard.

Supported ad networks for No SDK setup:

Follow the integration guide for each ad network you're using.

For Developers: Add the Appstack Endpoint​

Add the Appstack endpoint to your app's Info.plist to send Apple SKAdNetwork postbacks to Appstack.

Steps​

  1. Open Info.plist in Xcode's Project navigator
  2. Click the Add button (+) beside any key and press Return
  3. Enter NSAdvertisingAttributionReportEndpoint as the key name
  4. Set the Type to String
  5. Enter this URL as the value:
https://ios-appstack.com/

Video Tutorial​


info
  • This endpoint is used to tell Apple to send SKAdNetwork postbacks to Appstack
  • This does not affect your MMP reporting capabilities
  • You can safely replace your existing MMP endpoint with Appstack's endpoint
warning

An app release with these changes is required before Appstack receives data.

Real-World Examples​

✅ Correct Setups​

1. Meta Ads (Meta SDK only)

  • John runs ads only Meta Ads for his app "John AI"
  • He uses the Meta SDK
  • Meta integration is connected to Appstack and he sees campaign data such as spend for Meta in the dashboard
  • Appstack endpoint is added to his app and postbacks are received
  • SKAN conversion value mapping is set up in Meta's Event Manager and duplicated inside Appstack

2. Google Ads + Meta Ads (Firebase SDK and Meta SDK)

  • John runs ads on Google and Meta for "John AI"
  • He uses both Firebase SDK and Meta SDK
  • He has disabled SKAN updates in the Firebase SDK so only Meta SDK updates the SKAN value
  • Meta and Google integrations are connected to Appstack and data appears in the dashboard
  • SKAN conversion value mapping is consistent across both ad networks and duplicated inside Appstack
tip

Always make sure only one SDK is responsible for updating the SKAN conversion value in your app!

❌ Incorrect Setups​

1. Using unsupported ad networks

  • John runs ads on Snapchat for "John AI" (Snapchat is not supported)
warning

If more than one SDK tries to update SKAN, your attribution data will be inconsistent. Always ensure only one SDK is responsible for updating the SKAN conversion value.