Firebase Dynamic Links officially shut down on August 25, 2025. If you're still looking for a replacement or are unhappy with your current alternative, this guide compares Smler directly against what Firebase Dynamic Links offered ā and explains why Smler is the closest, most powerful replacement available today.
The Firebase Dynamic Links Shutdown
Google deprecated Firebase Dynamic Links in 2023 and shut it down entirely in August 2025. All existing links returned 404 errors, breaking onboarding flows, referral programs, and marketing campaigns for thousands of apps worldwide. Google did not provide a direct replacement ā leaving developers scrambling.
Smler was already positioned as a top alternative before the shutdown, and has since become the go-to choice for teams migrating away from Firebase.
Feature-for-Feature Comparison
| Feature | Smler | Firebase Dynamic Links |
|---|---|---|
| Status | ā Active | ā Shut down Aug 2025 |
| Free Tier | ā 10k clicks/mo | Was free |
| Deferred Deep Links | ā | Was ā |
| Universal Links (iOS) | ā | Was ā |
| Android App Links | ā | Was ā |
| Flutter SDK | ā | Was ā |
| Custom Domains | ā | Was ā |
| Link Analytics | ā Advanced | Basic |
| Webhooks | ā | ā |
| Custom OG Tags | ā | Limited |
| On-Call Support | ā All tiers | Community only |
| n8n / Zapier | ā | ā |
What Smler Does Better Than Firebase Ever Did
1. Advanced Link Analytics
Firebase Dynamic Links offered only basic click analytics. Smler provides full link-level analytics including country, city, device type, browser, and referrer data ā giving your marketing team the insights needed to optimise campaigns and target specific user segments.
2. Webhooks & Automation
Firebase had no webhook support. Smler's webhook system sends real-time events whenever a link is clicked or a conversion is tracked, with exponential backoff retry logic and integration into n8n and Zapier for custom automation flows.
3. Custom OG Tags
Smler lets you customise the title, description, and image that appear when your links are shared on social platforms ā giving you full control over how your brand appears on WhatsApp, Twitter, Telegram, and more.
4. Device-Based Routing
Route users to different destinations based on their device ā iOS users to the App Store, Android users to the Play Store, desktop users to your website. Firebase offered this but Smler makes it simpler to configure.
5. On-Call Support for All Plans
Firebase relied on community forums and Stack Overflow for support. Smler provides on-call support to every customer regardless of plan, so you always have a direct line when something goes wrong in production.
Migration from Firebase to Smler
Migrating from Firebase Dynamic Links to Smler is straightforward. Smler's API structure mirrors Firebase's mental model, making the transition intuitive for developers already familiar with FDL. The typical migration takes 1ā2 weeks with zero downtime using a phased approach:
- Set up your Smler account and configure a custom domain
- Upload your assetlinks.json and apple-app-site-association files in the Smler dashboard
- Integrate the Smler Flutter/native SDK into your app
- Recreate your existing Firebase links in Smler with matching URL patterns
- Deploy and validate ā then disable Firebase link creation
Verdict
Firebase Dynamic Links is gone. Smler is not just a replacement ā it's an upgrade. You get everything Firebase offered, plus webhooks, advanced analytics, custom OG tags, device routing, and real human support on every plan. For any team that relied on Firebase Dynamic Links, Smler is the obvious next step.
Start migrating today at app.smler.io.