Retainza vs Branch: engagement messaging to run alongside your deep links
Where Branch is strong. Deep linking and deferred deep linking[1]. Mobile attribution[2].
Where Retainza fits. Retainza is not an attribution tool or MMP, so it does not replace install measurement. It covers the engagement side: push, email and in-app messages with event-triggered, scheduled and segment-based campaigns, where each message can route the user to a screen in your app. Pricing is published and flat: Free $0 (1,000 monthly tracked users), Starter $50/mo (10,000 MTU), Growth $70/mo (25,000 MTU) and Scale $100/mo (50,000 MTU), with hard caps and no automatic overage billing. Push goes through your own Firebase project and email through your own SMTP provider. Teams commonly run an MMP for acquisition and a separate tool for messaging; Retainza is a candidate for the second.
Every statement about Branch on this page is taken from Branch's own public pages, listed under Sources with the date they were checked.
Side by side
| Capability | Retainza | Branch |
|---|---|---|
| Install attributionMMP-style measurement | Not an MMP | Mobile attribution[2] |
| Deep linking | Message routes to app screens | Deep & deferred deep links[1] |
| Engagement campaignsPush / email / in-app as a core product | Push, email & in-app | Not verified |
| Published pricingAs stated on the vendor's pricing page | Published: $0 / $50 / $70 / $100 per month | No price published (Basics, Essentials, Enterprise)[2] |
| How you buySelf-serve signup vs sales / demo | Self-serve signup, free plan | Basics: free trial; others via demo[2] |
“Not verified” means we could not confirm it from a public Branch page, not that Branch lacks it. Retainza figures are our published plans. Vendor plans change; confirm on their site before buying.
Sources
- [1] https://www.branch.io/deep-linking/ — checked 2026-10-14
- [2] https://www.branch.io/pricing/ — checked 2026-10-14
When to choose Branch instead
Migrating from Branch
- 01
Install the SDK next to your current one
Add Retainza alongside the existing SDK so both can run during the switch.
- 02
Connect your own delivery credentials
Upload your Firebase (FCM) service account for push and your SMTP details for email. Retainza sends through them; it never owns your deliverability.
- 03
Mirror users and events
Identify users with the same IDs you use today and track the events your campaigns trigger on, so segments and event-triggered campaigns can be rebuilt one-for-one.
- 04
Rebuild campaigns and dual-run
Recreate your push, email and in-app campaigns, run both behind a feature flag, and cut over once delivery and conversions match.
- 05
Let your AI coding tool help
Point Claude Code, Cursor or VS Code at the Retainza docs MCP server so it reads the guides while it writes the integration.
- Nothing to remove: keep Branch links and add Retainza for messaging. Retainza message routes can open the same screens your Branch links do.
- SDK availability today: React Native installs from release tarballs (not on npm yet); iOS installs with Swift Package Manager; the Android, Flutter and Node SDKs are built but not yet published to Maven Central, pub.dev or npm — the guides show how to install them locally.
Questions
Does Retainza replace Branch?
No. Branch is an attribution and deep-linking product; Retainza is not an MMP and does not measure installs. Retainza sends push, email and in-app messages, so the two are typically used together.
Is Retainza cheaper than Branch?
Retainza publishes its prices: Free $0 (1,000 monthly tracked users), Starter $50/mo (10,000 MTU), Growth $70/mo (25,000 MTU) and Scale $100/mo (50,000 MTU), with hard caps and no automatic overage billing. Branch's pricing as published on https://www.branch.io/pricing/ (checked 2026-10-14): No price published (Basics, Essentials, Enterprise). Where a vendor does not publish a price, compare against the quote you receive for your own volume and channels.
When is Branch a better choice than Retainza?
You need deep linking and deferred deep linking (source: https://www.branch.io/deep-linking/, checked 2026-10-14); You need mobile ads attribution (source: https://www.branch.io/pricing/, checked 2026-10-14).
How do I migrate from Branch to Retainza?
Install the Retainza SDK next to the Branch SDK, connect your existing Firebase project and SMTP provider, mirror your user identifiers and events, then recreate your campaigns and dual-run behind a feature flag before cutting over. The React Native SDK installs from release tarballs (not npm yet), iOS via Swift Package Manager, and the Android, Flutter and Node SDKs are built but not yet on Maven Central, pub.dev or npm. Guides: https://developer.retainza.com/react-native/, https://developer.retainza.com/ios/, https://developer.retainza.com/android/, https://developer.retainza.com/flutter/, https://developer.retainza.com/server/.
Try Retainza on the Free plan
1,000 monthly tracked users, push, email and in-app, on your own FCM and SMTP.