Can you set up a PWA campaign directly in AppsFlyer as an app?

Not in the usual sense — AppsFlyer attributes a store install via SDK, and a PWA simply has no install of that kind.

Then why would I need AppsFlyer for a pure PWA funnel?

You wouldn't — for a pure PWA with no native app involved, S2S postbacks and built-in analytics are enough; an MMP adds no extra value here.

What should I use instead of an MMP for PWA traffic?

S2S postbacks between APEX/your tracker and the network, plus split tests — they show conversion into real events (registration, deposit) directly, without an unnecessary layer.

Does anything change if a user installs a native app after the PWA?

Yes — in that hybrid case, AppsFlyer can be wired in specifically at the native apk install step, while the PWA portion of the funnel up to that point is measured separately.

AppsFlyer and PWA: Is It Possible?

AppsFlyer and PWA is a question that keeps coming up for buyers used to native apps and classic MMP attribution. The short answer: AppsFlyer was built for a different model — a store install plus an SDK inside the app, not a web experience with no install step at all. Here's what actually carries over to PWA and what to use instead.

How AppsFlyer works in the classic setup

As an MMP, AppsFlyer attributes a store install and in-app events through an SDK embedded directly in the apk/ipa, using OneLink deep links to tie a click to a specific device. The entire model is built around the concept of a store install — that's the foundation the whole attribution system rests on.

Why PWA is a fundamentally different case

A PWA isn't installed from a store and doesn't contain an SDK in the usual sense — it's a web page with a manifest and a service worker that the browser adds to the home screen. That means a PWA simply doesn't have an install step in the sense an MMP is built to attribute natively — you either need a workaround or a different tool entirely.

What you can actually connect

AppsFlyer does offer web-conversion measurement and Web-to-App linking, but that's about measuring a handoff from web to a native app, not about replacing tracking inside a pure PWA funnel. For a PWA-only setup, it makes more sense to build analytics on S2S postbacks straight into a tracker or network — that reflects real events (registration, deposit) more accurately than bending an MMP to fit.

When PWA and MMP genuinely overlap

If a PWA is used as a prelander before a native app install (a hybrid setup), the final apk install can and should be measured in AppsFlyer — but that's attributing the native apk, not the PWA stage itself. In that case, the PWA portion of the funnel gets measured separately, with its own analytics, and the MMP only enters the picture after the native install.

The practical takeaway for a buyer

For a pure PWA funnel with no native app in the picture, don't spend time wiring up AppsFlyer — build analytics on S2S postbacks (APEX/tracker to network) and split tests instead; they give a more direct, cheaper answer to what's actually converting. Keep an MMP in mind only for the case where a native app becomes a next step after the PWA.

FAQ

Can you set up a PWA campaign directly in AppsFlyer as an app?: Not in the usual sense — AppsFlyer attributes a store install via SDK, and a PWA simply has no install of that kind.
Then why would I need AppsFlyer for a pure PWA funnel?: You wouldn't — for a pure PWA with no native app involved, S2S postbacks and built-in analytics are enough; an MMP adds no extra value here.
What should I use instead of an MMP for PWA traffic?: S2S postbacks between APEX/your tracker and the network, plus split tests — they show conversion into real events (registration, deposit) directly, without an unnecessary layer.
Does anything change if a user installs a native app after the PWA?: Yes — in that hybrid case, AppsFlyer can be wired in specifically at the native apk install step, while the PWA portion of the funnel up to that point is measured separately.

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