Attribution · Published 2026-02-19 · 2 min read
Apple Search Ads and AppsFlyer: where the keywords went
When you run Apple Search Ads through AppsFlyer, the reports show keyword IDs instead of the keywords themselves: 123456789, 987654321. In that form, semantic analysis and optimisation are impossible.
The reason. AppsFlyer does not expose keywords for Apple Search Ads unless you buy the ROI360 package. This applies both to free accounts and to paying accounts with high spend. It is not a restriction on Apple's side. Apple Search Ads passes this data through its API, but AppsFlyer turned it into a separate paid feature for customers who are already paying.
The options. First, buy ROI360: keywords become available once you enable the cost tab in AppsFlyer, at a price of several thousand dollars a year. Second, use Asapty: keywords are always available, free. Third, use Adjust: keywords are available by default, with a minimum payment of around $5K. Fourth, use any other MMP or revenue analytics tool: above I listed the services I work with myself, but Apple's data is open, so anything will do — and there are plenty of free solutions.
A comment. In the previous post I wrote that AppsFlyer had cut back Google Web. For Google Web that is merely an annoying inconvenience.
For Apple Search Ads, unfortunately, AppsFlyer is at best unjustifiably expensive and at worst simply useless.
Update 1: Victoria writes that you do not necessarily need ROI360 to get keywords — it is enough to connect Apple in the cost tab. I connected it, and the status is still «Waiting for sync». I will publish Update 2 when it arrives. Although support told me plainly to connect ROI360. But without spend per keyword it is impossible to work anyway. Update 2: Kostya writes that if you link cost, you only get costs; if you need revenue, ROAS and the rest, ROI360 is definitely required. Update 3: after I connected the account to the cost tab, keywords appeared instead of IDs — but with no costs and no revenue against them. Only install counts. Without ROI360 you really cannot work.