iOS SDK

Native Swift package for attribution, product events, SKAdNetwork and AdAttributionKit conversion values, AppRefer Billing (StoreKit 2) and the in-app Support chat. No third-party dependencies.

Every page in this section follows the same order, so you can switch between the iOS, Android, Flutter and React Native references and find the same thing in the same place. All four SDKs share one version number; this page documents 0.13.1.

Install

Add the package with Swift Package Manager.

1. In Xcode, choose File → Add Package Dependencies…
2. Enter https://github.com/AppAgentic/apprefer-ios-sdk
3. Choose Up to Next Minor Version from 0.13.1 and add the AppRefer library to your app target.

dependencies: [
    .package(url: "https://github.com/AppAgentic/apprefer-ios-sdk", from: "0.13.1")
],
targets: [
    .target(
        name: "YourApp",
        dependencies: [.product(name: "AppRefer", package: "apprefer-ios-sdk")]
    )
]

Platform setup

• The SDK links Apple's AdServices, AdSupport and AppTrackingTransparency frameworks itself. No entitlements or capabilities are needed for attribution.
• In your privacy manifest (PrivacyInfo.xcprivacy), declare only trk.apprefer.com under NSPrivacyTrackingDomains. Never add apprefer.com: it serves the first-party requests that must keep working when the user hasn't allowed tracking. See Tracking consent.
• To receive SKAdNetwork and AdAttributionKit postback copies, add the Info.plist keys in SKAdNetwork and AdAttributionKit.

<key>NSPrivacyTracking</key>
<true/>
<key>NSPrivacyTrackingDomains</key>
<array>
    <string>trk.apprefer.com</string>
</array>

Configure

Call configure once, as early as possible at launch. On the first launch it sends the install's signals to AppRefer and resolves attribution; on later launches it returns the cached result without a network call. Calling it again with the same key reuses the existing instance.

import SwiftUI
import AppRefer

@main
struct MyApp: App {
    init() {
        Task {
            let attribution = await AppRefer.configure(apiKey: "pk_live_...")
            if let attribution {
                print(attribution.network, attribution.matchType)
            }
        }
    }

    var body: some Scene {
        WindowGroup { ContentView() }
    }
}

configure returns Attribution? and never throws. Every SDK method uses await without try, except the Billing and Support calls that say so. Methods called before configure do nothing.

configureResult

configureResult takes the same parameters and tells you why there is or isn't an attribution. It reports organic only after the server has said so, never because the network failed.

switch await AppRefer.configureResult(apiKey: "pk_live_...") {
case .attributed(let attribution): showWelcome(for: attribution.campaignName)
case .pending: break   // waiting for the user's ATT answer (see Tracking consent)
case .organic: break   // the server answered: no ad click matched
case .failed(let error): print(error)  // offline or unavailable; try again next launch
}

AppRefer.getAttribution() returns the cached attribution at any time without a network call.

Attribution result

The Attribution struct returned by configure and getAttribution():

Tracking consent

AppRefer keeps cross-company tracking and first-party work apart for each install. The SDK reads the App Tracking Transparency status your app already has. It never shows the ATT prompt.

If you show the ATT prompt, tell AppRefer straight after it. The SDK also re-checks on every configure and whenever the app becomes active, because the user can change it in Settings.

import AppTrackingTransparency

_ = await ATTrackingManager.requestTrackingAuthorization()
await AppRefer.trackingConsentDidChange()

let consent = AppRefer.trackingConsent()   // .granted, .denied or .undetermined

The IDFA is read only when ATT is authorized. Your app needs an NSUserTrackingUsageDescription only if it shows the prompt. More on how consent changes matching: Privacy.

User identity

Tell AppRefer who is signed in, so Support conversations and product events carry the account (app_user_id). Use the same id you pass to AppReferBilling.logIn. You can also pass it as userId to configure.

await AppRefer.setUserId(currentUser.id)
try await AppReferBilling.logIn(currentUser.id)   // if you use AppRefer Billing

Advanced matching

Send hashed customer details to improve Meta match rates. Values are SHA-256 hashed on the device; nothing is sent unless ATT is authorized. Call it once after sign-up or sign-in.

await AppRefer.setAdvancedMatching(
    email: "user@example.com",
    phone: "+15551234567",
    firstName: "Jane",
    lastName: "Doe",
    dateOfBirth: "19900131"   // YYYYMMDD
)

Device id

await AppRefer.getDeviceId() returns AppRefer's install id. It is kept in the Keychain, so it survives a reinstall, and is nil while the Keychain can't be read. AppRefer Billing sends it with purchases automatically. If you take payments through RevenueCat instead, set it as the appreferId subscriber attribute (see RevenueCat).

Events

Track the in-app moments that matter to you (sign-up, onboarding finished, first workout). Don't track purchases here: AppRefer Billing records purchases, renewals and refunds and forwards them for you. Which events reach ad networks is covered in Events.

await AppRefer.trackEvent("signup")
await AppRefer.trackEvent("tutorial_complete", properties: ["step": "final"])

// Need to know what happened to it?
let result = await AppRefer.trackEventResult("level_up", properties: ["level": 3])
// .sent (server acknowledged), .queued (saved, sent later) or .dropped

Offline queue

• Events are saved on the device before they are sent and keep one stable event id, so delivery is at least once.
• The queue holds up to 1,000 events for up to seven days; the oldest are dropped first.
• Network errors, HTTP 408, 429 and 5xx are retried with backoff (up to an hour, or longer if the server asks), at launch and when the app returns to the foreground. Other 4xx answers are final.
• await AppRefer.clearPendingEvents() cancels event requests and empties the queue, for example when the user withdraws analytics consent.

Collection control

setCollectionEnabled(false) stops attribution, consent reports, conversion values and product events, cancels what is in flight and clears the event queue. The choice is saved across launches. Billing and Support keep working, without the install's device id.

await AppRefer.setCollectionEnabled(false)   // consent withdrawn

// Later, to resume: enable, then configure again
await AppRefer.setCollectionEnabled(true)
await AppRefer.configure(apiKey: "pk_live_...")

Enabling alone sends nothing. Calling it with true while collection is already on changes nothing, so it is safe to call from a consent tool on every launch.

Account switching

Call reset() when a user signs out, and await it before the next account signs in. It revokes the old Support session and its push token, clears the Support profile, history and drafts, the user id and queued events. The install's own attribution and device id stay.

// Sign out
try? await AppReferBilling.logOut()   // if you use AppRefer Billing
await AppRefer.reset()

// Next account signs in
await AppRefer.configure(apiKey: "pk_live_...", userId: nextUser.id)
try await AppReferBilling.logIn(nextUser.id)

• After reset(), attribution and events are paused until you call configure again. Events tracked in between are dropped, never sent later.
• Billing logout stays explicit. Until Billing's logIn or logOut runs, the Billing user who was current at reset gets no install device id, even after a relaunch (0.9.3+).
• reset() is safe to call before configure and more than once. It doesn't change the collection setting.

SKAdNetwork and AdAttributionKit

Apple's own attribution works for every install, including users who don't allow tracking, but Apple only sends a postback once the app has set a conversion value. The SDK (0.7.0+) does this for you:

• On first launch it registers the install (value 0, coarse low).
• It raises the value from AppRefer's own data: 10 (medium) once a free trial starts, 20 + whole dollars paid (high, capped at 63) once the user pays. Values only go up.
• It checks at launch, when the app becomes active, after trial and revenue events and after AppRefer Billing purchases, for the 35 days Apple's postbacks cover. It updates AdAttributionKit (iOS 17.4+) and SKAdNetwork (iOS 15.4+; SKAdNetwork 3 on 15.0 to 15.3).

If you take payments outside AppRefer Billing, call this after a purchase to update the value sooner:

await AppRefer.updateConversionValue()

To get copies of the winning postbacks in AppRefer, add these keys to Info.plist, plus the SKAdNetworkItems identifiers your ad networks publish:

<key>NSAdvertisingAttributionReportEndpoint</key>
<string>https://apprefer.com</string>
<key>AttributionCopyEndpoint</key>
<string>https://apprefer.com</string>

Postback reporting is described in SKAdNetwork.

AppRefer Billing

AppReferBilling runs App Store subscriptions and one-time purchases on StoreKit 2. AppRefer verifies each signed transaction, keeps the customer's entitlements and sends the conversion to your ad networks from the same attribution, so no separate purchases SDK or webhook is needed. Billing must be turned on for the app in AppRefer first; see Billing for the server setup and the move from RevenueCat.

Set up

Task { await AppRefer.configure(apiKey: "pk_live_...") }

// Same SDK key. Starts the StoreKit transaction listener right away.
AppReferBilling.configure(
    appUserId: nil,   // nil = anonymous "$ARAnon:<UUID>", kept in the Keychain
    entitlementsByProduct: [
        "pro_monthly": ["premium"],
        "pro_yearly": ["premium"],
    ]
)

Offerings and paywalls

Offerings let you change what a paywall sells from the dashboard (packages, placements, targeting and experiments) without hard-coding product ids. See Offerings.

let offerings = try await AppReferBilling.offerings()

if let offering = offerings.currentOffering(forPlacement: "onboarding"),
   let annual = offering.annual {
    priceLabel.text = annual.storeProduct.displayPrice
    let result = try await AppReferBilling.purchase(package: annual)
}

• offerings.current is the resolved default and offerings.all holds every offering by id. Each offering has availablePackages, metadata, package(identifier:) and the shortcuts weekly, monthly, twoMonth, threeMonth, sixMonth, annual and lifetime.
• An unknown placement falls back to the current offering; a placement set to no offering returns nil (show no paywall).
• Buying through purchase(package:) records the offering, placement and experiment with the purchase.
• Offerings are cached for five minutes (memory and disk). Offline, the last copy is used; with no copy at all the call throws, so keep your existing product ids as a fallback.

Products, purchase and restore

let products = try await AppReferBilling.products(["pro_monthly", "pro_yearly"])   // StoreKit Products, in this order

let result = try await AppReferBilling.purchase(products[1])
switch result.outcome {
case .purchased:     unlock(result.customerInfo)
case .userCancelled: break
case .pending:       showAskToBuyNote()   // arrives later through customerInfoStream
}

let info = try await AppReferBilling.restorePurchases()   // AppStore.sync(), then sends every current entitlement

• purchase tags the transaction with the customer's AppRefer account token (appAccountToken), sends it to AppRefer and only then finishes it.
• Signed promotional offers: purchase(product, promotionalOffer: .init(offerId:keyId:nonce:signature:timestamp:)). Extra StoreKit options go in options:.
• Who is buying is saved before the sheet opens, so a purchase that completes later (Ask to Buy, a restart, a user switch) still goes to them. If that can't be saved, purchase throws AppReferBillingError.purchaseIntentNotSaved and the sheet doesn't open.
• Only restorePurchases() can move a purchase owned by another app user to the one signed in.
• await AppReferBilling.rejectedPurchases() lists purchases AppRefer refused for good, for your support team.

Customer info and entitlements

let info = await AppReferBilling.customerInfo()                          // cached for 5 minutes, then fetched
let fresh = await AppReferBilling.customerInfo(fetchPolicy: .fetchCurrent)

if info.entitlements["premium"]?.isActive == true { /* unlocked */ }

for await info in AppReferBilling.customerInfoStream { update(info) }    // or set AppReferBilling.delegate

customerInfo never throws. If AppRefer can't be reached, entitlements come from StoreKit's verified current entitlements, mapped through entitlementsByProduct, so a paying user is never locked out.

Users

try await AppReferBilling.logIn("user_123")   // moves purchases made while anonymous to this user
try await AppReferBilling.logOut()             // new anonymous id

let id = await AppReferBilling.appUserId       // "$ARAnon:..." while anonymous
let anonymous = await AppReferBilling.isAnonymous

await AppReferBilling.setEmail("a@example.com")   // also setDisplayName, setPhoneNumber, setAttributes

The install's device id is sent with purchases automatically, so purchases are matched to the ad click without setUserId. It is left out while collection is off and after reset() until configure runs again.

Sandbox and App Review

• Test with a sandbox Apple ID. Sandbox purchases are recorded as sandbox, unlock the entitlement and are never forwarded to ad networks or counted as revenue.
• App Review buys with sandbox accounts in your release build; those purchases work with the live key.
• A real (production) purchase sent with a pk_test_ key is refused.
• Transactions from an Xcode StoreKit configuration file are signed with a local certificate AppRefer rejects. The SDK still unlocks them through its local fallback, but they never reach AppRefer.

Support

An in-app help chat your team answers from the AppRefer inbox, with screenshots, quick-help topics, reply notifications and a help centre. SwiftUI, iOS 15+, Liquid Glass on iOS 26, 35 languages. Server setup and the inbox are covered in Support. AppRefer.support is main-actor isolated.

Open the chat

AppRefer.support.open()                                  // help home
AppRefer.support.open(conversationId: "cv_...")           // one conversation
AppRefer.support.compose("Problem with my subscription")  // home with the message field filled in

// Or embed it in your own navigation
AppReferSupportView(opening: .home)   // .helpCentre, .article("slug"), .conversation("id")

Identify and customise

AppRefer.support.identify(name: "Alex", email: "alex@example.com")  // the user id from setUserId is sent automatically
AppRefer.support.accentColor = .purple           // text on a bright accent turns dark
AppRefer.support.title = "Sparkly support"       // default "<App name> support", translated
AppRefer.support.teamNames = ["Sam", "Ana"]      // first names on the home
AppRefer.support.replyTime = "under an hour"     // completes "We usually reply in …"
AppRefer.support.appIcon = UIImage(named: "HelpIcon")
AppRefer.support.topics = [.billing, .bug, .idea,
    AppReferSupportTopic(title: "Restore purchase", subtitle: "Get your plan back",
                         systemImage: "arrow.clockwise", tint: .blue, prompt: "",
                         action: { Task { try? await AppReferBilling.restorePurchases() } })]
AppRefer.support.language = "de"                 // force a language; nil follows the app
AppRefer.support.strings = ["support.home.subtitle": "What can we fix for you?"]

Quick-help tiles default to .billing, .restore, .bug and .idea; an empty list hides them. A tile with an action runs it instead of starting a message. The chat follows the language your app runs in, then the device, then English.

Reply notifications

AppRefer sends reply notifications through APNs with your key, and emails a reply only if it stays unread for an hour. Register for push once status().pushReady is true.

if (try? await AppRefer.support.status())?.pushReady == true {
    UIApplication.shared.registerForRemoteNotifications()
}

// AppDelegate
func application(_ app: UIApplication, didRegisterForRemoteNotificationsWithDeviceToken token: Data) {
    AppRefer.support.registerDeviceToken(token)
}

// UNUserNotificationCenterDelegate, when the user taps a notification
if AppRefer.support.handleNotification(response.notification.request.content.userInfo) { return }

let unread = await AppRefer.support.unreadCount()   // for a badge

Push environment (0.10.1+). The token is registered for the environment the build is signed for, read from the embedded provisioning profile's aps-environment: development-signed builds (Debug or Release) and the Simulator use sandbox; App Store, TestFlight, Ad Hoc and Enterprise builds use production. Force one with AppRefer.support.pushEnvironment = .sandbox and read the one in use from effectivePushEnvironment.

Help centre

Published help articles appear in the chat with no code (0.10.0+): a "Help articles" card on the home, a searchable help centre and a reader. You can open them directly or build your own screens.

AppRefer.support.openHelpCentre()
AppRefer.support.open(article: "restore-purchases")

let articles = try await AppRefer.support.articles()                 // [AppReferHelpArticle]
let results = try await AppRefer.support.articles(query: "refund")   // server search, up to 20
do {
    let article = try await AppRefer.support.article(slug: "refunds") // + body (markdown)
} catch let error as AppReferSupportError where error.isNotFound {
    // removed or unpublished
}

Articles come in the chat's language and are cached for five minutes; offline, the last copy is shown. Test keys also see drafts.

Status

let status = try await AppRefer.support.status()
status.pushReady            // APNs key verified for this build's environment
status.emailReplies         // customers can answer reply emails
status.helpCentreArticles   // number of published articles

status() follows the server's caching (five minutes once every channel is verified, otherwise 30 seconds), so calling it at every launch is cheap.

Support without attribution

Apps that want only the chat can start Support on its own. It doesn't configure attribution, collect device signals or send analytics.

await AppRefer.support.configure(apiKey: "pk_live_...")

// Forget the name, email and user id and start a fresh anonymous session
await AppRefer.support.clearIdentity()

Requirements

Changelog highlights

Full history: the CHANGELOG.md in apprefer-ios-sdk.