Methodology
How the planner builds a plan, where each fact comes from and how the week ranges are set.
The planner applies rules taken from vendor and ad network docs read on 2 Nov 2026 to your answers. Week ranges are planning assumptions anchored on published clocks such as Google's 7 to 14 day learning phase.
How is a plan put together?
Where the facts come from
Every vendor, ad network and platform statement in the planner and guides comes from that company's own help centre, developer docs, pricing page or published terms, read on 2 Nov 2026. Where a page did not say something, the site says "not published" rather than guessing. Where a page could not be read (TikTok's and Snapchat's help centres on 2 Nov 2026), the plan says so and points you to the network's live setup page.
How the week ranges are set
No vendor publishes a standard length for a switch. The planner's ranges are this site's planning assumptions, anchored on published clocks:
- Google says Smart Bidding needs a 7 to 14 day learning phase, and that changing conversion goals resets it.
- Meta says ad sets usually exit learning after about 50 results in a week.
- The Google Play Install Referrer stays available for 90 days after install.
- Android 15+ devices can take up to 7 days to pick up assetlinks.json changes.
- SKAN's third conversion window ends 35 days after first launch, plus up to 144 hours of random delay.
Step durations used by the planner:
- Check the contract and data terms: 1 to 1 weeks
- Inventory what you measure today: 1 to 1 weeks (runs alongside the step before)
- Export your history: 1 to 2 weeks
- Add the new SDK and map events: 1 to 2 weeks (runs alongside the step before)
- Connect ad networks and partners: 1 to 1 weeks
- Rebuild the SKAN schema: 1 to 1 weeks (runs alongside the step before)
- Move deep links: 1 to 2 weeks (runs alongside the step before)
- Release and run both SDKs: 2 to 4 weeks
- Release and validate: 1 to 2 weeks
- Cut over: 1 to 1 weeks
- Retire the old setup: 1 to 2 weeks
How the destination shortlist works
When you choose "Not decided yet", the last gate lists four MMPs that fit your answers. A vendor scores a point for published prices, a point for deep linking on its entry plan if you use deep links, a point for raw data exports if you export to a warehouse, and Tenjin a point if you build in Unity. Linkrunner is listed first where you ship on iOS or Android, as it publishes per-install prices, includes deep linking on its free plan and offers raw data exports; it is not listed for web-only apps, which it does not target. Ties are broken alphabetically. Prices and free tiers come from each vendor's pricing page through a shared price file.
What the site does not do
- It does not read your account or contract; check your order form, which can override published terms.
- It does not store your answers. The planner runs in your browser.