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Why Your Apple Search Ads Installs Don’t Match Your MMP Data

If you’ve ever scratched your head wondering why your Apple Search Ads installs don’t line up with your MMP (Mobile Measurement Partner) data, you’re not alone.

In a recent video, Shamanth Rao, CEO of user acquisition agency RocketShip HQ, breaks down the key reasons behind this discrepancy—and more importantly, how to calculate your true ROI from Apple Search Ads.

Whether you’re spending $500 or $50,000 on paid acquisition, these insights are critical for every indie app marketer who wants accurate data and optimized ad spend.

📉 Why the Discrepancy Between Apple Search Ads and MMP Data?

Here are the 4 main reasons Apple Search Ads conversion numbers tend to be higher than what your MMP reports:

1. Different Install Definitions

  • Apple reports a download as a conversion.

  • MMPs report only after the first open—a key distinction that makes Apple look more generous.

2. No Deduplication by Apple

  • MMPs deduplicate installs across ad networks.

  • Apple does not. If a user clicked both a Facebook ad and an Apple Search Ad, only the MMP will assign it to one (typically the last touch), while Apple still claims the conversion.

3. Redownloads Count on Apple

  • Apple includes redownloads and reinstalls.

  • MMPs typically exclude these, focusing only on new user acquisition.

4. Limit Ad Tracking (LAT)

  • This is the real game-changer.

  • Users who opt into LAT (Limit Ad Tracking) can’t be tracked by MMPs.

  • Apple still sees them and reports them—your MMP misses them entirely, tagging them as “organic” even if they came from paid ads.

🎯 Why LAT Is the #1 Reason Your ROI Looks Lower Than It Should

Limit Ad Tracking (LAT) effectively hides a big chunk of your paid users from your MMP. These users:

  • Click your Apple Search Ad

  • Install the app

  • But show up as organic traffic in your MMP

This skews your metrics and drastically under-reports your ROI.

📊 How to Adjust for LAT and Accurately Calculate ROAS

To get a truer picture of your actual performance, here’s how Shamanth suggests correcting for LAT:

✅ Step-by-Step Breakdown:

  1. Export Apple Search Ads data

    • Note the number of installs with LAT on vs off

  2. Calculate the Ratio

    • If LAT-on and LAT-off installs are close to 1:1, that means half your conversions are invisible to your MMP

  3. Adjust Your Metrics Accordingly
    Use this formula to get the true picture:

     

    Metric Calculation
    Adjusted Installs MMP installs × 2
    Adjusted Revenue MMP revenue × 2
    Adjusted CPI Total Spend / Adjusted Installs
    Adjusted ROAS Adjusted Revenue / Spend

  4. Benchmark Your D7 ROAS

    • With proper adjustment, your Day 7 ROAS can double, drastically shifting the economics of your campaigns

💡 Key Takeaways for Indie App Marketers

  • Don’t blindly trust MMP data for Apple Search Ads performance—it undercounts your real installs due to LAT.

  • Apple Search Ads will always look inflated compared to MMPs. That doesn’t mean Apple is wrong; it just plays by a different set of tracking rules.

  • Adjust for LAT manually using Shamanth’s ratio method to get closer to the truth.

  • This simple calculation can help you rescue undervalued campaigns and reallocate budget more effectively.

📌 Final Thoughts

If you’re running Apple Search Ads, your true ROI may be much higher than what your dashboard shows. LAT is the silent killer of your attribution accuracy—but with the right calculations, you can bring clarity back to your data.

This is especially important for indie developers who live and die by capital efficiency.

👉 Looking for expert help with Apple Search Ads or mobile user acquisition?
Check out RocketShip HQ or subscribe to their YouTube channel for more hands-on, data-driven growth tips.

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