I built a free iOS app, spent €288 on TikTok Ads, and can't figure out if it's actually working
A few months ago I launched Via, a small iOS app that lets you swipe through your camera roll Tinder-style — right to keep, left to delete. No subscription, no ads inside the app, everything on-device.
Organic growth has been decent. I decided to try TikTok Ads to push harder, targeting the US market. Here's where it gets confusing.
What TikTok's dashboard reports (10 days, €288 spent):
- Impressions: 25,775
- Clicks: 328
- CTR: 1.27%
- Conversions: 1
- Cost per install: €288
What Firebase Analytics reports:
~15 new installs per day during the campaign
So TikTok is reporting 1 install. Firebase is showing roughly 150 over the same period. I know iOS/SKAN makes attribution a mess, but this gap feels extreme.
I tested 5 creatives (4 videos + 1 carousel). CTR wasn't terrible — people are clicking — but I have no idea how many of those clicks are turning into installs, or which creative is actually responsible.
Questions I'm genuinely stuck on:
- Is this tracking gap normal for TikTok × iOS? How do you make decisions when you can't trust the data?
- Is there a better way to measure incrementality for a free app at this budget level?
- Would a different setup (MMPs, SKAdNetwork campaigns, etc.) actually help, or is this just the reality of iOS advertising?
Not looking to scale aggressively — just trying to understand what's actually happening before I spend more.
(the app is Swipe,VIA! , free on the App Store if you want to see what I'm working with)