Attribution Debugger
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Numbers differ by day but match over a week

Daily install numbers that differ while weekly totals match point to time zones or date basis, not lost installs. Here is how to line them up across tools.

Run the meta vs mmp troubleshooter →
SymptomDaily install counts from an ad platform and your MMP disagree, but weekly or monthly totals line up closely.
Most likely causeThe tools assign installs to different days because of different time zones or because one reports by ad interaction date.
First checkCompare the time zone and reporting date basis of the ad account with those of your MMP.

Short answer: if weekly totals match, nothing is lost: the tools are putting the same installs on different days. Ad platforms usually report by ad interaction date in the ad account's time zone, while MMPs often report by install date in their own time zone.

Why the same install lands on different days

Date basis: the event a report uses to place a conversion on a day, either the ad interaction (impression or click) or the conversion itself.

Google says it reports conversions on the day of the ad interaction. Meta can report by impression time or conversion time. According to TikTok's help centre, TikTok reports by the day of ad interaction. An install that follows a click by two days therefore lands on two different days.

How do I know it is a date problem and not missing data?

Sum both tools over seven days or more. If the totals agree within your usual tolerance while single days do not, the difference is how installs are placed on the calendar.

Likely causes

  • Interaction date vs install date. Ad platforms place conversions on the click or impression day; MMPs often use install day.
  • Different time zones. New Meta ad accounts default to Pacific time. Google uses the account's local time zone. TikTok's help centre says its account time zone is set at creation and cannot be changed.
  • Late arrivals. Google says app conversion processing can take up to 24 hours, so the last day keeps changing. See attribution data delayed.

How to confirm it

  1. Compare seven-day and 30-day totals between the two tools.
  2. Write down the time zone of each ad account and of your MMP.
  3. In Google Ads, add the Conversions (by conv. time) column.
  4. In Meta, switch reporting to time of conversion.
  5. For TikTok, use the real-time columns, which TikTok's help centre says show data by when events happened.

How to fix it

  1. Report every tool on conversion time where it allows.
  2. Set the MMP's reporting time zone to match your main ad account, or convert both to UTC.
  3. Reconcile weekly rather than daily.
  4. Leave the most recent two days out of any reconciliation.
PlatformDefault date basisTime zone
Google AdsAd interaction dayAccount local time
MetaImpression or click time, can switchAccount setting, new accounts default to Pacific
TikTokAd interaction day (per help centre)Fixed at account creation (per help centre)

The Meta vs MMP troubleshooter and TikTok troubleshooter both include this check, and which number to trust explains when to use each tool.

Related

Related symptoms

All platformsAttribution data delayed by a day or moreAd platforms and Apple add processing and privacy delays before conversions reach reports.→All platformsSame install claimed by two networksEach self-attributing network claims installs within its own windows, while the MMP gives each install to one winner.→All platformsPostbacks from the MMP not reaching the ad networkThe network is not connected or linked correctly, the event is not mapped for that network, or the network rejects what the MMP sends.→All platformsRevenue events missing in the MMP or networkThe event is not reaching the MMP, is not mapped to the network, or is rejected by the network.→
FAQ

Common questions

Why do my daily numbers never match the ad platform?

Most ad platforms place an install on the day of the click or impression, while MMPs usually place it on the install day. Time zone differences shift numbers across midnight as well.

Can I change my Meta ad account time zone?

Meta's help centre says changing the time zone closes the old ad account and creates a new one. Most teams convert reports instead.

Is weekly reconciliation good enough?

For most decisions, yes. Weekly totals smooth out date-basis and time zone effects, so any gap that remains is worth investigating.

Why does yesterday keep changing?

Conversions are still arriving. Google says processing can take up to 24 hours, and SKAN data takes longer.

What is mobile attribution?

Mobile attribution is the process of crediting each app install or in-app event to the ad, link or channel that drove it. A mobile measurement partner (MMP) does this across all your channels so each install is counted once.

Why do ad networks report more installs than my MMP?

Each network counts every install it touched within its own windows, including views, while an MMP gives each install to a single source. Adding the networks' numbers together therefore overstates real installs.