Attribution tools all promise to show "what's working." The differences are in what they can see, how honest they are about uncertainty, and how much work they take. Use this checklist when you compare them.
1. Does it see every place you sell?
If you sell on Amazon, Walmart, in physical stores or in an app, website-only tools miss that revenue entirely. Ask how each platform's orders get in: one-click connections, CSV import, an API, or not at all.
2. Does it see every place attention starts?
Paid social and search are easy. Ask about podcasts, email and SMS, streaming TV, affiliates and AI assistants. Channels without a click need a server-side way in.
3. Is every match transparent?
Ask to see a single sale and the touchpoints credited for it. Good tools show how each match was made (click ID, hashed email or network) and how confident it is. Be wary of tools that present estimates as facts.
4. Does it work without third-party cookies?
First-party collection on your domain and server-side processing are now the baseline. Read cookieless attribution.
5. What happens to customer data?
Look for hashed emails, masked IP addresses, encrypted credentials and clear data ownership. See hashed email matching.
6. Can you switch models?
You should be able to compare first touch, last touch and linear on the same data. See attribution models compared.
7. How many click IDs and sources does it recognize?
Ask for the list. Trakinit recognizes 30 click IDs and 70+ sources out of the box, and lets you add your own parameters. See click IDs explained.
8. How long is setup?
A good tool shows a first matched sale the same day: a script tag, a store connection, and optional ad-spend sync. A sandbox with sample data helps you evaluate before connecting anything.
9. Is pricing predictable?
Watch for per-channel, per-seat or per-integration fees. Trakinit plans include every channel, every platform, unlimited team members and unlimited workspaces. See pricing.
Try before you decide
Frequently asked questions
What's the difference between attribution software and marketing mix modeling?
Attribution matches individual sales to individual touchpoints. Marketing mix modeling (MMM) uses statistics on aggregate spend and sales over time. They answer different questions and work well together.
How much does marketing attribution software cost?
Prices vary widely. Trakinit plans start at $299 per month, with every channel and platform included and a 14-day free trial.
How do I know if attribution results are accurate?
Spot-check individual sales, compare attributed totals with blended revenue, and look at the share of exact versus estimated matches. Read what multi-channel attribution is.
Run a trial on real data and check a few sales by hand. If the tool's story matches what you know about those customers, it's a good sign. Start a 14-day free trial, no credit card needed.