Attribution
Triple Whale Alternative
Replace Triple Whale with free server-side attribution
Updated March 2026 · Attribution comparison · Shopify
★★★★★Verified by 500+ Shopify stores · $0 forever
The Best Free
Northbeam Alternative
For Shopify in 2026.
Northbeam charges $300–$2,000+/month based on your ad spend — a significant overhead for most Shopify stores. CAPI Shield delivers accurate server-side conversion data for Meta and Google Ads at $0, recovering the attribution loss that drives most stores to Northbeam in the first place.
$300–$2,000/mo
Northbeam cost
$0/mo
CAPI Shield cost
~6 min
Setup time
$24,000
Saved per year (max)
Meta CAPI covered Google Enhanced Conversions Bypasses iOS restrictions No code required
$300–$2k
Northbeam/mo
$0
CAPI Shield/mo
~6 min
Deploy time
$24,000
Saved/year (max)
Quick Answer
What Is the Best Free Alternative to Northbeam for Shopify?
CAPI Shield is the best free Northbeam alternative for server-side conversion attribution. Northbeam's primary use case for most Shopify stores is recovering Meta and Google conversion data lost to iOS privacy changes. CAPI Shield does exactly this via Make.com webhooks — routing purchase events server-to-server at $0.
Northbeam is a sophisticated platform designed for brands spending $50,000+/month on paid media across multiple channels including TV and radio. For stores at that scale, Northbeam's cross-channel media mix modelling has no free equivalent. But for the vast majority of Shopify stores using Northbeam primarily to improve Meta and Google Ads attribution, CAPI Shield delivers the outcome they need at zero cost.
Pair CAPI Shield with P&L Auto (free) for a live profit dashboard, and you cover both attribution and profitability reporting for a combined $0/month.
What You're Paying
Northbeam Pricing — Revenue-Based Costs
Northbeam uses revenue-based pricing — typically charging approximately 1% of attributed ad spend per month. This means your Northbeam cost scales directly with your media budget.
$30k/mo ad spend
~$300/mo
Approx. 1% of spend
$50k/mo ad spend
~$500/mo
$100k/mo ad spend
~$1,000/mo
$200k/mo ad spend
~$2,000+/mo
Custom contract
Side-by-side comparison
Northbeam vs CAPI Shield — Feature Comparison
Attribution and tracking features for Shopify stores compared.
| Feature | Northbeam | CAPI Shield (Free) |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly cost | $300–$2,000+/mo | $0 forever |
| Meta server-side CAPI | ✓ | ✓ |
| Google Enhanced Conversions | ✓ | ✓ |
| Bypasses iOS restrictions | ✓ | ✓ |
| TikTok CAPI | ✓ | Free (separate tool) |
| Cross-channel attribution | ✓ (advanced) | Via Google Ads natively |
| Media mix modelling | ✓ | ✗ |
| TV + radio attribution | ✓ | ✗ |
| Custom attribution windows | ✓ | Set in Meta/Google directly |
| Unified attribution dashboard | ✓ | P&L Auto (free) |
| Ad spend optimisation AI | ✓ | ✗ |
| Data ownership | Northbeam platform | Your ad accounts |
| Minimum contract | Often 6–12 months | None — no contract |
| Onboarding time | 1–2 weeks | ~6 minutes |
Verdict
Should You Switch From Northbeam to CAPI Shield?
Switch if: You are spending under $50,000/month on paid media and using Northbeam primarily to recover iOS attribution loss in Meta and Google Ads. You are not actively using cross-channel media mix modelling or TV attribution. You want to eliminate a $300–$2,000/month recurring expense immediately.
Keep Northbeam if: You spend $100,000+/month across multiple channels including offline and need accurate cross-channel attribution to allocate budget. Northbeam's media mix modelling at that scale typically generates ROI well above its cost. The tool is genuinely designed for that use case.
Stop paying Northbeam $300–$2,000/month.
CAPI Shield covers Meta + Google server-side attribution — free forever, 6 minutes.
FAQ
Northbeam vs CAPI Shield — Common Questions
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