What analytics company did Facebook acquire in 2013?

Facebook acquired Onavo in 2013. The Israeli company was known for mobile analytics tools that measured how people used apps and mobile data services.

Founded in 2010 by Guy Rosen and Roi Tiger, Onavo first attracted attention with apps such as Onavo Count, which tracked data consumption, and Onavo Extend, which compressed mobile traffic. Its analytics business, Onavo Insights, gave Facebook information about app popularity and usage patterns.

Facebook completed the acquisition on October 13, 2013, for a reported price of about $120 million. The deal gave Facebook a stronger presence in Israel and access to mobile-market intelligence. That information reportedly influenced later strategic decisions, including Facebook’s 2014 acquisition of WhatsApp.

Onavo is sometimes remembered mainly as a VPN provider, but that was only part of its product range. Its privacy reputation deteriorated after reports that Facebook used data collected through Onavo Protect to monitor competing apps. Facebook eventually discontinued the service, but Onavo remains the canonical answer to this acquisition question.