Expo vs React Native

React Native is the core library; Expo adds hosted CI/CD, OTA updates and cloud simulators.

ExpoBuild, deploy and update React Native apps

React NativeBuild native iOS and Android apps with React

Which to pick

Pick Expo if you want…

Full-stack mobile CI/CD platform
Managed development workflow for React Native apps
Integrations with React Native, Swift or Jetpack Compose (on Expo's list, not React Native's)

Pick React Native if you want…

Cross-platform native mobile apps with React
Core native UI library
A free, open-source tool
Integrations with JavaScript, React or Expo (on React Native's list, not Expo's)

Expo focuses on tooling and managed workflow, while React Native is the core framework for native rendering

Side by side

What it is: Expo:Expo lets you build, test, deploy, and monitor React Native apps for iOS, Android, and web from a single codebase.; React Native:React Native is a JavaScript framework that lets you build native iOS, Android, Windows, macOS and web apps using React.
Best for: Expo:Full-stack mobile CI/CD platform; React Native:Cross-platform native mobile apps with React
Who it’s for: Expo:React Native developers and teams building cross-platform mobile apps.; React Native:JavaScript/React developers who want to create cross-platform native apps
Pricing: Expo:Freemium; React Native:Open source
Plans: Expo:Free $0 per month · Starter $19 per month · Production $199 per month; React Native:—
Open source: Expo:Yes, 52,518 GitHub stars; React Native:Yes
Works with: Expo:React Native, Swift, Jetpack Compose, Kotlin, Expo Go, GitHub; React Native:JavaScript, React, Expo, Android, iOS, React Native Windows, React Native macOS, React Native Web

Expo features

Unified CLI & SDK. Develop apps with Expo’s CLI, SDK and pre-built libraries from any machine.
Cloud Simulators. Run device simulators in the cloud for testing without a local Mac.
Over-the-air Updates. Push instant updates to users via Expo Update with controlled rollouts.
Automated CI/CD Workflows. Build, test, submit and release apps automatically with configurable pipelines.
Built-in Monitoring. Observe crash info, performance metrics and update adoption in production.
Launch Service. Guided app-store submission without manual configuration.

React Native features

Write once, run everywhere. Use JavaScript and React primitives that render to native UI components on each platform.
Core native components. Provides platform-agnostic components like View, Text and Image that map directly to native UI.
File-based routing. Create stack, modal, drawer, and tab screens with minimal boilerplate via the filesystem.
Extensible with native code. Add or modify native modules, or use over 50 existing modules for platform APIs.
Developer tools integration. Start with Expo Go and later use expo-dev-client for apps requiring native changes.
Community ecosystem. Supported by Meta, Microsoft, Expo and many contributors, with extensions for Windows, macOS and Web.

Expo vs React Native FAQ

Is Expo or React Native free?+

Expo has a free plan; paid plans start at $19/month (Starter). React Native is free and open source.

Which is cheaper, Expo or React Native?+

React Native is free, so it costs less. Expo starts at $19/month (Starter).

Is Expo or React Native open source?+

Yes, both are open source: Expo (expo/expo on GitHub, MIT license) and React Native (facebook/react-native on GitHub).

Do Expo and React Native integrate with the same tools?+

Their integration lists don't overlap: Expo lists React Native, Swift, Jetpack Compose, Kotlin and 2 more; React Native lists JavaScript, React, Expo, Android and 4 more.

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