How it works
The open-source side is the Expo SDK (ready-made modules for the camera, notifications, files, sensors and more), Expo Router for file-based navigation, and tooling that generates the native Android and iOS projects from a config file, so upgrading React Native is far less painful. Expo Go lets you try an app on a phone by scanning a QR code; apps with custom native code use a development build instead.
EAS (Expo Application Services) is the cloud side: EAS Build compiles Android and iOS apps in the cloud, so an iPhone app can be built without a Mac; EAS Submit uploads builds to the stores; EAS Update pushes JavaScript fixes straight to installed apps; and Workflows automate the pipeline. Each service is optional and can be swapped for local builds or other CI.
Expo pros and cons
Pros
- Removes most native setup and upgrade pain from React Native
- Cloud builds for iOS without owning a Mac
- Over-the-air updates and store submission built in
- Large set of maintained native modules
Cons
- The free build queue can be slow at busy times
- Costs grow with builds and update users on paid plans
- Unusual native needs still require writing native modules
When to use Expo
Pick it when
- Almost any new React Native app
- Teams without Mac hardware or native build experience
- Apps that want over-the-air updates
Skip it when
- The app is not built with React Native
Expo pricing
Free tier
Expo SDK is free (MIT). EAS has a free plan (15 Android and 15 iOS builds a month), Starter at $19 a month and Production at $199 a month, plus usage.
Expo pricing page (opens in a new tab)Approximate, checked September 2026.What the other tools cost
Related terms
More in Mobile apps
Cross-platform