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Mobile Development · head to head

.NET MAUI vs Expo

.NET MAUI logo

.NET MAUI

Mobile Development

Microsoft-maintained, free framework for native iOS, Android, Windows and macOS apps from one C# codebase

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Expo logo

Expo

Mobile Development

React Native framework and cloud platform for building and shipping apps

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: .NET MAUI its release and support lifecycle is tied to the underlying .NET version, so a team on an odd-numbered .NET release faces a support cutoff roughly every eighteen months and must budget upgrade work accordingly.; Expo free tier build counts and MAU support are low, pushing active projects to paid plans quickly.
  • They diverge on capability: .NET MAUI covers Single C# and XAML codebase, Expo covers Expo SDK.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which .NET MAUI and Expo actually diverge.

Attributes where .NET MAUI and Expo differ
Attribute.NET MAUIExpo
Pricing modelOpen source, no licence feefreemium
PlatformsWindows, macOS, iOS, Androidweb, ios, android, api

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Mobile Development).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in .NET MAUI

  • Single C# and XAML codebase
  • Native UI rendering
  • Xamarin migration path
  • Hot Reload
  • Blazor Hybrid support
  • MVU and data binding

Only in Expo

  • Expo SDK
  • EAS Build
  • EAS Submit
  • EAS Update
  • Expo Router
  • EAS Hosting
  • EAS Insights

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

.NET MAUI

  • A .NET shop extending an existing C# codebase or business logic layer into iOS and Androidnot Expo
  • A team migrating a retired Xamarin.Forms app, since Microsoft provides an official upgrade pathnot Expo
  • An organisation that wants one codebase spanning mobile and Windows desktop without a second languagenot Expo
  • A company standardised on Visual Studio and Azure DevOps wanting mobile builds in the same pipelinenot Expo

Expo

  • Building cross-platform apps with React Native without native toolingnot .NET MAUI
  • Running cloud builds and store submissions via EASnot .NET MAUI
  • Shipping over-the-air updates to bypass app store reviewnot .NET MAUI
  • Adding file-based navigation with Expo Routernot .NET MAUI
  • Hosting companion web apps and APIsnot .NET MAUI

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

.NET MAUI

  • Its release and support lifecycle is tied to the underlying .NET version, so a team on an odd-numbered .NET release faces a support cutoff roughly every eighteen months and must budget upgrade work accordingly.
  • Platform-specific control styling and native look-and-feel have historically needed more manual work and workaround packages than Flutter delivers out of the box.
  • macOS and desktop support are less mature than the iOS and Android targets, so teams wanting a strong Mac app experience often still reach for native AppKit or a dedicated tool.
  • The talent pool of mobile developers fluent in MAUI specifically is smaller than for Flutter or React Native, even though C# itself is common.
  • Third-party control libraries such as Syncfusion and Telerik fill real gaps in the built-in component set, meaning a serious app often carries an additional commercial licence cost despite the framework itself being free.

Expo

  • Free tier build counts and MAU support are low, pushing active projects to paid plans quickly.
  • Usage-based overage charges for builds, CI/CD minutes, and MAUs can make costs less predictable.
  • Concurrent build limits on lower tiers slow down teams with frequent releases.
  • Some native functionality still requires ejecting to bare workflow or writing custom native modules.

Pricing, plan by plan

.NET MAUI

Free
  • .NET MAUIFree
    • MIT licensed, unlimited apps
    • Bundled with the free .NET SDK
    • Visual Studio Community edition available at no cost for individuals and small teams

Expo

Free
  • FreeFree
    • 15 Android and 15 iOS builds
    • Low-priority build queue
    • 60 minutes of CI/CD workflows
  • Starter$19/month
    • $45 build credit included
    • High-priority queue and large workers
    • 3,000 MAUs for updates
  • Production$199/month
    • $225 build credit included
    • 2 concurrent builds
    • 50,000 MAU support
  • Enterprise$undefined/month
    • $1,000 build credit included
    • 5 concurrent builds
    • 1M+ MAU support

Which should you pick?

Choose .NET MAUI if

  • You need single c# and xaml codebase.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Windows, macOS, iOS, Android.
  • You also want native ui rendering.
.NET MAUI review

Choose Expo if

  • You need expo sdk.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on web, ios, android, api.
  • You also want eas build.
Expo review

Questions people ask

Is .NET MAUI or Expo better?
Neither clearly leads. .NET MAUI starts at Free and Expo at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, .NET MAUI or Expo?
.NET MAUI starts at Free and Expo at Free.
Does .NET MAUI or Expo run on more platforms?
.NET MAUI runs on Windows, macOS, iOS, Android. Expo runs on web, ios, android, api.
Can I use .NET MAUI for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is .NET MAUI best used for?
.NET MAUI is most often used for a .net shop extending an existing c# codebase or business logic layer into ios and android, a team migrating a retired xamarin.forms app, since microsoft provides an official upgrade path, an organisation that wants one codebase spanning mobile and windows desktop without a second language, a company standardised on visual studio and azure devops wanting mobile builds in the same pipeline. Of those, a .net shop extending an existing c# codebase or business logic layer into ios and android and a team migrating a retired xamarin.forms app, since microsoft provides an official upgrade path are not what Expo is typically brought in for.
What can .NET MAUI do that Expo cannot?
.NET MAUI covers Single C# and XAML codebase, Native UI rendering, Xamarin migration path, Hot Reload. Expo covers Expo SDK, EAS Build, EAS Submit, EAS Update.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

.NET MAUI: Is .NET MAUI really free for commercial apps?

Yes. It ships under the MIT licence as part of the free .NET SDK, with no separate mobile licence fee from Microsoft.

Expo: What does Expo cost?

Expo offers a free plan, a Starter plan at $19/month with $45 build credit, a Production plan at $199/month with $225 build credit, and custom Enterprise pricing.

Source
.NET MAUI: Is this the same as Xamarin?

It is the successor. Xamarin.Forms was retired in 2024 and Microsoft provides migration tooling from it to MAUI.

Expo: Is there a free plan, and what are its limits?

The Free plan includes 15 Android and 15 iOS builds, low-priority build queue access, 60 minutes of CI/CD workflows, and support for 1,000 monthly active users on updates.

Source
.NET MAUI: How long is each .NET version supported?

Even-numbered releases get Long Term Support (around three years); odd-numbered releases get roughly eighteen months, and MAUI follows that same .NET release cadence.

Expo: How is usage metered on paid plans?

Beyond included build credit, Expo charges per build by platform and worker size, per CI/CD workflow minute, per million Observe events, and graduated per-MAU overage rates for updates.

Source
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