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Mobile Development · head to head

EAS Build vs Expo

EAS Build logo

EAS Build

Mobile Development

Hosted iOS and Android build service for React Native, with signing credentials managed for you

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: EAS Build iOS builds run on macOS workers charged at a much higher rate than Linux, so the invoice is dominated by the platform you have least ability to move off.; Expo free tier build counts and MAU support are low, pushing active projects to paid plans quickly.
  • They diverge on capability: EAS Build covers Hosted macOS and Linux workers, Expo covers Expo SDK.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which EAS Build and Expo actually diverge.

Attributes where EAS Build and Expo differ
AttributeEAS BuildExpo
Pricing modelPer month plus build usagefreemium
PlatformsiOS, 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 EAS Build

  • Hosted macOS and Linux workers
  • Managed signing credentials
  • Bare React Native support
  • Internal distribution
  • Build profiles

Only in Expo

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

Both cover

  • EAS Submit

What people use each for

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

EAS Build

  • A React Native team with no macOS build machine that needs signed iOS buildsnot Expo
  • Removing signing credentials from individual laptops and putting them under an auditable servicenot Expo
  • Shipping JavaScript only fixes through EAS Update without waiting on store reviewnot Expo
  • Distributing internal test builds by link to non technical reviewersnot Expo

Expo

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

Where each one falls short

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

EAS Build

  • iOS builds run on macOS workers charged at a much higher rate than Linux, so the invoice is dominated by the platform you have least ability to move off.
  • Lower tiers queue behind higher paying customers, which is invisible until a hotfix build waits in a queue while an incident is running.
  • It is specific to React Native and Expo, so a company with a native Swift or Kotlin codebase alongside gets no benefit and needs a second build system anyway.
  • Deep use of managed credentials and over the air updates makes leaving harder than swapping a continuous integration provider, because the release process itself has been built around the service.
  • Build failures happen on infrastructure you cannot inspect, and reproducing an environment specific failure locally is harder than with a self hosted runner you can log into.

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

EAS Build

Free
  • Free$undefined/month
    • Limited monthly builds that queue behind paying customers
    • Sufficient for evaluation and hobby projects, not for a release cadence
  • Paid tiers$undefined/month
    • Monthly subscription buying build concurrency and included minutes, with overage per minute above them
    • macOS minutes cost several times Linux minutes, so iOS pipelines dominate the bill

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 EAS Build if

  • You need hosted macos and linux workers.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on iOS, Android.
  • You also want managed signing credentials.
EAS Build 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 EAS Build or Expo better?
Neither clearly leads. EAS Build 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, EAS Build or Expo?
EAS Build starts at Free and Expo at Free.
Does EAS Build or Expo run on more platforms?
EAS Build runs on iOS, Android. Expo runs on web, ios, android, api.
Can I use EAS Build for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is EAS Build best used for?
EAS Build is most often used for a react native team with no macos build machine that needs signed ios builds, removing signing credentials from individual laptops and putting them under an auditable service, shipping javascript only fixes through eas update without waiting on store review, distributing internal test builds by link to non technical reviewers. Of those, a react native team with no macos build machine that needs signed ios builds and removing signing credentials from individual laptops and putting them under an auditable service are not what Expo is typically brought in for.
What can EAS Build do that Expo cannot?
EAS Build covers Hosted macOS and Linux workers, Managed signing credentials, Bare React Native support, Internal distribution. Expo covers Expo SDK, EAS Build, EAS Update, Expo Router. Both handle EAS Submit.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

EAS Build: Does it work without the Expo managed workflow?

Yes. Bare React Native projects build fine, which is a common misconception that costs teams an unnecessary evaluation.

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
EAS Build: Why not just use GitHub Actions macOS runners?

You can, and it is often cheaper. You then own credential management and the Xcode version treadmill, which is the work EAS is actually selling.

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
EAS Build: Can JavaScript updates skip App Store review?

Yes through EAS Update, within Apple's rules about not changing the app's purpose. Native changes still require a store submission.

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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