Mobile Development · head to head
Expo vs BuildFire
Expo
Mobile Development
React Native framework and cloud platform for building and shipping apps
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Only Expo has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
- Each has a real cost: Expo free tier build counts and MAU support are low, pushing active projects to paid plans quickly.; BuildFire standard plan at $165/month is limited to 1 in-app purchase, 1 admin seat and 5GB storage
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Expo and BuildFire actually diverge.
Identical on both: 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 Expo
- Expo SDK
- EAS Build
- EAS Submit
- EAS Update
- Expo Router
- EAS Hosting
- EAS Insights
Only in BuildFire
Nothing recorded that Expo does not also cover.
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Expo
- Building cross-platform apps with React Native without native toolingnot BuildFire
- Running cloud builds and store submissions via EASnot BuildFire
- Shipping over-the-air updates to bypass app store reviewnot BuildFire
- Adding file-based navigation with Expo Routernot BuildFire
- Hosting companion web apps and APIsnot BuildFire
BuildFire
No use cases recorded yet. See the BuildFire review.
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
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.
BuildFire
- Standard plan at $165/month is limited to 1 in-app purchase, 1 admin seat and 5GB storage
- Unlimited in-app purchases require the $440/month Scale plan
Pricing, plan by plan
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
BuildFire
On requestNo published plan breakdown. See the BuildFire review.
Which should you pick?
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.
Choose BuildFire if
Nothing in the data separates BuildFire from Expo on the points above - pick on price and on how each one feels to use.
Questions people ask
- Is Expo or BuildFire better?
- Neither clearly leads. Expo starts at Free and BuildFire at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Expo or BuildFire?
- Expo has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Expo and On request for BuildFire.
- Does Expo or BuildFire run on more platforms?
- Expo runs on web, ios, android, api. BuildFire runs on Web.
- Can I use Expo for free?
- Yes. Expo has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. BuildFire starts at On request.
- What is Expo best used for?
- Expo is most often used for building cross-platform apps with react native without native tooling, running cloud builds and store submissions via eas, shipping over-the-air updates to bypass app store review, adding file-based navigation with expo router. Of those, building cross-platform apps with react native without native tooling and running cloud builds and store submissions via eas are not what BuildFire is typically brought in for.
- What can Expo do that BuildFire cannot?
- Expo covers Expo SDK, EAS Build, EAS Submit, EAS Update.
Answered from the vendors’ own pages
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.
SourceExpo: 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.
SourceExpo: 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