Mobile Development · head to head
Expo vs Firebase
Expo
Mobile Development
React Native framework and cloud platform for building and shipping apps
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
Firebase
Mobile Development
Google's platform for building web and mobile applications with cloud backend
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Each has a real cost: Expo free tier build counts and MAU support are low, pushing active projects to paid plans quickly.; Firebase spark plan limited to 1 GiB storage, 50,000 daily reads, 20,000 daily writes
- They diverge on capability: Expo covers Expo SDK, Firebase covers Real-time Database.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Expo and Firebase actually diverge.
Identical on both: starting price (Free), pricing model (freemium), 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 Expo
- Expo SDK
- EAS Build
- EAS Submit
- EAS Update
- Expo Router
- EAS Hosting
- EAS Insights
Only in Firebase
- Real-time Database
- REST API
- Authentication
- Google Cloud
- Cloud functions
- Cloud Storage
- Web support
- Mobile support
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 Firebase
- Running cloud builds and store submissions via EASnot Firebase
- Shipping over-the-air updates to bypass app store reviewnot Firebase
- Adding file-based navigation with Expo Routernot Firebase
- Hosting companion web apps and APIsnot Firebase
Firebase
- Mobile app backend developmentnot Expo
- Real-time data synchronisationnot Expo
- Web application backendnot Expo
- Cross-platform app developmentnot Expo
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.
Firebase
- Spark plan limited to 1 GiB storage, 50,000 daily reads, 20,000 daily writes
- Spark plan restricts to 100 concurrent database connections
- Spark plan limits Firebase Studio to 3 workspaces maximum
- Document size capped at 1 MiB per document
- Transaction time limited to 270 seconds with 60-second idle expiration
- Maximum 100 databases per project (increase requires support request)
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
Firebase
FreeNo published plan breakdown. See the Firebase 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 Firebase if
- You need real-time database.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on iOS, Android, Web, Flutter, C++, Unity.
- You also want rest api.
Questions people ask
- Is Expo or Firebase better?
- Neither clearly leads. Expo starts at Free and Firebase at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Expo or Firebase?
- Expo starts at Free and Firebase at Free.
- Does Expo or Firebase run on more platforms?
- Expo runs on web, ios, android, api. Firebase runs on iOS, Android, Web, Flutter, C++, Unity.
- Can I use Expo for free?
- Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
- 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 Firebase is typically brought in for.
- What can Expo do that Firebase cannot?
- Expo covers Expo SDK, EAS Build, EAS Submit, EAS Update. Firebase covers Real-time Database, REST API, Authentication, Google Cloud.
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