Mobile Development · head to head
EAS Build vs Kotlin Multiplatform
EAS Build
Mobile Development
Hosted iOS and Android build service for React Native, with signing credentials managed for you
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
Kotlin Multiplatform
Mobile Development
JetBrains-funded technology for sharing Kotlin business logic across iOS, Android, web, desktop and server
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
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.; Kotlin Multiplatform it shares logic, not UI, by default, so a team expecting a Flutter-style single UI codebase has to also adopt Compose Multiplatform, which is newer and less proven on iOS than on Android.
- They diverge on capability: EAS Build covers Hosted macOS and Linux workers, Kotlin Multiplatform covers Shared Kotlin logic.
- Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which EAS Build and Kotlin Multiplatform actually diverge.
| Attribute | EAS Build | Kotlin Multiplatform |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | Per month plus build usage | Open source, no licence fee |
| Platforms | iOS, Android | iOS, Android, Windows, macOS, Linux, Web |
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
- EAS Submit
- Internal distribution
- Build profiles
Only in Kotlin Multiplatform
- Shared Kotlin logic
- Native UI retained
- Compose Multiplatform (optional)
- IDE tooling
- Gradle-based builds
- Incremental adoption
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 Kotlin Multiplatform
- Removing signing credentials from individual laptops and putting them under an auditable servicenot Kotlin Multiplatform
- Shipping JavaScript only fixes through EAS Update without waiting on store reviewnot Kotlin Multiplatform
- Distributing internal test builds by link to non technical reviewersnot Kotlin Multiplatform
Kotlin Multiplatform
- A company with existing separate native iOS and Android codebases wanting to stop duplicating business logic and networking codenot EAS Build
- A team that wants shared logic but is not willing to compromise on fully native UI per platformnot EAS Build
- An organisation already using Kotlin on the backend that wants to reuse the same models and validation on mobile clientsnot EAS Build
- A team evaluating Compose Multiplatform for UI sharing but wanting the option to fall back to native UI per screennot 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.
Kotlin Multiplatform
- It shares logic, not UI, by default, so a team expecting a Flutter-style single UI codebase has to also adopt Compose Multiplatform, which is newer and less proven on iOS than on Android.
- iOS interop relies on Kotlin/Native compiling to a framework consumed from Swift, and debugging across that boundary is more friction than debugging pure Swift or pure Kotlin.
- Because logic-sharing is the whole premise, teams still need genuine iOS and Android UI expertise on staff; it does not reduce the native skills bar the way a full cross-platform UI framework aims to.
- Build times and tooling maturity for multiplatform Gradle projects lag behind single-platform Kotlin or Swift projects, and multiplatform-specific build errors are less well documented.
- JetBrains funds it as part of the broader Kotlin investment, so its roadmap priority competes internally with IntelliJ, Android Studio and other JetBrains commitments rather than having dedicated headcount the way Flutter has at Google.
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
Kotlin Multiplatform
Free- Kotlin MultiplatformFree
- Apache 2.0 licensed, unlimited apps
- IDE tooling in the free Android Studio and free-tier IntelliJ IDEA Community
- No paid Kotlin Multiplatform edition exists
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.
Choose Kotlin Multiplatform if
- You need shared kotlin logic.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on iOS, Android, Windows, macOS, Linux, Web.
- You also want native ui retained.
Questions people ask
- Is EAS Build or Kotlin Multiplatform better?
- Neither clearly leads. EAS Build starts at Free and Kotlin Multiplatform at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, EAS Build or Kotlin Multiplatform?
- EAS Build starts at Free and Kotlin Multiplatform at Free.
- Does EAS Build or Kotlin Multiplatform run on more platforms?
- EAS Build runs on iOS, Android. Kotlin Multiplatform runs on iOS, Android, Windows, macOS, Linux, Web.
- 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 Kotlin Multiplatform is typically brought in for.
- What can EAS Build do that Kotlin Multiplatform cannot?
- EAS Build covers Hosted macOS and Linux workers, Managed signing credentials, Bare React Native support, EAS Submit. Kotlin Multiplatform covers Shared Kotlin logic, Native UI retained, Compose Multiplatform (optional), IDE tooling.
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.
Kotlin Multiplatform: Does Kotlin Multiplatform replace my native UI code?
Not by default. It shares business logic and data layers; UI stays native per platform unless you separately adopt Compose Multiplatform.
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.
Kotlin Multiplatform: Is there a paid version?
No. It is Apache 2.0 licensed and free, funded by JetBrains as part of the Kotlin project.
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.
Kotlin Multiplatform: Do I need Compose Multiplatform to use it?
No, they are separate. You can share only logic and keep fully native UI on each platform indefinitely.
Related pages
More on Kotlin Multiplatform
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