Bitrise CodePush vs Expo EAS Update
Over-the-air React Native updates at scale, without the app store queue.
Why teams pick Bitrise CodePush
Bitrise CodePush and Expo EAS Update both deliver JavaScript and asset updates over the air, so you ship fixes without waiting for app store review. Here are the main reasons why dev teams pick Bitrise:
- 100,000 free monthly active users, compared to Expo EAS Update’s 1,000
- Around 5x lower cost per active user at paid volumes
- Predictable bills: priced on users, with data transfer included
- Drop-in migration from Microsoft App Center CodePush
- Fully managed infrastructure, with no complex set up
A deep dive into the feature comparisons
Foundation and compatibility
| Bitrise CodePush | Expo EAS Update | |
|---|---|---|
| Update model | CodePush protocol | expo-updates runtime |
| SDK | App Center CodePush compatible SDK | expo-updates SDK, not CodePush-compatible |
| Supports latest React Native technologies | New Architecture and latest RN versions | New Architecture and latest RN versions |
| Migration from App Center CodePush | SDK is a drop-in replacement | New runtime and release model |
| Built for: | Any React Native project, Expo or no | Best inside the Expo ecosystem |
| Self-hosting | Fully managed only | Hosted and self-hosted solutions |
Releasing updates
| Bitrise CodePush | Expo EAS Update | |
|---|---|---|
| Staged rollouts | Percentage-based, per deployment | Via channels and branches |
| One-click rollback | Back to any prior bundle in minutes | Single CLI command |
| Mandatory updates | Flag critical fixes to install right away | No |
| Automatic crash recovery | Rolls back if an update fails to start | Rolls back on launch failure |
| Delta updates | File-level bundle diffing | Beta |
| Code signing | Sign and verify every bundle | On Production and Enterprise plans only |
Delivery, analytics, and tooling
| Bitrise CodePush | Expo EAS Update | |
|---|---|---|
| Publishing | CLI, REST API, any CI | EAS CLI and Workflows |
| Delivery | Global CDN, data transfer included | Global CDN, bandwidth billed above allowance |
| Analytics | Yes, via Bitrise Insights | Yes, via EAS Insights |
Security, support, and platform
| Bitrise CodePush | Expo EAS Update | |
|---|---|---|
| Compliance | SOC 2 Type II, PCI DSS, GDPR, CCPA | SOC 2 Type II, GDPR, CCPA |
| Access control | Role-based access control | Team roles |
| Support | All tiers, with dedicated support for Enterprise | All tiers, with priority support on higher tiers |
| Platform | Full mobile DevOps platform | React Native focused DevOps platform |
Pricing
Bitrise includes an exceptionally generous free tier of 100,000 MAU, and bundles data transfer and storage into every tier so the price stays predictable. Expo charges for users and bills bandwidth as a second, uncapped axis at about $0.10 per GiB above the allowance, so costs can rise unexpectedly as you scale.
| Monthly active users | Bitrise CodePush | Expo EAS Update |
|---|---|---|
| Under 100,000 | Free | ~$199+/month (free only to 1,000) |
| 250,000 | $294/month | ~$1,570/month |
| 1,000,000 | $1,111/month | ~$6,100/month |
On list pricing, Bitrise CodePush is roughly 5x cheaper per active user, driven mainly by a per-user rate near $0.001 versus about $0.005, with delivery included rather than billed separately. See full pricing here.
Get started for free
Start free with 100,000 monthly active users, and ship OTA updates in minutes.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Bitrise CodePush?
Bitrise CodePush is a fully managed, over-the-air (OTA) update service for React Native and Expo apps. It lets developers push JavaScript and asset updates directly to user devices in minutes, bypassing the slow app store review process for urgent hotfixes and small improvements.
What is Expo EAS Update?
A hosted OTA service for React Native and Expo apps, delivered through the expo-updates library embedded in your binary and organized around channels, branches, and runtime versions. It can run on your own CI/CD without EAS Build, though it requires an Expo account, and its richest insights assume the wider EAS suite.
Can I migrate from App Center CodePush?
Yes. Microsoft retired App Center CodePush, and because Bitrise CodePush is built on the same protocol and SDK lineage, moving over is a minimal client change: keep the deployment-and-key model you know, point the SDK at the Bitrise CodePush server, and publish via the CLI, the REST API, or any CI workflow. Learn more here.
Does it support Expo, bare React Native, and the New Architecture?
Yes to all three.
Is there a free tier?
Yes. Bitrise CodePush is free up to 100,000 monthly active users, with 5,000 GiB of data transfer and 5 GiB of storage, and no paid CI plan required.
What counts as a monthly active user?
A unique user who downloads one or more updates in a billing month. Repeat downloads by the same user count once. Both products use this definition, so the free-tier comparison is like-for-like.
Do I need to change my CI/CD?
No. Bitrise CodePush works standalone with any CI, or together with Bitrise CI.
Can I roll back a bad update?
Yes, in one click to any prior bundle, with recovery in minutes.