> For AI agents: the complete documentation index is available at /llms.txt, the full documentation bundle is available at /llms-full.txt.

# Self-hosting Expo Updates vs using Cresc

When an EAS Update invoice starts growing with monthly active users and bandwidth, the next idea is usually to run your own update server. Expo supports this: the `expo-updates` client (MIT) can point at any server that implements the [Expo Updates protocol](https://docs.expo.dev/technical-specs/expo-updates-1/). This page compares that route with moving to Cresc.

_Facts about Expo are taken from Expo's official documentation and pricing page as of October 2026. Tell us at [hi@cresc.dev](mailto:hi@cresc.dev) if anything here is out of date._

## Short answer

- **Self-host Expo Updates** if you want to keep the `expo-updates` client and are prepared to build and operate a production update server yourself.
- **Use Cresc** if what you want is lower, predictable OTA cost without building a server: you swap the client library once and get diff patches, rollback and a dashboard from a hosted service. If you must run the server in your own infrastructure, Cresc also offers a supported self-hosted deployment on custom pricing.

## What self-hosting actually involves

Expo publishes [custom-expo-updates-server](https://github.com/expo/custom-expo-updates-server) as a simplified example, not a production server. To run it for real you need to build and own:

- **The protocol server**: manifest and asset endpoints that implement protocol v1, multipart responses, `runtimeVersion` matching and channel selection.
- **Storage and CDN** for every bundle and asset you publish, with cache headers that don't serve stale manifests.
- **Code signing** if you want clients to verify manifests, including key rotation.
- **A publishing pipeline**: export with `npx expo export`, upload assets, write manifests, promote between channels. EAS CLI's `eas update` only publishes to EAS.
- **Rollback and rollout**: the protocol defines a `rollBackToEmbedded` directive; percentage rollouts, release history and dashboards are up to you.
- **Diff patches**: EAS Update serves bsdiff patches from Expo SDK 55, but the public protocol spec does not define how a custom server should serve patches. Expect to send full bundles unless you build this yourself.

## Comparison table

| Topic                   | Self-hosted Expo Updates server                                                            | Cresc                                                                                                               |
| ----------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| Client                  | `expo-updates` (MIT)                                                                       | `react-native-update` (MIT), Expo SDK 50+ via prebuild; bundle URL configured automatically                         |
| Server                  | You build and operate it                                                                   | Hosted with CDN included, or a vendor-supported self-hosted deployment (custom pricing)                             |
| Publishing              | Your own pipeline around `expo export`                                                     | `cresc bundle` from a laptop or [CI](/docs/api-token.md)                                                            |
| Diff patches            | Not defined by the protocol; full bundles unless you build it                              | Hermes bytecode-aware diff: 3.4 KB for a one-line fix ([benchmark](https://github.com/sunnylqm/hbc-diff-benchmark)) |
| Rollback                | `rollBackToEmbedded` directive; client error recovery for fatal errors before first render | Automatic rollback of updates that crash on launch, plus force boot from the dashboard                              |
| Gradual rollout         | Build it yourself                                                                          | Built in                                                                                                            |
| Dashboard and analytics | Build it yourself                                                                          | Built in, with [analytics](/docs/analytics.md) and [JS error monitoring](/docs/errors.md)                           |
| Platforms               | iOS, Android                                                                               | iOS, Android, HarmonyOS, tvOS                                                                                       |
| Cost                    | Your cloud bill plus engineering time                                                      | Flat tiers from $19/mo, no overage bills                                                                            |

## Where EAS Update pricing sits

For reference, EAS Update's Production plan is $199 a month including 50,000 updated monthly active users and 1 TiB of bandwidth. Beyond that it bills $0.005 per extra MAU up to 200,000 (tiered down after that) and $0.10 per extra GiB. Cresc Pro is $99 a month for 1,000,000 update checks per day with CDN delivery included. See the full model in [Expo pricing vs Cresc](/expo-pricing-vs-cresc.md).

## Moving an Expo app to Cresc

1. Install `react-native-update` and the CLI, and run `npx expo prebuild`; with Expo SDK 50+ the native bundle URL is configured automatically ([Installation](/docs/getting-started.md)).
2. Replace `Updates.checkForUpdateAsync()` and `Updates.fetchUpdateAsync()` with the `useUpdate` hook or an update strategy ([Code Integration](/docs/integration.md)).
3. Remove `expo-updates` from the project so the two clients don't compete for the bundle.
4. Build and upload your native baseline, then publish updates with `cresc bundle` ([Publishing](/docs/publish.md)).

## FAQ

### Can I self-host EAS Update?

Not EAS Update itself, but Expo supports custom servers: the `expo-updates` client can point at any server implementing the Expo Updates protocol. Expo's example server is a simplified demo, so production use means building your own server, storage, publishing pipeline and rollout tooling.

### Does a self-hosted Expo Updates server support diff patches?

The public Expo Updates protocol spec does not define patch delivery for custom servers. EAS Update's bsdiff patches (Expo SDK 55 and later) are a feature of Expo's hosted service.

### Can Cresc be self-hosted?

Both options exist. The standard plans are hosted with CDN delivery included. Teams that need the server in their own infrastructure can get a supported self-hosted deployment on a separately negotiated plan; contact [hi@cresc.dev](mailto:hi@cresc.dev). The client SDK (MIT) and CLI (BSD-3-Clause) are open source.

### Does Cresc work with Expo?

Yes. Cresc supports Expo SDK 50 and later through prebuild, with the bundle URL configured automatically. Expo Go is not supported, since OTA updates need native code.

## Related

- [Expo Updates vs Cresc](/expo-updates-vs-cresc.md)
- [Expo pricing vs Cresc](/expo-pricing-vs-cresc.md)
- [hot-updater vs Cresc](/hot-updater-vs-cresc.md)
- [CodePush & Expo Updates migration checklist](/codepush-migration-checklist.md)


### Contact Us

- [Email hi@cresc.dev](mailto:hi@cresc.dev)
- [GitHub Discussions](https://github.com/reactnativecn/react-native-update/discussions)

### Terms & Policies

- [User Agreement](https://cresc.dev/policy/)
- [Privacy Policy](https://cresc.dev/policy/#privacy)

### Help & Support

- [FAQ](/docs/faq)
- [CodePush & Expo Updates Alternative](/codepush-alternative)
- [CodePush & Expo Migration](/codepush-migration-checklist)
- [CodePush API Migration](/codepush-api-migration)
- [App Center Retirement Guide](/app-center-codepush-retirement)
- [GitHub Issues](https://github.com/reactnativecn/react-native-update/issues)

### Compare

- [Expo Updates vs Cresc](/expo-updates-vs-cresc)
- [Expo Pricing vs Cresc](/expo-pricing-vs-cresc)
- [Self-Hosted Expo Updates vs Cresc](/expo-updates-self-hosted-vs-cresc)
- [hot-updater vs Cresc](/hot-updater-vs-cresc)
- [Revopush vs Cresc](/revopush-vs-cresc)
- [Stallion vs Cresc](/stallion-vs-cresc)

### Links

- [React Native OTA Guide](/react-native-ota-updates)
- [New Architecture OTA Guide](/react-native-new-architecture-ota)
- [HarmonyOS OTA Guide](/docs/harmony)
- [Changelog](/docs/changelog)
- [llms.txt](/llms.txt)
- [llms-full.txt](/llms-full.txt)
- [React Native](https://reactnative.dev/)
- [ReactJS](https://react.dev/)

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