For AI agents: the complete documentation index is available at /llms.txt, the full documentation bundle is available at /llms-full.txt, and this page is available as Markdown at /expo-updates-vs-cresc.md.
Cresc

    Expo Updates vs Cresc for React Native OTA

    Expo Updates and Cresc both help React Native teams ship JavaScript changes outside a full app-store release. The difference is mostly about delivery model and control: Expo Updates keeps you closer to the Expo service model, while Cresc focuses on delta patches, migration friendliness, and self-host flexibility.

    Short answer

    • Choose Expo Updates if your team is heavily standardized on Expo services, has a small user base within free/starter limits, and prefers the default Expo release path.
    • Choose Cresc if your team wants massive price savings over EAS Update, smaller delta updates (~42 KB), a CodePush-style migration path, or more control over how OTA delivery fits your release system.

    Comparison table

    TopicExpo UpdatesCresc
    OTA updates for React NativeYesYes
    Pricing & Cost EfficiencyMetered: $0.005/extra MAU + $0.10/GiBPredictable flat tiers, zero overages (70–90% savings)
    Production Plan Pricing$199/mo (capped at 50K MAUs)$99/mo (covers 1,000,000 daily checks)
    Update payload sizeFull bundle (Megabytes)~42 KB (HDiff micro-patches)
    CDN BandwidthMetered edge bandwidth ($$$)Included on every plan
    Expo-oriented workflowStrong default fitSupported (CLI, bare, prebuild)
    Delta patch deliveryNot the main positioningCore positioning
    Self-host friendlinessMore service-orientedStronger
    CodePush migration storyIndirectDirect
    CLI and CI publishingYesYes
    Rollback handlingYesAutomatic crash detection & rollback
    JS Crash reportingSeparate service (Sentry)Included free with source mapping

    When Cresc is the better fit

    • You want to eliminate expensive Expo EAS Update MAU and bandwidth invoices (saving up to 80%+).
    • You are moving off CodePush and want a familiar, drop-in replacement workflow.
    • You care about shrinking update payloads by 90%+ with delta patches.
    • You want to keep the option to self-host parts of the stack.
    • You want a release flow that is not tightly coupled to the rest of the Expo platform story.

    When Expo Updates is the better fit

    • Your team already uses Expo services end to end and stays within low-traffic tiers.
    • You do not need a migration-focused replacement path.
    • Delta patch size is less important than keeping everything on the default Expo stack.

    What this means in practice

    Cresc is usually the better choice when cost efficiency, bandwidth optimization, release engineering, and migration risk are top concerns. Expo Updates is usually the better choice when operational simplicity inside Expo matters more than patch granularity, cost predictability, or hosting flexibility.

    If pricing is the deciding factor

    Cresc provides a decisive price and bandwidth advantage over Expo EAS Update.

    See Expo pricing vs Cresc for a comprehensive side-by-side cost model. Expo EAS Update bills across two separate consumption meters: update MAUs ($0.005 per extra updated user) and edge bandwidth ($0.10 per extra GiB). For active apps with frequent releases or traffic spikes, this metered billing quickly leads to unexpected hundreds or thousands of dollars in monthly overage fees.

    In contrast:

    • Pro tier is $99/mo for 1,000,000 daily queries—less than half the price of Expo Production ($199/mo for just 50,000 update MAUs).
    • HDiff differential delivery shrinks update payloads down to ~42 KB average, slashing bandwidth consumption by over 90%.
    • Zero surprise invoices: Cresc plans are fixed monthly tiers with CDN delivery included. You choose when to upgrade.

    FAQ

    Can Cresc work in Expo projects?

    Yes. Cresc provides full support for Expo projects (via config plugins and prebuild) and documents how to use Cresc cleanly in Expo apps.

    Why does delta delivery matter?

    Smaller patches reduce bandwidth usage by 90%+ and make emergency fixes cheaper and faster to distribute, especially on large fleets or constrained mobile networks.

    Which option is easier to migrate to from CodePush?

    Cresc is the direct, natural migration target for CodePush users because it preserves the baseline-and-patch mental model, CLI publishing experience, and transparent pricing without the expensive lock-in of Expo EAS.