Expo vs Firebase FCM

Two push notification providers, compared on price, features and ratings, so you can pick fast.

Expo wins React Native simplicityFirebase FCM wins price and platform coverage

Updated July 2026

At a glanceExpoFirebase FCM
Entry price$99Free
Free tierYesYes
G2 rating4.04.5
Trustpilot4.03.4

THE VERDICT

Expo wins on React Native simplicity. Firebase FCM wins on price and platform coverage.

Expo starts at $99 versus Firebase FCM's Free. Firebase FCM rates higher with developers (4.5 vs 4.0 on G2). Pick based on volume and team, and the scorecard below breaks down where each one leads.

Which should you choose?

Pick Expo

✓If you're looking for a tool to take care of native device information and communication with APN (Apple Push Notification) and FCM (Firebase Cloud Messaging), Expo is a great tool for you.
Set up Expo with Courier →

Pick Firebase FCM

✓If you're a developer looking to send multiple messages reliably and save money, FCM is perfect for you.
Set up Firebase FCM with Courier →

Feature by feature

Winner cells are tinted, green where Expo leads, violet where Firebase FCM does.

capability
Expo
Firebase FCM
Starting paid plan
$0/mo
$0/mo
Free tier
Free (unlimited push)
Unlimited (free)
Pricing model
Free push; separate paid EAS subscriptions for builds/updates
Free
iOS
Yes
Yes
Android
Yes
Yes
Web push
No
Yes
Desktop
No
Yes
Segmentation
No
Yes
In-app messaging
No
Yes
Journeys / automation
No
No
A/B testing
No
Yes
Geofencing
No
No
Rich media
Yes
Yes
Official SDKs
JavaScript/TypeScript (React Native via expo-notifications)
iOS, Android, Web, Flutter, Unity, C++; Admin SDK: Node, Java, Python, Go, C#
REST API
Yes
Yes
Event webhooks
No
No
SOC 2
Yes
Yes
HIPAA
No
No
GDPR
Yes
Yes
Support channels
Docs, Discord, community forums; priority on paid EAS plans
Docs & community (paid via GCP support)
24/7 support
No
No

FAQ

Common questions

Expo starts at $99 versus Firebase FCM's Free. Compare your expected monthly volume against the per-message rates above.

Keep comparing

Related comparisons

Airship vs ExpoPush→Apple Push Notification vs ExpoPush→AWS SNS vs ExpoPush→Beamer vs ExpoPush→Expo vs MagicBellPush→Expo vs OneSignal PushPush→

Why not both?

Use both behind one API.

Route Expo, Firebase FCM, or both, and switch providers without changing your code. Courier sits in front of every channel.

Start building freeRead the docs

Pricing, plans and feature availability as of July 2026 and may change. Ratings are aggregated from public review platforms. Firebase FCM is a Google product.

Multichannel Notifications Platform for SaaS