Founder stack playbook

Ship an Expo mobile app with AI

A cross-platform iOS and Android app with secure AI calls, authentication, subscriptions, analytics, and crash reporting.

Who it's for

A React or TypeScript founder who wants one mobile codebase and managed build infrastructure.

Constraints

Online-first AI, modest native integrations, server-side model keys, and willingness to work within Apple and Google review rules.

Approximate monthly cost

US$0 during development; commonly US$0-25/mo early plus model usage. Also budget Apple Developer at US$99/year and Google Play's US$25 one-time registration.

How the stack works

Build screens and navigation in Expo, testing on real devices before adding billing.
Authenticate through Supabase and send model requests to a server or edge function, never directly with a bundled secret.
Use RevenueCat entitlements as the subscription source of truth across both stores.
Track activation in PostHog and crashes in Sentry using release identifiers tied to EAS builds.
Run TestFlight and closed Play testing before purchasing higher build capacity or scaling model usage.

The stack

Mobile framework and builds

Expo

Expo combines React Native tooling, over-the-air updates, device APIs, and managed store builds for a solo workflow.

Skip if: the app depends on extensive unsupported native code, specialised background execution, or an existing native team.

Alternatives: Bare React Native, Flutter, Native iOS and Android

Navigation

Expo Router

File-based routes, deep links, and shared web conventions reduce navigation setup and keep the app structure legible.

Skip if: an existing React Navigation architecture is stable or navigation requires unusually custom state control.

Alternatives: React Navigation, Solito, Custom native navigation

Authentication

Supabase Auth

It supports mobile deep-link auth and shares identity with the database and server-side security policy.

Skip if: polished social-login components, enterprise SSO, or advanced organisation management dominate the roadmap.

Alternatives: Clerk, Firebase Auth, Auth0

Backend database

Supabase Postgres

A managed relational backend with row-level security fits user content, entitlements, and sync without a custom API for every table.

Skip if: offline-first conflict resolution is central or Firestore's mobile sync model better matches the product.

Alternatives: Firebase Firestore, Convex, Appwrite

Model access

OpenRouter

A server-side gateway lets the app test faster or cheaper models without forcing a client release.

Skip if: a direct model provider offers required mobile safety, region, or enterprise controls.

Alternatives: OpenAI API, Anthropic API, Google AI Studio

In-app subscriptions

RevenueCat

It normalises StoreKit and Play Billing receipts into cross-platform entitlements and handles common subscription edge cases.

Skip if: the app has no digital subscription or the team is prepared to maintain store receipt logic directly.

Alternatives: Native StoreKit and Play Billing, Adapty, Qonversion

Product analytics

PostHog

Shared event definitions across web and mobile make onboarding and retention visible before paid acquisition.

Skip if: mobile attribution and ad-network integrations are the primary requirement rather than product behaviour.

Alternatives: Amplitude, Mixpanel, Firebase Analytics

Crash reporting

Sentry

Release-aware native and JavaScript crash traces help diagnose device-specific failures after store distribution.

Skip if: the organisation already standardises on Firebase Crashlytics or another mobile observability suite.

Alternatives: Firebase Crashlytics, Bugsnag, Datadog

Verification note: Pricing checked 12 July 2026. Expo and RevenueCat have usable entry tiers, but store memberships, model calls, build volume, subscription revenue, tax, and push infrastructure can change the real cost.

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