revenuecat-expo-setup

RevenueCat with Expo

Why RevenueCat

You can't use Stripe or Polar.sh for digital goods in mobile apps. Apple and Google require their native billing systems. RevenueCat wraps both into one API.

Install

npx expo install react-native-purchases

Requires a development build (not Expo Go). In development, the SDK enters mock mode.

Setup

1. Create RevenueCat Account

Go to app.revenuecat.com and create a project.

2. Configure App Store Connect (iOS)

• Create in-app purchase products (subscriptions)
• Create a shared secret (App Store Connect -> App -> In-App Purchases -> Shared Secret)
• Add the shared secret to RevenueCat dashboard

3. Configure Google Play Console (Android)

• Create subscription products
• Get the service account JSON key
• Add to RevenueCat dashboard

4. Initialize in App

import Purchases from 'react-native-purchases';
import { Platform } from 'react-native';

export async function initializePurchases() {
  Purchases.configure({
    apiKey: Platform.select({
      ios: 'appl_your_ios_key',
      android: 'goog_your_android_key',
    })!,
  });
}

Call this in your app's root component or entry file.

Display Products

const offerings = await Purchases.getOfferings();

if (offerings.current) {
  const packages = offerings.current.availablePackages;
  // packages[0].product.title - "Premium Monthly"
  // packages[0].product.priceString - "$9.99"
  // packages[0].product.description - "Unlimited generations"
}

Make a Purchase

async function purchase(pkg: PurchasesPackage) {
  try {
    const { customerInfo } = await Purchases.purchasePackage(pkg);

    if (customerInfo.entitlements.active['premium']) {
      // User now has premium access!
      navigation.navigate('Home');
    }
  } catch (e: any) {
    if (!e.userCancelled) {
      Alert.alert('Error', 'Purchase failed. Please try again.');
    }
  }
}

Check Entitlements

async function checkPremiumAccess(): Promise<boolean> {
  const customerInfo = await Purchases.getCustomerInfo();
  return !!customerInfo.entitlements.active['premium'];
}

Restore Purchases

Required by App Store guidelines:

async function restorePurchases() {
  try {
    const customerInfo = await Purchases.restorePurchases();
    if (customerInfo.entitlements.active['premium']) {
      Alert.alert('Restored', 'Your premium access has been restored!');
    } else {
      Alert.alert('No purchases found', 'No active subscriptions to restore.');
    }
  } catch (e) {
    Alert.alert('Error', 'Could not restore purchases.');
  }
}

Firebase Extension (Auto-Sync to Firestore)

Install the RevenueCat Firebase Extension to automatically sync purchase data:

1. Go to Firebase Console -> Extensions
2. Install "RevenueCat In-App Purchases & Subscriptions"
3. The extension writes to customers/{userId}/ in Firestore

Now you can read subscription status directly from Firestore:

const customerDoc = await firestore()
  .collection('customers')
  .doc(userId)
  .get();

const isActive = customerDoc.data()?.activeEntitlements?.includes('premium');

Sandbox Testing

iOS

1. App Store Connect -> Users -> Sandbox Testers -> create a test account
2. On device: Settings -> App Store -> sign out -> sign in with sandbox account
3. Subscriptions renew every 3-5 minutes in sandbox

Android

1. Google Play Console -> Setup -> License testing -> add test emails
2. Upload to internal testing track
3. Testers can "purchase" without being charged

RevenueCat Dashboard

• Sandbox purchases show with a "Sandbox" badge
• Test the full lifecycle: subscribe -> renew -> cancel -> expire

Paywall UI Pattern

function Paywall() {
  const [packages, setPackages] = useState([]);

  useEffect(() => {
    async function load() {
      const offerings = await Purchases.getOfferings();
      setPackages(offerings.current?.availablePackages || []);
    }
    load();
  }, []);

  return (
    <View>
      <Text>Upgrade to Premium</Text>
      {packages.map((pkg) => (
        <TouchableOpacity key={pkg.identifier} onPress={() => purchase(pkg)}>
          <Text>{pkg.product.title}</Text>
          <Text>{pkg.product.priceString}/month</Text>
        </TouchableOpacity>
      ))}
      <TouchableOpacity onPress={restorePurchases}>
        <Text>Restore Purchases</Text>
      </TouchableOpacity>
    </View>
  );
}

Pricing

RevenueCat is free up to $2,500 monthly tracked revenue. After that, 1% of MTR.