RevenueCat vs Native In-App Purchases
NativeLaunch Team
11/27/2025
RevenueCat vs Native In-App Purchases — A Complete Comparison
In-app purchases (IAP) and subscriptions are essential for monetizing mobile apps. Developers typically choose between:
- Native IAP frameworks — StoreKit (iOS) and BillingClient (Android)
- RevenueCat — a cross-platform subscription management service
Both options can power subscriptions and one-time purchases, but they differ significantly in complexity, maintenance, and long-term reliability.
This guide compares them to help you select the right solution for your React Native app.
What Are Native In-App Purchases?
Native IAP frameworks are official tools provided by Apple and Google:
- StoreKit on iOS
- Google Play Billing on Android
They allow apps to sell:
- subscriptions
- consumables
- non-consumables
- upgrade packages
Pros
- Full control over the purchasing flow
- No third-party services
- Maximum flexibility for custom features
Cons
- Complex receipt validation
- Different behavior on Android and iOS
- Requires a custom backend for reliability
- No built-in cross-platform syncing
What Is RevenueCat?
RevenueCat is a subscription infrastructure that abstracts away the complexity of dealing with StoreKit and BillingClient.
It provides:
- unified API for purchases on iOS and Android
- automatic receipt validation
- subscription status tracking
- webhooks and integrations
- analytics dashboard
Pros
- Very fast to implement
- Handles all edge cases around receipts
- Cross-platform subscription syncing
- Detailed analytics and webhooks
- No need to build your own backend
Cons
- Less flexibility than raw native APIs
- Paid tiers for advanced usage
Key Differences
1. Cross-Platform Sync
- Native IAP → you must build your own backend to sync subscriptions
- RevenueCat → built-in syncing across devices and platforms
2. Receipt Validation
- Native IAP → you must implement server-side validation
- RevenueCat → handled automatically
3. Integration Complexity
- Native IAP → high (store setup, receipts, edge cases)
- RevenueCat → low (a few API calls)
4. Analytics
- Native IAP → no dashboard, requires custom tooling
- RevenueCat → full analytics UI out of the box
5. Maintenance
- Native IAP → recurring work with store changes and OS updates
- RevenueCat → maintained by the service
Comparison Table
| Feature | RevenueCat | Native IAP |
|---|---|---|
| Cross-platform sync | Yes | No |
| Receipt validation | Automatic | Manual backend required |
| Integration time | Very low | High |
| Dashboard | Yes | No |
| Flexibility | Medium | High |
| Complexity | Low | High |
When to Choose RevenueCat
RevenueCat is ideal if you:
- want a fast and reliable subscription setup
- need analytics and webhooks
- want cross-platform syncing
- don’t want to maintain a backend
It’s perfect for most indie apps and small teams.
When to Choose Native IAP
Native IAP fits if you:
- need fully custom purchase logic
- require total control over receipts
- already maintain a backend infrastructure
- build enterprise-level applications
Conclusion
RevenueCat dramatically simplifies subscription management and reduces long-term maintenance. Native IAP offers more control but requires significant backend work and expertise.
For most React Native apps, RevenueCat provides the fastest path to stable, cross-platform monetization.
