Skip to content
Explore courses
All blogs

The Buildcamp blog · 5 min read

How to build an iOS and Android app with Cursor and Expo as a beginner

One app, two stores: a beginner path from Expo Go to the App Store and Google Play.

By Gregory John
Gregory John
Buildcamp Founder
How to build an iOS and Android app with Cursor and Expo as a beginner

Updated 30 October 2026: As a beginner, the simplest way to build one app that runs on both iPhone and Android is to use Expo, a framework for React Native, and let Cursor's AI agent write the code while you describe each feature. Start by previewing on your own phone with Expo Go, then move to a development build when you add things like payments. Buildcamp's course takes you all the way to the App Store and Google Play.

Who this is for

This guide is for you if you have an app idea for phones, you have little or no coding experience, and you do not want to build everything twice. It is also for you if you have built a website with AI and want to try mobile next.

The key ideas in plain English

  • React Native lets you build real iPhone and Android apps from one shared codebase (one set of code).
  • Expo is a framework built on React Native that handles the fiddly parts: project setup, file-based screens, building the app and sending it to the stores.
  • Expo Go is a free app for your phone. Scan a QR code and you can preview your app straight away, with no Apple or Google accounts needed.
  • A development build is your own custom version of Expo Go that includes everything your app needs. Expo recommends it for apps you plan to release, and you need one for features like real in-app purchases.
  • EAS (Expo Application Services) builds your app in the cloud and helps you submit it to the stores. Because the build happens in the cloud, you can even build an iPhone app without a Mac.
  • Cursor is the AI code editor where you chat to the agent and review its changes.

The path, step by step

  1. Set up Cursor and Expo. Install Cursor, then ask the agent to create a new Expo project. New Expo projects include an AGENTS.md file, a set of instructions that helps AI agents follow Expo's best practices.
  2. Preview on your phone. Install Expo Go, start the project and scan the QR code. Seeing your app on a real phone in the first hour is hugely motivating.
  3. Plan your features. Write down your screens and the one main thing your app does. Build one feature at a time.
  4. Add a backend. Use Supabase for your database, sign-in and server functions. Connecting the Supabase MCP server (a plug-in that lets the agent talk to Supabase directly) saves a lot of copying and pasting.
  5. Save your work to GitHub after each working step.
  6. Move to a development build. Register your iPhone and create iOS and Android development builds so you can test native features such as maps and push notifications.
  7. Add payments with RevenueCat. RevenueCat manages in-app subscriptions on both stores. It needs a development build for real purchases, as Expo Go only offers a preview mode with pretend purchases.
  8. Submit to the stores. Set up App Store Connect and TestFlight (Apple's beta testing service), then a Google Play service account, and submit to both.

The whole journey, including push notifications, maps, a paywall and an admin dashboard, is in Build a React Native mobile app with Cursor.

What you will need

  • A computer running macOS, Windows or Linux. A Mac helps for the iPhone simulator, but EAS can build iPhone apps in the cloud from any computer.
  • An iPhone or Android phone with Expo Go installed for quick previews.
  • Cursor, which has a free plan to get started.
  • Free accounts for Expo, GitHub and Supabase.
  • A paid Apple Developer Program membership to install builds on an iPhone and publish to the App Store.
  • A Google Play developer account to publish on Android.
  • A RevenueCat account if you want to charge for subscriptions.

Common mistakes

  • Staying in Expo Go too long. It is perfect for early previews, but payments and many native features need a development build. Switch when you start adding them.
  • Leaving store setup to the last day. Apple and Google accounts, app listings and reviews all take time. Start them early.
  • Building every feature at once. Ship a small first version, test it on real phones and then add more.
  • Testing only on one platform. Check both iPhone and Android regularly, because small differences appear.
  • Not saving to GitHub. If the agent takes a wrong turn, a recent snapshot gets you back in seconds.

FAQs

Can I build an iPhone app without a Mac? Yes. EAS builds your app in the cloud, so you can create an iPhone build from Windows or Linux. You still need a paid Apple Developer Program membership to install it on a device and publish it.

What is the difference between Expo Go and a development build? Expo Go is a ready-made app for quick previews. A development build is your own version of it, with your app's specific native features included. You need one for things like real in-app purchases.

Do I need to know JavaScript? No. You describe what you want and the agent writes the code. You will start to recognise patterns as you go, which helps you guide it better.

Can I use Claude Code or Codex instead of Cursor? Yes. Expo works well with all of them, and there is an official Expo plugin for Claude Code and Codex. The Buildcamp course uses Cursor.

How do I charge for my app? Use RevenueCat for in-app subscriptions on both stores. Read How to build a React Native Expo app with Supabase and RevenueCat for an overview, and the course shows you how to build the paywall.

Keep learning

Share this article
Explore more articles