React Native init:
Advantages:
- You can add native modules written in Java/Objective-C (probably the strongest feature)
- You will be having control over the builds.
Disadvantages:
- Needs Android Studio and XCode to run the projects
- You can't develop for iOS without having a mac
- Device has to be connected via USB to use it for testing
- Fonts need to be imported manually in XCode
- If you want to share the app you need to send the whole .apk / .ipa file
- Does not provide JS APIs out of the box, e.g. Push-Notifications, Asset Manager, they need to be manually installed and linked with npm for example
- Setting up a working project properly (inlcuding device configuration) is rather complicated and can take time
Expo:
Advantages:
- Setting up a project is easy and can be done in minutes
- You (and other people) can open the project while you're working on it
- Sharing the app is easy (via QR-code or link), you don't have to send the whole .apk or .ipa file
- No build necessary to run the app
- Integrates some basic libraries in a standard project (Push Notifications, Asset Manager,...)
- You can eject it to ExpoKit and integrate native code continuing using some of the Expo features, but not all of them
- Expo can build .apk and .ipa files (distribution to stores possible with Expo)
Disadvantages:
- You can't add native modules (probably a gamechanger for some)
- You can't use libraries that use native code in Objective-C/Java
- The standard Hello World app is about 25MB big (because of the integrated libraries)
- If you want to use: FaceDetector, ARKit o Payments you need to eject it to ExpoKit
- Ejecting it to ExpoKit has a trade-off of features of Expo, e.g. you cannot share via QR code
- When ejecting to ExpoKit you are limited to the react native version that is supported by ExpoKit at that point in time
- Debugging in ExpoKit (with native modules) is a lot more complicated, since it mixes two languages and different libraries (no official Expo support anymore)
And you can use any one which satisfies your applications requirement
