SwiftPatch vs Capgo: OTA Platform Comparison

Introduction

SwiftPatch and Capgo are both OTA update platforms, but they serve different ecosystems. SwiftPatch is built for React Native, while Capgo is built for Capacitor/Ionic. This comparison helps you understand the differences and choose the right platform for your stack.

Quick Comparison

Feature	SwiftPatch	Capgo
Framework	React Native	Capacitor/Ionic
Patch Type	Differential (98% smaller)	Full bundle
Auto Rollback	Yes (< 3 seconds)	Yes
Self-Hosting	Enterprise plan	Open source
Free Tier	5,000 deploys/mo	500 updates/mo
Pricing	From $19/mo	From $14/mo
Bundle Signing	Ed25519	AES encryption
Staged Rollouts	1% → 100%	Channel-based
CI/CD	Native support	Plugin-based
New Architecture	Full support	N/A (Capacitor)

Framework Focus

SwiftPatch: React Native First

• Optimized for Hermes bytecode bundles
• Supports React Native New Architecture (Fabric, TurboModules)
• Binary-level differential patching for JS bundles
• Native module compatibility tracking

Capgo: Capacitor/Ionic First

• Works with Capacitor 4+ and Ionic apps
• Web-based bundle updates (HTML/CSS/JS)
• Plugin architecture for Capacitor
• Supports Angular, React, and Vue

Key difference: If you're building with React Native, SwiftPatch is the right choice. If you're building with Capacitor/Ionic, Capgo is designed for your stack.

Patch Size & Delivery

SwiftPatch

SwiftPatch uses binary-level differential patching:

Bundle v1: 20MB
Bundle v2: 20MB (fixed a typo)
Patch size: 50KB (99.75% smaller)

Only the changed bytes are transmitted, making updates nearly instantaneous even on slow connections.

Capgo

Capgo sends the web assets as a zip file:

Bundle v1: 5MB (web assets)
Bundle v2: 5MB (fixed a typo)
Download: 5MB (full bundle)

While Capacitor bundles are typically smaller than React Native bundles, the lack of differential patching means every update is a full download.

Pricing Comparison

SwiftPatch

Capgo

SwiftPatch offers a more generous free tier (5,000 vs 500 deploys) and better value at scale. Capgo has lower entry pricing for paid plans.

Self-Hosting

SwiftPatch

Capgo

Capgo's open-source approach is appealing for teams who want full control without enterprise pricing. SwiftPatch's self-hosted option includes dedicated support and SLAs.

Rollback & Safety

SwiftPatch

Capgo

Both platforms handle rollback, but SwiftPatch's crash detection is faster and more comprehensive with custom health checks.

Developer Experience

SwiftPatch CLI

# Deploy update
swiftpatch release --platform ios

# Staged rollout
swiftpatch release --platform ios --rollout 10

# Check status
swiftpatch status

Capgo CLI

# Deploy update
npx @capgo/cli upload

# Set channel
npx @capgo/cli channel set production

# List versions
npx @capgo/cli list

Both offer solid CLI experiences optimized for their respective ecosystems.

When to Choose SwiftPatch

• You're building with React Native
• You need differential patching (98% smaller updates)
• You're using React Native New Architecture
• You want enterprise self-hosting with SLA support
• You need 5,000 free deploys/month
• You want automatic crash detection with custom health checks

When to Choose Capgo

• You're building with Capacitor or Ionic
• You want open-source self-hosting
• You need lower entry-level pricing
• You're using Angular, Vue, or React with Capacitor
• You prefer channel-based update management

Conclusion

SwiftPatch and Capgo are both excellent OTA platforms, but they serve different ecosystems. Choose based on your framework:

• React Native → SwiftPatch
• Capacitor/Ionic → Capgo

If you're on React Native and considering Capgo, SwiftPatch offers better differential patching, New Architecture support, and a more generous free tier specifically optimized for React Native bundles.

Try SwiftPatch for React Native →