expo-callkit-telecom vs react-native-callkeep

react-native-callkeep is the long-standing React Native library for putting a native call UI on top of WebRTC. expo-callkit-telecom solves the same problem but is built on the current generation of platform APIs that Apple, Google, and Expo are pushing forward.

What this module is built on

• Jetpack androidx.core:core-telecom on Android — Google's recommended path for VoIP apps, introduced in 2023. It owns the foreground service, the incoming-call notification, and the full-screen intent on your behalf.
• Swift on iOS, Kotlin on Android — the current first-party languages for each platform.
• The Expo Modules API, distributed with an Expo config plugin — handles entitlements, background modes, microphone permission, ringtone bundling, and FCM service registration at prebuild time.
• WebRTC's RTCAudioSession in manual-audio mode — the coordination model that LiveKit's RN SDK (and most modern WebRTC stacks) expect.
• Native VoIP push parsing, on both APNs VoIP (PushKit) and FCM data messages — incoming calls are reported to the OS before JS is running.

react-native-callkeep came out of an earlier era of the platform: Android's android.telecom.ConnectionService (the API that core-telecom wraps and supersedes), Objective-C + Java, and a design that leaves push parsing and RTCAudioSession coordination to the app.

See Verified against for the platform versions this library has been tested against.

Side-by-side

	expo-callkit-telecom	react-native-callkeep
Android backend	Jetpack androidx.core:core-telecom	android.telecom.ConnectionService
Minimum Android SDK	26 (Android 8.0)	23 (Android 6.0)
Native languages	Swift + Kotlin	Objective-C + Java
Expo config plugin	Built in	Community plugins
VoIP push parsing	Native, on both transports	App-side (bring your own PushKit delegate / FCM service)
iOS audio session	Coordinates with RTCAudioSession (manual-audio mode)	Manipulates AVAudioSession directly
Android incoming-call UI	Module owns the foreground service, notification, and full-screen intent	App-owned
API shape	One typed CallSession, one set of verbs cross-platform	Split into { ios, android }, several platform-only methods

When to pick which

Pick expo-callkit-telecom if:

• You're on Expo and want the config-plugin experience for entitlements, background modes, permissions, ringtone bundling, and FCM service registration.
• You're on a manual-audio WebRTC stack — LiveKit, plain WebRTC, or anything else that wants to own its RTCAudioSession.
• You want incoming calls to work from a terminated state without writing your own PushKit / FCM glue.
• iOS 15.1+ and Android API 26+ cover your install base.

Pick react-native-callkeep if:

• You need to support Android API 23–25.
• You're on bare React Native and your existing callkeep wiring works for your use case.

On the iOS audio session specifically

The iOS audio session is the part of CallKit integration that breaks most often, because two parties (AVAudioSession and WebRTC's RTCAudioSession) both want to own the route, and CallKit will deactivate the session in ways that can surprise both of them. expo-callkit-telecom coordinates with RTCAudioSession in manual-audio mode, which is what LiveKit (and any "I want to control the mic/speaker myself" WebRTC stack) expects.

On VoIP push specifically

CallKit (and Android's equivalent) requires the call to be reported to the OS within seconds of the push arriving, including from a terminated state. expo-callkit-telecom parses both APNs VoIP and FCM data payloads natively and reports the call before JS is running, so the cold-start case works as long as your payload matches the documented shape — no app-side delegate or service code required.

Migration sketch

If you're moving from callkeep to this module:

1. Replace RNCallKeep.setup({ ios, android }) with the expo-callkit-telecom config plugin in app.json.
2. Replace RNCallKeep.startCall(uuid, handle) with Calls.startOutgoingCall(...).
3. Replace RNCallKeep.displayIncomingCall(...) with Calls.reportIncomingCall(...) — though if your push parsing has moved into the module, you usually don't need to call this from JS at all.
4. Replace the various RNCallKeep.addEventListener('answerCall', ...) calls with Calls.addCallAnsweredListener(...) and friends.
5. Remove your PushKit / FCM glue.