--- title: Using with React Native Firebase description: Install React Native Google Mobile Ads alongside React Native Firebase on Expo and bare React Native, including modern iOS SPM / frameworks guidance. --- Many production apps ship [`react-native-google-mobile-ads`](https://github.com/invertase/react-native-google-mobile-ads) together with [`react-native-firebase`](https://rnfirebase.io). Both are Invertase packages and are designed to coexist — Ads monetization and Firebase (Analytics, Crashlytics, Auth, and the rest of the RNFB suite) in one React Native app. This page is the coexistence guide for **Expo** and **bare React Native**. Follow [React Native Firebase](https://rnfirebase.io) for Firebase install details, and this library's [Install with Expo](/installation/expo) or [Install with React Native CLI](/installation/react-native) for Ads. The sections below cover the native build choices that matter when both are present. Compatible with bare React Native **0.88**, Expo SDK **58**, `@react-native-firebase/app` **26.4.x** (SPM default), and `react-native-google-mobile-ads` **17.2.x** when the Podfile stays **dynamic** for RNFB SPM while this module is forced **static** (`$RNGoogleMobileAdsAsStaticFramework = true`), plus the CocoaPods static-transitive check bypass for Google's Mobile Ads / UMP (and optional mediation adapter) static frameworks. Do **not** treat “dynamic frameworks alone, no ads static flag” as the working recipe. ## What you need from each product | Concern | React Native Google Mobile Ads | React Native Firebase | | ------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------ | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | Product config | AdMob **App ID** (`GADApplicationIdentifier` / Android meta-data) | `GoogleService-Info.plist` / `google-services.json` | | Expo install | Config plugin + development build | `@react-native-firebase/*` plugins + Google Services files | | Bare install | `app.json` App IDs + autolinking | Autolinking + Firebase native setup per [rnfirebase.io](https://rnfirebase.io) | | iOS frameworks (recommended) | `$RNGoogleMobileAdsAsStaticFramework = true` under a **dynamic** Podfile | `use_frameworks! :linkage => :dynamic` + SPM (default) | | iOS frameworks (legacy opt-out) | Same static-ads flag under a fully **static** Podfile | `disableSPM` + static (+ `forceStaticLinking` as needed) — see [deprecated](#deprecated-pre-spm-react-native-firebase) | **Both** AdMob App IDs and Firebase Google Services files are required. One does not replace the other. See [App IDs vs Firebase configuration](#app-ids-vs-firebase-configuration). ## Prerequisites (shared) - Meet this library's [platform baseline](/prerequisites) (React Native 0.86+, New Architecture, iOS 15.1+, Android `minSdk` 24). - **New Architecture is required.** Explicit Legacy Architecture opt-out fails CocoaPods install for this module on iOS, and this module's Android Gradle build fails whenever `newArchEnabled` is present and not `true`, even though React Native 0.82+ may ignore that flag. See [New Architecture (required)](/prerequisites#new-architecture-required). - Install and configure each library normally — there is no special combined npm package. - React Native Firebase **26.1+** on React Native ≥ 0.75 defaults to resolving the Firebase Apple SDK via **Swift Package Manager**. That is the path this page optimizes for. If you have not upgraded to SPM yet, see [Deprecated: React Native Firebase before SPM](#deprecated-pre-spm-react-native-firebase). ## Why hybrid linkage is required React Native Firebase's SPM path needs a **dynamic** `use_frameworks!` Podfile (`useFrameworks: "dynamic"` on Expo). Google's Mobile Ads / UMP SDKs (and optional mediation adapter packages) still ship as **static** frameworks through CocoaPods. If `RNGoogleMobileAds` stays a _dynamic_ framework under that Podfile, the iOS link step fails with many undefined `GAD*` / `UMP*` (and sometimes adapter) Objective-C classes. The fix is **not** to disable RNFB SPM. Keep the Podfile dynamic for Firebase, and force **this** module to build as a static framework so it can absorb Google's static binaries. CocoaPods then refuses those static frameworks as transitive dependencies of a dynamic `use_frameworks!` graph unless you disable the static-transitive dependency check (a common React Native workaround). Both pieces — `$RNGoogleMobileAdsAsStaticFramework = true` and the `pre_install` `TargetValidator` override — appear together in the [canonical Podfile snippet below](#recommended-path-rnfb-spm--dynamic-podfile--static-ads-pod). Put those lines **before** the app `target` block (bare), or inject the ads-only extras into the generated Expo `ios/Podfile` after `prebuild` (see [Expo](#expo)). Re-run `pod install` / rebuild after changing them. Do **not** set `ios.useFrameworks: "static"` (or bare `use_frameworks! :linkage => :static`) while React Native Firebase is still in its default SPM mode. `pod install` fails with: `[react-native-firebase] SPM + static linkage is not supported` That combination is unsupported. Use the hybrid recipe in this section, or the [deprecated before SPM / `disableSPM` path](#deprecated-pre-spm-react-native-firebase) only if you intentionally opt out of SPM. ## Recommended path: RNFB SPM + dynamic Podfile + static ads pod ### Bare React Native 1. Install React Native Firebase and follow its iOS SPM / dynamic frameworks guidance ([iOS SPM Support](https://rnfirebase.io/ios-spm)). 2. Install this module and set App IDs in `app.json` — see [Install with React Native CLI](/installation/react-native). 3. In the `Podfile`, **before** any `target` block, enable dynamic frameworks for RNFB **and** the hybrid ads flags: ```ruby # RNFB SPM expects dynamic frameworks (RN ≥ 0.75 + RNFB ≥ 26.1 defaults). use_frameworks! :linkage => :dynamic # Ads pod must be static so Google's static Mobile Ads / UMP frameworks link. $RNGoogleMobileAdsAsStaticFramework = true pre_install do |_installer| Pod::Installer::Xcode::TargetValidator.send( :define_method, :verify_no_static_framework_transitive_dependencies, ) {} end ``` 4. Run `npx pod-install` and rebuild. Autolinking is sufficient for basic coexistence. 5. On newer Xcode versions, if resource-bundle pods fail with an `IPHONEOS_DEPLOYMENT_TARGET` below 15.1, clamp targets in `post_install` — see [iOS CocoaPods deployment targets](/prerequisites#ios-cocoapods-deployment-targets). React Native **0.88**, RNFB **26.4** (SPM), and this module **17.2** coexist on that hybrid Podfile for Debug iOS simulator builds, including optional Google mediation adapter packages when their CocoaPods pins admit the core Mobile Ads SDK version (see [Mediation](/mediation)). ### Expo 1. Install and configure React Native Firebase per [rnfirebase.io](https://rnfirebase.io) (plugins, `googleServicesFile`, rebuild). 2. Install this module and set AdMob App IDs on the config plugin — see [Install with Expo](/installation/expo). 3. Set `expo-build-properties` to **dynamic** frameworks (RNFB's documented SPM default): ```json // /app.json { "expo": { "plugins": [ "@react-native-firebase/app", [ "react-native-google-mobile-ads", { "androidAppId": "ca-app-pub-xxxxxxxx~xxxxxxxx", "iosAppId": "ca-app-pub-xxxxxxxx~xxxxxxxx" } ], [ "expo-build-properties", { "ios": { "useFrameworks": "dynamic" } } ] ] } } ``` 4. After `npx expo prebuild --platform ios`, inject the **ads static flag and static-transitive check bypass** into the generated `ios/Podfile` **before** the app `target` (commit them via a small config plugin / `withDangerousMod`, or re-apply after every clean prebuild). Do **not** repeat `use_frameworks!` here — `expo-build-properties` already set dynamic frameworks. The owner snippet (including comments) is under [Bare React Native](#bare-react-native); Expo needs only these extras: ```ruby $RNGoogleMobileAdsAsStaticFramework = true pre_install do |_installer| Pod::Installer::Xcode::TargetValidator.send( :define_method, :verify_no_static_framework_transitive_dependencies, ) {} end ``` 5. Run `pod install` in `ios/` (or let `expo run:ios` install pods) and rebuild a development build. Autolinking wires both libraries; you do **not** need to hand-edit `AppDelegate` or `MainApplication` for basic Ads + Firebase linking. 6. If resource-bundle pods fail on `IPHONEOS_DEPLOYMENT_TARGET`, apply the same clamp as bare — [iOS CocoaPods deployment targets](/prerequisites#ios-cocoapods-deployment-targets). `expo-build-properties` alone does **not** set `$RNGoogleMobileAdsAsStaticFramework`. Dynamic `useFrameworks` without the static-ads override is the combination that fails to link `GAD*` / `UMP*` symbols. ## App IDs vs Firebase configuration Google Mobile Ads and Firebase use **different** configuration artifacts: | Platform | Ads (this module) | Firebase (RNFB) | | -------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | -------------------------- | | iOS | `GADApplicationIdentifier` in `Info.plist` (Expo plugin or bare `ios_app_id`) | `GoogleService-Info.plist` | | Android | `com.google.android.gms.ads.APPLICATION_ID` meta-data (plugin or `android_app_id`) | `google-services.json` | - **Both are required.** Firebase Google Services files do not supply AdMob App IDs, and AdMob App IDs do not replace Firebase configuration. - On Expo, App IDs on the config plugin alone are sufficient for Ads — you do not also need a root-level `react-native-google-mobile-ads` JSON block. A legacy iOS config-script warning about a missing root `ios_app_id` can appear during builds; it is safe to ignore when the Expo plugin already injected the App ID. - See [Configuration](/configuration) for where to find AdMob App IDs. ## Android notes (Firebase BOM and ads SDKs) On Android, React Native Firebase and this module both depend on Google Play services / Firebase Android artifacts, but they own different concerns: - **Firebase** versions are typically aligned through the Firebase Android BOM / Google Services Gradle plugin as documented by [React Native Firebase](https://rnfirebase.io). - **Ads** are selected by this library: classic `play-services-ads` by default, or the Next Gen `ads-mobile-sdk` when you set `androidSdk: "nextgen"` (Expo) / `android_sdk` / `RNGMA_ANDROID_BACKEND` (bare). See [Config plugin reference](/config-plugin#android-sdk-backend). Coexistence Android builds succeed with the default classic backend and with `androidSdk: "nextgen"`. Practical guidance: - Let each library manage its own ads / Firebase dependencies. Do not hand-force conflicting `play-services-ads` or Firebase BOM versions in the app `build.gradle` unless you are debugging a specific resolution failure. - Keep `google-services.json` for Firebase **and** the Ads `APPLICATION_ID` meta-data from this module's config. - After changing `androidSdk` / backend properties, do a clean Android rebuild so Gradle picks up the new dependency graph. ## Mediation pin notes Optional Google mediation adapter packages (scoped `@react-native-google-mobile-ads/` npm packages or the corresponding CocoaPods / Maven artifacts) follow the same hybrid iOS linkage as core Mobile Ads / UMP. Adapter CocoaPods pins can still conflict with the core `Google-Mobile-Ads-SDK` version independently of SPM or frameworks mode — see [Mediation](/mediation) (including the Yandex iOS pin note) rather than treating pin fights as an SPM issue. ## What not to hand-edit Prefer config plugins (Expo) and documented Podfile / `app.json` knobs (bare). Avoid: - Hand-writing `GADApplicationIdentifier` or Android `APPLICATION_ID` when the Expo config plugin (or bare `app.json` App ID keys) already sets them — edit the source of truth, then rebuild. - Mixing RNFB **SPM** with **static** `use_frameworks!` / `useFrameworks: "static"`. - Omitting `$RNGoogleMobileAdsAsStaticFramework = true` on the RNFB SPM + dynamic Podfile path (dynamic ads pod under dynamic frameworks fails to link Google's static Mobile Ads / UMP binaries). - Treating the install-page “fully static `useFrameworks`” snippet as the React Native Firebase default (see [Install with Expo](/installation/expo#optionally-configure-ios-static-frameworks) and [Install with React Native CLI](/installation/react-native#optionally-configure-ios-static-frameworks); those sections defer here for RNFB). - Manually patching `AppDelegate` / `MainApplication` solely to “enable” Ads or Firebase linking when autolinking and the config plugins already apply. - Deleting Firebase Google Services files because AdMob App IDs are present (or the reverse). - Jumping to manual `GoogleUtilities` Podfile pins before fixing SPM vs frameworks mode (see deprecated section below). ## Quick checklist 1. Install RNFB and this module; configure **both** Google Services files and AdMob App IDs. 2. Enable New Architecture; rebuild native projects after plugin / Podfile changes. 3. Prefer **RNFB SPM + dynamic Podfile + `$RNGoogleMobileAdsAsStaticFramework = true`** + the static-transitive check bypass. 4. Never combine RNFB SPM with a fully static `use_frameworks!` / `useFrameworks: "static"`. 5. On Android, leave Firebase BOM / Google Services and this module's ads backend to their documented knobs; clean-rebuild after backend changes. 6. Initialize Ads in JS as usual ([Initialization](/initialization)); configure Firebase per RNFB docs. The two JS surfaces are independent. --- ## Deprecated: React Native Firebase before SPM The guidance below is for apps still on React Native Firebase **before** the SPM-default line (or that intentionally set `$RNFirebaseDisableSPM` / `disableSPM: true`). If you are on RNFB **26.1+** with SPM enabled, **do not follow this section** — use [Recommended path: RNFB SPM + dynamic Podfile + static ads pod](#recommended-path-rnfb-spm--dynamic-podfile--static-ads-pod) instead. Older coexistence docs assumed Firebase Apple SDKs were resolved entirely through **CocoaPods**, often with **static** `use_frameworks!`, and focused on aligning shared Google pods (especially `GoogleUtilities`) by hand to avoid duplicate-symbol linker errors when Ads and Firebase both pulled the same utilities. That world is obsolete for current RNFB. Keep the material below only if you have **not** upgraded to SPM yet and cannot move yet. ### Legacy path: static frameworks + disable SPM Use this only when you intentionally need static frameworks for the whole Podfile (for example to share one `FirebaseCore` with another CocoaPods-only dependency) **and** you have disabled RNFB SPM. #### Expo (legacy) Pass `disableSPM` on `@react-native-firebase/app`, set `useFrameworks: "static"`, and list every RNFB native module you use in `forceStaticLinking`. Expo documents `forceStaticLinking` as the list of pods to link statically when `use_frameworks!` is on, because some pods (especially alongside React Native prebuilt binaries) fail as dynamic frameworks; see [`expo-build-properties`](https://docs.expo.dev/versions/latest/sdk/build-properties/). ```json // /app.json { "expo": { "plugins": [ [ "@react-native-firebase/app", { "ios": { "disableSPM": true } } ], [ "react-native-google-mobile-ads", { "androidAppId": "ca-app-pub-xxxxxxxx~xxxxxxxx", "iosAppId": "ca-app-pub-xxxxxxxx~xxxxxxxx" } ], [ "expo-build-properties", { "ios": { "useFrameworks": "static", "forceStaticLinking": ["RNFBApp"] } } ] ] } } ``` Extend `forceStaticLinking` with every other RNFB module you install (for example `RNFBAuth`, `RNFBCrashlytics`). Rebuild after changing plugins. #### Bare React Native (legacy) 1. In the `Podfile`, **before** any target block, disable RNFB SPM and enable static frameworks for this module: ```ruby $RNFirebaseDisableSPM = true $RNGoogleMobileAdsAsStaticFramework = true ``` 2. Configure `use_frameworks! :linkage => :static` as required by your Firebase / other native setup (see [RNFB](https://rnfirebase.io/ios-spm) and [Install with React Native CLI](/installation/react-native#optionally-configure-ios-static-frameworks)). 3. Run `npx pod-install` and rebuild. ### Legacy: GoogleUtilities and duplicate symbols Older coexistence guides (before RNFB's SPM default) focused on aligning `GoogleUtilities` (and related Firebase pods) by hand to avoid duplicate-symbol linker errors when Ads and Firebase both pulled Google's shared utilities through CocoaPods. On the **current** recommended hybrid path (RNFB SPM + dynamic Podfile + static ads pod), iOS builds succeed without manual `GoogleUtilities` pin surgery. RNFB's SPM + static guard exists specifically to block the unsupported “SPM + fully static Podfile” combination. If you are still on RNFB without SPM and see duplicate-symbol linker errors: 1. Confirm you are not accidentally mixing SPM with static frameworks. 2. Prefer upgrading to RNFB's SPM default and the [recommended hybrid path](#recommended-path-rnfb-spm--dynamic-podfile--static-ads-pod), or a clean static + `disableSPM` setup — not a half-migrated hybrid of the two eras. 3. Only then consider cleaning pods (`rm -rf ios/Pods ios/Podfile.lock` and reinstall) before chasing `GoogleUtilities` version pins by hand.