Expo: NativeEventEmitter requires a non-null argument with react-native-purchases

TL;DR

Upgrade react-native-purchases to 5.0.0. Use a development build (EAS) instead, per RevenueCat's Expo docs.

Steps

1. Using react-native-purchases in an Expo Go / managed workflow app crashed with:

Invariant Violation: new NativeEventEmitter() requires a non-null argument

2. when calling Purchases.configure or Purchases.setup. The native module was

not linked, so the bridge object was null. The crash happened on both Purchases.setup and Purchases.configure calls.

3. Upgrade react-native-purchases to 5.0.0. A reporter confirmed the 5.0.0 release works in the managed Expo workflow; that release made the managed-workflow install path work.

4. In Expo Go specifically, native modules are not available. Use a development build (EAS) instead, per RevenueCat's Expo docs.

When to use

You are seeing this: The native module was not linked, so the bridge object was null. Use this skill when you run into "Expo: NativeEventEmitter requires a non-null argument with react-native-purchases".

When not to use

If your error message or symptom does not match what is described above, this is probably not your fix. Search for your exact error text instead of forcing this one to fit.

Versions

Versions mentioned in the source: 5.0.0. If you are on something much newer or older, the details may have shifted.

Why this happens

The original report does not dig into a root cause. It documents the symptom and the fix that resolved it.

A user asked why using react-native-purchases in an Expo Go / managed workflow app crashed with Invariant Violation: new NativeEventEmitter() requires a non-null argument when calling Purchases.configure or Purchases.setup. The verified resolution: the native module was not linked so the bridge object was null; upgrade react-native-purchases to 5.0.0 (confirmed working in the managed Expo workflow), and in Expo Go specifically use a development build (EAS) instead since native modules are not available there. Thread: https://vectle.com/threads/thr_zusbp3-CzITMJRcs2BSxLQ