diff --git a/.circleci/config.yml b/.circleci/config.yml
index bc995158bbbbf4..a5e010bc47c79a 100644
--- a/.circleci/config.yml
+++ b/.circleci/config.yml
@@ -679,6 +679,16 @@ jobs:
   # -------------------------
   test_ios_template:
     executor: reactnativeios
+    parameters:
+      flavor:
+        type: string
+        default: "Debug"
+      architecture:
+        type: string
+        default: "OldArch"
+      jsengine:
+        type: string
+        default: "Hermes"
     environment:
       - PROJECT_NAME: "iOSTemplateProject"
       - HERMES_WS_DIR: *hermes_workspace_root
@@ -689,13 +699,14 @@ jobs:
       - attach_workspace:
           at: .
       - *attach_hermes_workspace
-      - run:
-          name: Set USE_HERMES=1
-          command: echo "export USE_HERMES=1" >> $BASH_ENV
-      - run:
-          name: Set HERMES_ENGINE_TARBALL_PATH
-          command: |
-            echo "export HERMES_ENGINE_TARBALL_PATH=$(ls -AU $HERMES_WS_DIR/hermes-runtime-darwin/hermes-runtime-darwin-*.tar.gz | head -1)" >> $BASH_ENV
+      - when:
+          condition:
+            equal: ["Hermes", << parameters.jsengine >>]
+          steps:
+            - run:
+                name: Set HERMES_ENGINE_TARBALL_PATH
+                command: |
+                  echo "export HERMES_ENGINE_TARBALL_PATH=$(ls -AU $HERMES_WS_DIR/hermes-runtime-darwin/hermes-runtime-darwin-*.tar.gz | head -1)" >> $BASH_ENV
       - run:
           name: Create iOS template project
           command: |
@@ -703,11 +714,34 @@ jobs:
             PACKAGE=$(cat build/react-native-package-version)
             PATH_TO_PACKAGE="$REPO_ROOT/build/$PACKAGE"
             node ./scripts/set-rn-template-version.js "file:$PATH_TO_PACKAGE"
-            node cli.js init $PROJECT_NAME --directory "/tmp/$PROJECT_NAME" --template $REPO_ROOT --verbose
+            node cli.js init $PROJECT_NAME --directory "/tmp/$PROJECT_NAME" --template $REPO_ROOT --verbose --skip-install
+      - run:
+          name: Install iOS dependencies - Configuration << parameters.flavor >>; New Architecture << parameters.architecture >>; JS Engine << parameters.jsengine>>
+          command: |
+            cd /tmp/$PROJECT_NAME
+            yarn install
+            cd ios
+
+            bundle install
+
+            if [[ << parameters.flavor >> == "Release" ]]; then
+              export PRODUCTION=1
+            fi
+
+            if [[ << parameters.architecture >> == "NewArch" ]]; then
+              export RCT_NEW_ARCH_ENABLED=1
+            fi
+
+            if [[ << parameters.jsengine >> == "JSC" ]]; then
+              export USE_HERMES=0
+            fi
+
+            bundle exec pod install
       - run:
           name: Build template project
           command: |
             xcodebuild build \
+              -configuration << parameters.flavor >> \
               -workspace /tmp/$PROJECT_NAME/ios/$PROJECT_NAME.xcworkspace \
               -scheme $PROJECT_NAME \
               -sdk iphonesimulator
@@ -1308,6 +1342,11 @@ workflows:
       - test_ios_template:
           requires:
             - build_npm_package
+          matrix:
+            parameters:
+              architecture: ["NewArch", "OldArch"]
+              flavor: ["Debug", "Release"]
+              jsengine: ["Hermes", "JSC"]
       - test_ios_rntester:
           requires:
             - build_hermes_macos
diff --git a/scripts/react-native-xcode.sh b/scripts/react-native-xcode.sh
index 927ec76c3adc1f..e822afd58f37dc 100755
--- a/scripts/react-native-xcode.sh
+++ b/scripts/react-native-xcode.sh
@@ -78,13 +78,24 @@ fi
 # shellcheck source=/dev/null
 source "$REACT_NATIVE_DIR/scripts/node-binary.sh"
 
+# If hermes-engine is in the podfile.lock, it means that Hermes is a dependency of the project
+# and it is enabled. If not, it means that hermes is disabled.
+HERMES_ENABLED=$(grep hermes-engine podfile.lock)
+
+# If hermes-engine is not in the podfile.lock, it means that the app is not using Hermes.
+# Setting USE_HERMES is no the only way to set whether the app can use hermes or not: users
+# can also modify manually the Podfile.
+if [[ -z "$HERMES_ENABLED" ]]; then
+  USE_HERMES=false
+fi
+
 HERMES_ENGINE_PATH="$PODS_ROOT/hermes-engine"
 [ -z "$HERMES_CLI_PATH" ] && HERMES_CLI_PATH="$HERMES_ENGINE_PATH/destroot/bin/hermesc"
 
 # Hermes is enabled in new projects by default, so we cannot assume that USE_HERMES=1 is set as an envvar.
 # If hermes-engine is found in Pods, we can assume Hermes has not been disabled.
 # If hermesc is not available and USE_HERMES is either unset or true, show error.
-if [[  -f "$HERMES_ENGINE_PATH" && ! -f "$HERMES_CLI_PATH" ]]; then
+if [[  ! -z "$HERMES_ENABLED" && -f "$HERMES_ENGINE_PATH" && ! -f "$HERMES_CLI_PATH" ]]; then
   echo "error: Hermes is enabled but the hermesc binary could not be found at ${HERMES_CLI_PATH}." \
        "Perhaps you need to run 'bundle exec pod install' or otherwise " \
        "point the HERMES_CLI_PATH variable to your custom location." >&2
diff --git a/scripts/react_native_pods.rb b/scripts/react_native_pods.rb
index f5088affeb379d..af9593219d48ab 100644
--- a/scripts/react_native_pods.rb
+++ b/scripts/react_native_pods.rb
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ def use_react_native! (
   fabric_enabled: false,
   new_arch_enabled: ENV['RCT_NEW_ARCH_ENABLED'] == '1',
   production: ENV['PRODUCTION'] == '1',
-  hermes_enabled: true,
+  hermes_enabled: ENV['USE_HERMES'] && ENV['USE_HERMES'] == '0' ? false : true,
   flipper_configuration: FlipperConfiguration.disabled,
   app_path: '..',
   config_file_dir: '')
diff --git a/template/ios/Podfile b/template/ios/Podfile
index 594b74dc56f576..d1953783520bd6 100644
--- a/template/ios/Podfile
+++ b/template/ios/Podfile
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ target 'HelloWorld' do
     # Hermes is now enabled by default. Disable by setting this flag to false.
     # Upcoming versions of React Native may rely on get_default_flags(), but
     # we make it explicit here to aid in the React Native upgrade process.
-    :hermes_enabled => true,
+    :hermes_enabled => flags[:hermes_enabled],
     :fabric_enabled => flags[:fabric_enabled],
     # Enables Flipper.
     #