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Supabase

Open source Firebase alternative with Postgres database and authentication.

Supabase is an open-source backend-as-a-service platform that provides developers with a Postgres database, authentication, real-time subscriptions, storage, and edge functions. It's designed for building scalable production applications with a generous free tier for hobby projects and transparent usage-based pricing for growing teams.

Real cost
Free
Free
RC Score
8.7/10
0 user reviews
User rating
0.0/5
Verified
Basis: research-based
The methodology

How we scored it

Six-factor weighted score. Each dimension scored 0–10 by our editorial team across testing periods of 3–18 months. No vendor influence.

Value for money25%
9.0/10
Features20%
9.0/10
Ease of use15%
7.5/10
Support quality15%
8.5/10
Deal strength15%
9.5/10
User feedback10%
9.0/10
Pricing

What it actually costs

Intro pricing shown — see the renewal note for what you'll pay after the introductory term. We don't hide the second-act price.

★ Best Value

Free

$0/mo intro
Get this plan

Pro

$25/mo intro
Get this plan

Team

$599/mo intro
Get this plan

The real cost

What you'll actually pay across 4 years, including the renewal cliff. We blend the math so you see the true monthly cost.

1y4y intro8y
Intro period
$0
48 mo @ $0
Total cost
$0
≈ $0.00/mo blended
Renewal
$0
Within intro term
The renewal cliff

When the bill actually arrives

Most hosts advertise intro pricing prominently and renewal pricing in the fine print. Here\'s the trajectory drawn to scale.

Y0Y1Y2Y3Y4Y5Y6Y7Y8▼ Renewal cliff$0/mo$0/mo $0$0$0
Intro period (months 1–48)Renewal pricing (month 49+)
What's included

Features at a glance

Every meaningful capability, listed plainly. ✓ included, ✕ not included, or a specific value where it matters.

capability

PostgreSQL Database★ Standout
Included
Built-in Authentication★ Standout
Included
Real-time Subscriptions★ Standout
Included
Edge Functions (Deno)
Included
Object Storage
Included
Row-Level Security
Included

pricing

Free Tier★ Standout
500MB DB, 50K MAU, 2GB storage
Usage-Based Pricing
Included

technical

Self-Hostable
Included

support

Community Support
Discord, GitHub, documentation
Head to head

Supabase against the field

The highest-scoring alternatives in the same category, compared on the figures we hold for all of them.

 SupabaseThis pageGitHubLinear
ReviewCost score8.7/108.7/108.4/10
Cheapest planFree
From
Renews atNot publishedNot publishedNot published
Biggest strengthPostgres foundation means you're not locked into a proprietary database — you can self-host or migrate if neededGitHub Copilot demonstrably accelerates development — customers like Duolingo report 25% speed gains and Mercado Libre cuts coding time by 50%Exceptionally fast performance with sub-second load times and real-time sync across all users
Biggest drawbackDashboard can be overwhelming for developers new to Postgres — the SQL editor and migration tools assume some database literacyPricing can become punitive at scale — enterprise features and Copilot seats add up quickly for larger teams, making alternatives like GitLab worth evaluatingLimited customisation options may frustrate power users wanting complex workflows

Prices are the published figures at the time of writing and change often. Renewal pricing is shown where the vendor publishes it. See how we review.

Common questions

What people ask about Supabase

Straight answers to what buyers actually ask, drawn from the documentation and published user reports.

Can I actually self-host Supabase without losing features?
Yes, with caveats. The core platform is Apache 2.0 licensed and documented for self-hosting via Docker. You get the database, auth, storage, and real-time features. You lose the managed dashboard UI polish, automatic scaling, and official support unless you purchase an enterprise plan. Community members run production instances successfully.
How does real-time performance compare to Firebase?
For light to moderate use (under 100 concurrent connections), users report comparable latency. Beyond a few hundred connections on Pro tier, published experiences indicate noticeable lag and dropped connections. Firebase's Firestore handles higher concurrency more gracefully, but at the cost of a less flexible data model.
What happens to my data if Supabase shuts down?
Because the underlying database is standard Postgres, you can export via pg_dump and restore anywhere. Auth data follows documented schemas you can migrate. Storage uses S3-compatible APIs. This is the central advantage of Supabase's architecture — your data isn't locked in a proprietary format.
Is the free tier truly free, or will I hit limits immediately?
The free tier supports real projects. 500MB database space holds tens of thousands of typical rows. 50,000 monthly active users is more than most MVPs see in their first year. Projects pause after seven days of inactivity, but a simple scheduled ping keeps them alive. The limit most projects hit first is the lack of daily backups.
Should I learn SQL before using Supabase?
Basic SQL literacy helps significantly. You can start with the table editor GUI, but you'll quickly need CREATE TABLE, SELECT, JOIN, and WHERE clauses to build anything non-trivial. Row-level security policies require understanding how Postgres evaluates conditions. If you're allergic to SQL, consider a platform that abstracts it further.