Supabase vs Firebase — Full Comparison

Supabase and Firebase are both Backend-as-a-Service platforms that let developers build applications without managing infrastructure. Supabase is built on PostgreSQL and is open-source, while Firebase uses proprietary NoSQL databases and is backed by Google Cloud.

Overview

Supabase provides a PostgreSQL database with auto-generated REST and GraphQL APIs, built-in authentication, real-time subscriptions, edge functions, and file storage. Its open-source nature means you can self-host the entire stack. Firebase offers Firestore (a NoSQL document database), Realtime Database, Authentication, Cloud Functions, Hosting, Cloud Messaging, and Analytics. It is deeply integrated with the Google Cloud ecosystem.

Key Differences

Database model: Supabase uses PostgreSQL — a relational database with full SQL support, joins, transactions, and extensions like PostGIS. Firebase uses Firestore, a NoSQL document-oriented database optimized for real-time sync but limited in relational queries. Vendor lock-in: Supabase is open-source and can be self-hosted. Your data lives in standard PostgreSQL, making migration straightforward. Firebase is proprietary, and migrating off Firestore requires significant data restructuring. Real-time: Both support real-time data. Firebase's real-time capabilities are more mature and deeply integrated into its SDKs. Supabase offers real-time via PostgreSQL change data capture, which is powerful but requires more setup. Mobile SDKs: Firebase has best-in-class mobile SDKs for iOS, Android, and Flutter with offline persistence and automatic sync. Supabase's mobile support is improving but less mature.

Pricing

Supabase's free tier includes 500 MB database storage, 1 GB file storage, and 50,000 monthly active users. Pro starts at $25/month. Firebase's free Spark plan includes 1 GB Firestore storage. Blaze plan is pay-as-you-go with generous free quotas.

Verdict

Choose Supabase if you prefer SQL, want an open-source stack you can self-host, and value avoiding vendor lock-in. Choose Firebase if you need best-in-class mobile SDKs, real-time sync, and tight Google Cloud integration. Both are excellent for rapid prototyping.