Firebase vs Supabase

Updated October 2026 · AppBreakup editorial

Firebase

Google's app development platform with NoSQL databases, auth, hosting, functions and mobile tooling.

Free plan + paid

Visit Firebase Firebase profile

Supabase

Hosted Postgres with auth, storage, realtime and edge functions bundled into one open-source backend.

Free plan + paidOpen sourceSelf-hostable

Visit Supabase Supabase profile

The short answer

Firebase suits mobile-first teams that want Google's mature SDKs, realtime NoSQL sync, offline support and services like push messaging and crash reporting. Supabase suits developers who want a real Postgres database with SQL, auth, storage and realtime, plus the option to self-host. The biggest difference is the data model and lock-in: Firestore is proprietary NoSQL on Google Cloud, while Supabase is open-source Postgres you can take with you.

Firebase or Supabase: our take

Firebase's centre is Cloud Firestore, a NoSQL document database that syncs to clients in real time and works offline on mobile. Around it sit Authentication, Cloud Storage, Cloud Functions, Hosting and mobile services such as Crashlytics, Cloud Messaging, Remote Config and A/B Testing. Its Android, iOS, Flutter and web SDKs are mature. The trade-off is the query model, which often forces you to duplicate data, though Firebase SQL Connect now adds a managed PostgreSQL option.

Supabase gives every project a dedicated Postgres database and adds auth, file storage, realtime subscriptions, auto-generated REST and GraphQL APIs, edge functions and vector search. Because it is plain Postgres, you get SQL, row-level security, extensions and any Postgres client, and you can leave with a standard database dump. The stack is open source under Apache-2.0 and can be self-hosted with Docker, though that takes real operations work. It is also the default backend for many AI app builders.

Pricing is usage-based on both, with different shapes. Firebase's no-cost Spark plan has fixed quotas, and the pay-as-you-go Blaze plan unlocks more products but can spike with heavy reads. Supabase's free plan is $0/month for 2 active projects, which pause after 1 week of inactivity, and Pro starts from $25/month per organisation with usage charges for compute, storage, egress and active users.

Choose Firebase for mobile apps that lean on offline sync, push notifications and crash reporting, or if you already live on Google Cloud. Choose Supabase if your data is relational, you want to write SQL, or you care about portability and the option to self-host.

Choose Firebase if…

Mobile and web teams who want realtime sync, auth and push messaging from one vendor
You need iOS and Android, which Supabase doesn't list
Mature SDKs for Android, iOS, Flutter and web
Realtime sync and offline support built into the client libraries

Choose Supabase if…

Developers who want Postgres plus auth, storage and realtime without running servers
You want open-source software
You need to host it on your own servers
You need Self-hosted, which Firebase doesn't list
Real Postgres underneath, so SQL, extensions and standard tooling all work

What is Firebase?

Firebase is Google's backend platform for web and mobile apps. Its best-known pieces are Cloud Firestore and the older Realtime Database, both NoSQL stores that sync data to clients in real time and work offline on mobile. Around them sit Authentication, Cloud Storage, Cloud Functions, Hosting and App Hosting, plus mobile-focused services such as Crashlytics, Cloud Messaging, Remote Config and A/B Testing. Firebase SQL Connect (formerly Data Connect) adds a managed PostgreSQL option for teams that want relational data. The SDKs for Android, iOS, Flutter and the web are mature, which is why it remains a default for mobile developers. The trade-offs are lock-in to Google Cloud and a query model that can force data duplication. Pricing has two plans: the no-cost Spark plan with fixed quotas, and the pay-as-you-go Blaze plan, which unlocks more products and bills by usage, so costs can rise sharply with traffic. Everything is configured in a web console and the Firebase CLI.

What is Supabase?

Supabase gives every project a dedicated Postgres database and wraps it with the pieces most apps need: user authentication, file storage, realtime subscriptions, auto-generated REST and GraphQL APIs, edge functions and vector search. Because the core is plain Postgres, you can use SQL, row-level security policies, extensions and any Postgres client, and you can leave with a standard database dump. It is the most common choice for people who want a Firebase-style developer experience without a proprietary NoSQL store, and many AI app builders use it as their default backend. The whole stack is open source and can be self-hosted with Docker, although the self-hosted version needs more care than the managed cloud. Pricing starts with a free tier for small projects, which pauses inactive projects, then a monthly Pro plan per organisation with usage-based charges for compute, storage, egress and monthly active users. Team and Enterprise plans add SSO, compliance and support. Everything is managed from a web dashboard and a CLI.

Side by side

Attribute	Firebase	Supabase
Pricing	Free plan + paid	Free plan + paid
Open source	No	Yes
Self-hostable	No	Yes
Platforms	Web, iOS, Android	Web, Self-hosted
Best for	Mobile and web teams who want realtime sync, auth and push messaging from one vendor	Developers who want Postgres plus auth, storage and realtime without running servers
Status	Active	Active

Verified facts, compared

Facts both apps publish, checked on each vendor's own site.

Fact	Firebase	Supabase
Free plan	Spark plan (no-cost)	$0/month, 2 active projects