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Supabase vs Firebase ComparisonPostgres-powered open source vs Google's real-time NoSQL — the BaaS fork in the road
Firebase dominated the BaaS space through the 2010s. Supabase launched in 2020 as the open-source Postgres alternative and has grown rapidly. Both handle the boilerplate of auth, database, storage, and real-time — but they diverge sharply on database model, vendor lock-in, pricing, and how you query data. If you already know SQL, Supabase will feel immediately productive. If your team prefers document stores or you need deep Google ecosystem integration, Firebase is still a strong choice.
Head-to-head summary
Detailed comparison
Our verdict
For most new projects, Supabase is the better default. Postgres is more expressive than Firestore for relational data, pricing is more predictable, and you can self-host if needed. Firebase is worth choosing if you need deep Android/Google ecosystem integration, very simple document data, or your team has existing Firebase expertise.
When to choose each
Choose Supabase when:
- Your data is relational — users, orders, products, relationships between entities
- You want to avoid vendor lock-in and keep the option to self-host
- Your team knows SQL and wants to write queries, not manage document denormalization
- Predictable pricing matters — you're building a high-read application
Choose Firebase when:
- You're building for Android and want deep Google ecosystem integration
- Your data model is simple and document-shaped (e.g. chat messages, activity feeds)
- You need the most battle-tested real-time subscriptions available
- Your team has existing Firebase expertise and wants to move fast
Frequently asked questions
Related services
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