Backend-as-a-Service
Appwrite vs Supabase
Side by side
- Pricing model
- AppwriteFlat rate
- SupabaseHybrid
- Starting price
- AppwriteNot recorded
- SupabaseFreemium
- Free tier
- AppwriteYes
- SupabaseYes
- Maturity
- AppwriteEstablished
- SupabaseEstablished
- Availability
- AppwriteGenerally available
- SupabaseGenerally available
- Last checked
- AppwriteOct 15, 2026
- SupabaseOct 16, 2026
| Fact | Appwrite | Supabase |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | Flat rate | Hybrid |
| Starting price | Not recorded | Freemium |
| Free tier | Yes | Yes |
| Maturity | Established | Established |
| Availability | Generally available | Generally available |
| Last checked | Oct 15, 2026 | Oct 16, 2026 |
When each one fits
Choose Appwrite when…
Developers needing a self-hosted backend
Appwrite provides control over data and infrastructure with its open-source nature.
Projects requiring a unified API for multiple services
Appwrite's REST API simplifies integration and management of backend services.
Look past Appwrite if…
Teams looking for a fully managed backend service
Appwrite requires self-hosting and infrastructure management.
Developers unfamiliar with Docker
Appwrite's setup relies heavily on Docker, which may be challenging for some.
Appwrite strengths
Comprehensive feature set
Open-source and self-hosted
Strong community support
Multi-platform support
Choose Supabase when…
Startup founders and indie developers who need a complete backend-as-a-service with auth, database, and storage in one place
Teams moving from Firebase who want a relational database with a generous free tier
Developers who want to self-host their database infrastructure while keeping a familiar UI
Look past Supabase if…
Teams needing a horizontally sharded database for massive write throughput
Enterprises requiring SOC 2 on the free plan without upgrading to a paid tier
Supabase strengths
Postgres database
Authentication
Auto-generated REST and GraphQL APIs
Realtime subscriptions
Edge functions
File storage
Row-level security
Self-hostable
Trade-offs
Known weaknesses from each tool’s record. Sourced ones link to where they came from.
Appwrite
High number of open issues
No source on file
Complex initial setup
No source on file
Limited ecosystem compared to larger competitors
No source on file
Supabase
Free tier projects are automatically paused after one week of inactivity, limiting continuous availability for hobby projects.
Custom SMTP integration for authentication emails fails with Microsoft Office 365 and Outlook, breaking standard email workflows.
The Supabase Node.js client causes ESM handling issues that break Vitest testing environments.
Extension version pinning is deprecated, forcing users to accept default versions and ignoring explicit version specifications.