Backend-as-a-Service

Supabase

The open-source Firebase alternative with Postgres

Status
Generally available
Last checked
Checked · Oct 16, 2026
License
Open source
Pricing
Free tier
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What it is

Supabase is an open-source Firebase alternative built on Postgres. It bundles a relational database, authentication, auto-generated REST and GraphQL APIs, realtime subscriptions, edge functions, and file storage into a single platform. One of the most popular full-stack backends for modern web apps.

When it fits — and when it doesn’t

A good fit for

  • 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 elsewhere 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

Known weaknesses

Each one links to the public issue, changelog or docs page it came from, where we have one.

  1. 01

    Free tier projects are automatically paused after one week of inactivity, limiting continuous availability for hobby projects.

    The pricing page explicitly states that free projects are paused after a week of inactivity, which disrupts development or testing workflows that rely on persistent uptime.

    Source: supabase.com/pricing ↗
  2. 02

    Custom SMTP integration for authentication emails fails with Microsoft Office 365 and Outlook, breaking standard email workflows.

    A long-standing open issue with 13 reactions reports that custom SMTP does not work with MS Office 365 or Outlook, causing 504 Process Timeout Errors for built-in email functions like password resets.

    Source: GitHub issue #34425 ↗
  3. 03

    The Supabase Node.js client causes ESM handling issues that break Vitest testing environments.

    An open issue with 9 reactions indicates that using Supabase breaks Vitest due to improper ESM handling by @supabase/node-fetch, hindering standard TypeScript testing workflows.

    Source: GitHub issue #30407 ↗
  4. 04

    Extension version pinning is deprecated, forcing users to accept default versions and ignoring explicit version specifications.

    The release notes state that explicit version pinning in CREATE or ALTER EXTENSION statements is ignored, reducing control over database extension versions.

    Source: release notes v1.26.08 ↗

What it does well

  • Postgres database

  • Authentication

  • Auto-generated REST and GraphQL APIs

  • Realtime subscriptions

  • Edge functions

  • File storage

  • Row-level security

  • Self-hostable

Pricing

Free tier
Yes
Paid from
—
Model
Hybrid
Enterprise plan
Yes

Pricing not independently confirmed — check the vendor’s page.

Performance benchmarks

How Fast Is It?

Set up Supabase

Setup steps, common gotchas and what to check after 30 days.

Open the setup guide →
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