Supabase vs Firebase: Which One Fits Your Stack?

If you're starting a new app and looking for a backend-as-a-service platform, you've probably come across both Supabase and Firebase. They're two of the most talked-about tools for rapidly building fullstack apps without managing servers. But while they sound similar on the surface, their philosophies and technologies are quite different.

This article compares Supabase and Firebase across key areas like database structure, authentication, real-time features, pricing, and developer experience, so you can decide which one fits your stack better.

Philosophy and Stack

Before diving into features, it's important to understand what each platform is built on and how they approach development.

Feature	Supabase	Firebase
Core Database	PostgreSQL (open-source)	Firestore (NoSQL) or Realtime Database
Tech Philosophy	Open-source, SQL-first	Google ecosystem, fully managed
Deployment Model	Cloud or self-hosted	Fully managed by Google
API Style	Auto-generated REST, GraphQL (beta)	SDK-based, custom REST endpoints

Database Structure and Querying

One of the most critical differences is how you interact with data. Supabase uses a relational PostgreSQL database, while Firebase uses NoSQL document stores.

Supabase (PostgreSQL)

With Supabase, your data is structured in tables with strict schemas, foreign keys, and relationships. You can write SQL queries directly, use joins, and enforce constraints. This is ideal if you’re already familiar with SQL or building apps where relational data models make sense.

Firebase (Firestore)

Firestore stores data in collections and documents. It’s schema-less, meaning each document can have a different structure. It works well for flexible or hierarchical data, but complex queries (like joins) are harder or require manual handling.

Authentication

Both platforms offer full authentication systems out of the box, including email/password, magic links, and OAuth providers.

• Supabase: Built-in email login, magic links, passwordless auth, and support for providers like Google, GitHub, and Discord. Uses JWT tokens and integrates easily with RLS (Row Level Security).
• Firebase: Firebase Auth supports similar providers, phone auth, anonymous auth, and advanced user management features. Tight integration with other Google services like Firebase Cloud Messaging or Analytics.

If you want more control over auth logic and database-level access policies, Supabase might feel more transparent. If you prefer a plug-and-play solution with mobile support baked in, Firebase might suit better.

Realtime Features

Realtime capabilities are a highlight of both platforms, but they work very differently under the hood.

• Supabase: Uses PostgreSQL's logical replication and websockets to enable real-time updates on any table. You subscribe to inserts, updates, and deletes.
• Firebase: Firestore and Realtime Database are built for real-time. Subscribing to document changes is a core feature, and it’s heavily used in chat apps and dashboards.

If you need real-time collaboration or instant data sync between devices, both platforms can handle it, but Firebase’s real-time experience is slightly more mature, especially for mobile-first apps.

Storage and File Handling

Most apps need to handle images, documents, or other file uploads. Both Supabase and Firebase provide storage options.

Feature	Supabase	Firebase
Storage Type	Bucket-based S3-compatible storage	Google Cloud Storage buckets
Access Control	RLS policies integrated with auth	Storage rules (custom DSL)
Signed URLs	Yes	Yes

Firebase has been around longer and integrates more tightly with Android and iOS, but Supabase’s approach gives you more control at the database level.

Pricing

Both platforms offer free tiers, but pricing structure and limits vary.

• Supabase: Offers generous free tier (up to 500MB database and 1GB storage). Beyond that, pricing is usage-based but generally affordable. No egress fees for database or storage.
• Firebase: Free Spark plan includes Firestore, Auth, and Realtime DB. But beware of egress and document read costs. Costs can escalate quickly for large-scale apps with frequent reads/writes.

Firebase's pricing can be unpredictable at scale, especially for chat apps or anything with lots of document reads. Supabase tends to be easier to estimate and optimize, especially if you self-host.

Self-Hosting

This is where the two platforms differ significantly. Supabase is fully open source and can be hosted on your own server using Docker. This is perfect if you need to comply with strict data regulations or want complete control.

Firebase is proprietary and only available via Google Cloud. There is no way to self-host Firestore or Firebase Auth. For some companies, that’s a deal-breaker.

Developer Experience

Both platforms prioritize developer experience, but they approach it differently.

• Supabase: Feels like a traditional backend (PostgreSQL + auth + file storage), but with all the tooling taken care of. SQL, migrations, row-level policies, and instant APIs are great for teams used to relational databases.
• Firebase: Offers deep SDKs for web and mobile. If you're building a cross-platform app and want everything to work seamlessly with minimal setup, Firebase is more polished out of the box — especially on Android.

Supabase feels like a backend you’d build yourself — just hosted and wired up for you. Firebase feels like a full backend platform that handles a lot of details automatically, but with some trade-offs in transparency.

Which One Should You Choose?

The right choice depends on what you're building, your team's skills, and how much control you want over the backend.

Choose Supabase if...	Choose Firebase if...
You prefer SQL and relational data	You want a schema-less NoSQL database
You need fine-grained access control with RLS	You want quick setup with minimal backend work
You want to self-host your backend	You plan to deeply integrate with Google Cloud
You care about open-source tooling	You’re building a mobile-first app with tight SDK integration

There’s no one-size-fits-all answer. Supabase is a great fit for developers who want full control and SQL-based logic. Firebase shines for teams building fast, especially for apps that need real-time sync and mobile support.