Table of Content
What are the best Supabase alternatives for production apps?
The best Supabase alternatives are Firebase, Appwrite, Nhost, Convex, PocketBase, AWS Amplify, and Neon paired with a separate auth service. Choose Firebase or Amplify if you want a managed cloud ecosystem, Appwrite or PocketBase if you want open-source control, Nhost if you want Postgres with GraphQL, Convex for a reactive TypeScript backend, and Neon if you only need a serverless Postgres database.
TL;DR
- Supabase lists a free plan at $0 (500 MB database, projects paused after one week of inactivity), Pro from $25 per month, and Team from $599 per month, plus separate compute add-ons from $10 per month.
- Only Nhost and Neon keep you on Postgres. Firebase, Convex, and Amplify use different data models, so moving to them means rewriting queries and data structures, not just changing a connection string.
- Appwrite and PocketBase are the two open-source options here that document self-hosting. Self-hosted Supabase is also possible, but Supabase’s own docs call it community-supported.
- Pricing in this article was read from each vendor’s page on October 8, 2026. Usage-based plans (Firebase, Amplify, Convex, Neon) need a traffic estimate before you can compare them honestly.
- If you are choosing a backend for a product you plan to run for years, CommercePundit can scope the architecture before you commit.
Why teams leave Supabase
Supabase bundles Postgres, authentication, storage, and realtime into one platform, which is why prototypes move fast on it. Teams searching for alternatives to Supabase are rarely rejecting that idea. They hit a specific limit. These are the four we see most:
- Free-tier pausing. Supabase’s pricing page says free projects are paused after one week of inactivity, which matters for demos and low-traffic internal tools.
- Cost shape. Supabase pricing starts at $25 per month for Pro, but compute add-ons start at $10 per month for Micro and climb to $110 for Large and $210 for XL per project. Egress beyond the included 250 GB is $0.09 per GB, and monthly active users beyond 100,000 cost $0.00325 each.
- Self-hosting burden. Supabase’s self-hosting guide recommends Docker Compose, but lists branching, managed backups, point-in-time recovery, and the Management API as unavailable when you self-host. It also says you own server hardening, Postgres maintenance, high availability, and disaster recovery, and that support is community-only.
- Architecture fit. Some products need offline sync, a GraphQL-first stack, or a single binary they can ship to a customer’s server.
Pricing for every tool below was read from the vendor’s own page on October 8, 2026. It changes often, so confirm before you commit.
The 7 alternatives at a glance
| Alternative | Database model | Open source / self-host | Entry paid price (Oct 8, 2026) | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Firebase | Firestore (NoSQL); Postgres via Data Connect | No (Google-managed) | Pay as you go on Blaze; Spark is no-cost within quotas | Mobile apps, Google Cloud shops |
| Appwrite | Document databases | Yes, self-host with Docker | Serverless databases: $0 fixed fee, $10 monthly compute credit | Teams that want open-source control |
| Nhost | Postgres with Hasura GraphQL | Self-hosted tab on pricing page | Pro from $25 per month | GraphQL-first apps on Postgres |
| Convex | Reactive document database | Not stated on pricing page | Professional $25 per developer per month | Realtime TypeScript apps |
| PocketBase | Embedded database in one file | Yes, open source, one binary | Free software (you pay for hosting) | Small apps, internal tools, prototypes |
| AWS Amplify | DynamoDB through AppSync | No (AWS-managed) | Pay as you go, no monthly minimum | Teams standardized on AWS |
| Neon | Serverless Postgres | Postgres-compatible | Launch plan is pay as you go from $0.106 per compute hour | Postgres-only needs, pair with an auth service |
1. Firebase
Firebase is the original Backend-as-a-Service and the most common move for teams that want a fully managed Google-backed stack. Its pricing page describes a no-cost Spark plan and a Blaze pay-as-you-go plan, with free quotas applied per project. Cloud Firestore’s free quota on the page is 1 GiB stored, 10 GiB of monthly egress, 50,000 reads per day, and 20,000 writes per day. Authentication lists 50,000 free monthly active users through Identity Platform.
In a Firebase vs Supabase comparison, the shift that matters is the data model: Firestore is NoSQL, so relational queries and joins become application logic. Firebase has added Data Connect for PostgreSQL, with a three-month no-cost trial and pricing that starts as low as $9.37 per month by region and configuration, which narrows the gap. Pick it when you build mobile-first apps and want Google’s tooling. Skip it when your data is deeply relational and you want to keep plain SQL.
2. Appwrite
Appwrite is the closest open-source rival to Supabase, and a common answer to the search for an open source Firebase alternative. Its documentation says it was designed from the ground up for self-hosting, needs only a machine that can run Docker, and exposes Auth, Databases, Storage, Functions, Messaging, and Sites. The docs say self-hosted instances can reach the same features found on Appwrite Cloud.
Appwrite uses document databases rather than Postgres, so existing SQL needs rework. Its pricing page lists serverless databases with a $0 fixed fee and $10 of compute credits included each month, and dedicated database compute from $10 per month. Pick it when you want a Supabase-like all-in-one backend you can run on your own servers. Skip it when your team depends on Postgres extensions.
3. Nhost
Nhost keeps you on Postgres and adds a Hasura GraphQL layer, which is why it shows up when teams want a GraphQL-first stack. Its pricing lists a Starter plan at $0 (1 project, 1 GB database, projects paused after one week of inactivity), Pro from $25 per month (10 GB database, 50 GB storage, 50 GB egress, automated backups, point-in-time recovery), and Team from $599 per month with SOC 2 Type II. Pro overage is $0.20 per GB of database, $0.05 per GB of storage, and $0.10 per GB of egress, and the page says it never stops a project for exceeding limits.
The pricing mirrors Supabase closely, so cost alone is rarely the reason to move. The reason is the API style. Pick it when your front end is built around GraphQL. Skip it when you rely on Supabase’s REST and client libraries and have no GraphQL experience.
4. Convex
Convex replaces the database-plus-API pattern with a reactive backend written in TypeScript, where queries update automatically when data changes. Its free plan costs $0 plus pay-as-you-go usage and includes 1 million function calls, 0.5 GB of database storage, and 1 GB of file storage. Professional is $25 per developer per month with 25 million function calls and 50 GB of database storage. Business starts at a $2,500 monthly minimum.
The pricing page does not mention self-hosting or open source, so verify that before you assume you can leave. Pick it when you are building collaborative or realtime features and your team writes TypeScript. Skip it when you need SQL access to your data or a self-host option.
5. PocketBase
PocketBase is an open-source backend that ships as a single file. Its site lists a realtime database with a schema builder and REST API, authentication with email, password, and OAuth2 providers, file storage with on-the-fly thumbnails, and an admin dashboard, extendable with Go and JavaScript hooks. The version shown on its site on October 8, 2026 was 0.40.4, so treat it as a project that is still changing before 1.0 and read the release notes before upgrades.
It costs nothing to run beyond hosting, which makes it attractive for internal tools and small products. The page does not describe how it scales, so a high-traffic app needs load testing first. Pick it when you want the smallest possible footprint. Skip it when you need managed backups, high availability, or team features out of the box.
6. AWS Amplify
Amplify is the choice for teams that already run on AWS. Its pricing page says the backend is pay as you go with no monthly minimums and provisions Amazon Cognito for authentication, AWS AppSync for real-time APIs, Amazon DynamoDB for data, AWS Lambda for functions, and Amazon S3 for storage. Hosting includes, for 12 months, 1,000 build minutes, 5 GB of CDN storage, 15 GB of egress, and 500,000 SSR requests per month. After the free tier, builds are $0.01 per minute on the standard instance and egress is $0.15 per GB. Team seats are free.
The page links to each underlying service for its own free tier and prices, so the real bill is the sum of several services. Pick it when your company already standardizes on AWS and wants IAM, compliance, and billing under one roof. Skip it when you want one flat, predictable plan.
7. Neon with a separate auth layer
Sometimes the real need is a database, not a platform. Neon is serverless Postgres: its free plan lists 100 compute-unit hours and 1 GB of storage per project with scale-to-zero after five minutes that cannot be turned off. The Launch plan is pay as you go at $0.106 per compute-unit hour and $0.35 per GB-month, with up to 16 CU autoscaling. The Scale plan is $0.222 per CU-hour. Neon supports extensions including pgvector, PostGIS, and TimescaleDB, and works with any language or ORM that supports Postgres.
Neon does not bundle authentication or file storage, so you add those separately. Pick it when you want to keep Postgres and swap the rest of the stack piece by piece. Skip it when you want one vendor and one login for everything.
How to choose
| If this describes you | Start with |
|---|---|
| You want to stay on Postgres and SQL | Neon, or Nhost for GraphQL |
| You want a managed, Google-backed stack for mobile | Firebase |
| You want open source you can run on your own servers | Appwrite or PocketBase |
| Your company already standardizes on AWS | AWS Amplify |
| You are building collaborative realtime features in TypeScript | Convex |
| You need predictable pricing and managed backups on day one | Stay on Supabase Pro or Nhost Pro |
Before you pick, write down your three heaviest queries, your peak concurrent users, and your monthly egress. Usage-based tools such as Firebase, Amplify, Convex, and Neon only compare fairly once you can plug those numbers into each vendor’s calculator.
Before you migrate
Moving off Supabase is a data and code project, not a configuration change. Plan for four tasks: export the Postgres schema and data, rebuild auth users and password-reset flows, rewrite any Row Level Security rules into the new tool’s permission model, and move storage buckets. Run both systems in parallel for a short period and cut over behind a feature flag.
If the migration touches a customer-facing product, scope it like any other build. Our guide to the best backend frameworks for enterprise development compares the code layer, and our MVP development guide explains how to pick a backend that survives your first year of growth. For architecture review or a rebuild, see our custom web development services and MVP development services. Teams already deep in AWS can also look at our AWS development services.
If you build with AI coding tools, note that generated apps often default to the backend the tool prefers. Our vibe coding guide covers when that is fine and when to take over the architecture.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there anything better than Supabase?
It depends on what you need. Neon is better if you only want serverless Postgres, Firebase is better for mobile-first apps inside Google Cloud, and Appwrite or PocketBase fit teams that want open-source control. Supabase remains a good fit if you want Postgres, auth, storage, and realtime in one product.
What is replacing Google Firebase?
Teams comparing Firebase alternatives that offer SQL, open source, or fewer vendor ties often look at Supabase, Appwrite, or Nhost. Firebase itself is still active: its pricing page lists current Spark and Blaze plans and a Postgres-based Data Connect option.
Why use Supabase instead of Firebase?
In a Supabase vs Firebase choice, Supabase is built on Postgres, so you get SQL, joins, and extensions, while Firebase’s main database, Firestore, is NoSQL. Supabase also documents a self-hosting path. Firebase wins on mobile tooling and the Google Cloud ecosystem.
What are the downsides of Supabase?
From Supabase’s own pages: free projects pause after one week of inactivity, compute add-ons and egress can raise the bill beyond the $25 Pro price, and self-hosting is community-supported and lacks managed backups, point-in-time recovery, and branching. Moving off it means rewriting auth and security rules.
Can I host Supabase on my own server?
Yes. Supabase documents self-hosting with Docker Compose. It is community-supported, runs as a single project, and leaves server hardening, Postgres maintenance, high availability, backups, and monitoring to you. Branching, managed backups, point-in-time recovery, and the Management API are not available when you self-host.
How much does Supabase cost per month?
Supabase lists Free at $0, Pro from $25 per month, and Team from $599 per month, as of October 8, 2026. Pro includes 8 GB of disk, 100,000 monthly active users, 100 GB of storage, and 250 GB of egress, with $10 in compute credits covering one Micro instance. Larger compute sizes cost more, from $15 to $3,730 per month per project.
Is Firebase free like Supabase?
Both have a free tier. Firebase’s Spark plan is no-cost within quotas and needs no payment method, with Firestore free quotas of 1 GiB stored and 50,000 reads per day. Supabase’s Free plan includes a 500 MB database and 50,000 monthly active users but pauses inactive projects after a week.
What is the best open-source Supabase alternative?
Appwrite is the closest feature match, with Auth, Databases, Storage, Functions, and Messaging that you can self-host with Docker. PocketBase is the lightest option, shipping as a single file. Both use non-Postgres databases, so existing SQL needs rework.
Do I need a separate auth service with Neon?
Yes. Neon is a serverless Postgres database and does not list built-in authentication or file storage. Pair it with an auth provider and an object store, or choose a platform such as Supabase or Nhost if you want them bundled.
Bottom Line
No Supabase alternative is strictly better. Stay on Postgres with Neon or Nhost, go managed with Firebase or Amplify, or take control with Appwrite or PocketBase. Match the tool to your data model first, price second, and test your heaviest queries before migrating. If the backend is the foundation of a product you will sell, bring in an architecture review early through our custom web development services.
