Supabase vs Firebase Database 2025: Complete Comparison for Developers
An honest, in-depth comparison of Supabase and Firebase databases based on real-world usage. Pricing, performance, developer experience, and which one to choose for your next project.
The Supabase vs Firebase debate is one of the hottest topics in web development. Both offer backend-as-a-service (BaaS) platforms that handle authentication, databases, storage, and real-time features. But they take fundamentally different approaches—and choosing the wrong one can cost you months of refactoring. Here's everything you need to know to make the right choice.
The Fundamental Difference
Supabase
PostgreSQL-based (SQL relational database)
- • Structured data with relationships
- • ACID transactions guaranteed
- • Complex queries with JOINs
- • Mature, battle-tested technology
- • Self-hostable open source
Firebase
NoSQL document database (Firestore)
- • Flexible document structure
- • Horizontal scalability built-in
- • Simple nested queries
- • Google Cloud infrastructure
- • Proprietary (no self-hosting)
This SQL vs NoSQL distinction affects everything else: how you model data, write queries, handle relationships, and even your pricing. Let's dive into what this means in practice.
Head-to-Head Comparison
Pricing
Supabase Free Tier
- ✓ 500 MB database
- ✓ 1 GB file storage
- ✓ 2 GB bandwidth
- ✓ 50,000 monthly active users
- ✓ Unlimited API requests
- ✓ Projects pause after 1 week inactivity
Pro: $25/month
Firebase Free Tier (Spark)
- ✓ 1 GB stored data
- ✓ 5 GB file storage
- ✓ 10 GB bandwidth
- ✓ 50K reads/day, 20K writes/day
- ✓ Unlimited projects
- ✓ No pausing
Pay-as-you-go (Blaze): Variable
Winner: Depends on usage
Supabase has unlimited requests but project pausing. Firebase has better storage but daily limits. For production apps, Supabase's predictable $25/mo vs Firebase's variable pricing can be significant at scale.
Developer Experience
Database Queries
Supabase (SQL-like JavaScript)
const { data } = await supabase
.from('posts')
.select(`
*,
author:users(name, avatar),
comments(count)
`)
.eq('published', true)
.order('created_at', { desc: true })
.limit(10)Firebase (NoSQL)
const posts = await getDocs(
query(
collection(db, 'posts'),
where('published', '==', true),
orderBy('createdAt', 'desc'),
limit(10)
)
)
// Must fetch author separately
// Comments count needs subcollection queryWinner: Supabase
Supabase's SQL-based queries are more powerful and intuitive for relational data. JOINs and aggregations are straightforward. Firebase requires multiple queries and client-side joins for related data.
Real-time Capabilities
Supabase Realtime
- ✓ Database changes broadcast via WebSocket
- ✓ Row-level subscriptions
- ✓ Presence tracking
- ✓ Broadcast for custom events
- ✗ Newer, less battle-tested
Firebase Realtime
- ✓ Real-time by default
- ✓ Offline persistence built-in
- ✓ Optimistic updates automatic
- ✓ 10+ years of maturity
- ✗ Can be expensive at scale
Winner: Firebase (for now)
Firebase's real-time features are more mature and handle offline scenarios better. Supabase Realtime is catching up quickly but Firebase has a decade of refinement.
Authentication & Security
Supabase Auth
- ✓ Email/password, magic links
- ✓ OAuth providers (Google, GitHub, etc.)
- ✓ Row Level Security (RLS) in database
- ✓ JWT tokens, refresh tokens
- ✓ Phone auth available
Firebase Auth
- ✓ Email/password, phone auth
- ✓ OAuth providers (many options)
- ✓ Security rules for Firestore
- ✓ Anonymous auth
- ✓ Multi-factor authentication
Winner: Tie
Both offer excellent authentication. Supabase's PostgreSQL RLS is more powerful for complex permissions. Firebase's security rules are simpler but less flexible.
Performance & Scalability
Read Performance
Firebase excels at simple reads (document fetches). Supabase with proper indexes is faster for complex queries with JOINs.
Write Performance
Firebase's NoSQL structure allows very fast writes. Supabase's PostgreSQL handles transactions better but can be slower for simple inserts.
Scaling
Firebase automatically scales horizontally (Google infrastructure). Supabase requires vertical scaling (larger instance) or read replicas.
Winner: Context-dependent
Firebase for massive write throughput and simple queries. Supabase for complex relational queries and transactional integrity.
Ecosystem & Tooling
Supabase
- ✓ Direct PostgreSQL access
- ✓ Use any PostgreSQL tool
- ✓ Database migrations with SQL
- ✓ Edge Functions (Deno)
- ✓ Growing community
- ✗ Fewer integrations than Firebase
Firebase
- ✓ Massive Google ecosystem
- ✓ Cloud Functions (Node.js)
- ✓ Firebase Extensions marketplace
- ✓ Extensive documentation
- ✓ Huge community
- ✗ Proprietary, vendor lock-in
Winner: Firebase
Firebase's maturity shows. More extensions, integrations, and resources. But Supabase's PostgreSQL compatibility opens up decades of SQL tools.
Real-World Use Cases: Who Should Choose What?
Choose Supabase If You:
- • Need complex relational data (e-commerce, SaaS, CRM)
- • Want SQL query power and JOINs
- • Require ACID transactions (financial data, inventory)
- • Prefer predictable pricing ($25/mo vs variable)
- • Value open source and self-hosting options
- • Already know SQL or use PostgreSQL tools
- • Need advanced database features (triggers, functions, views)
Best for: SaaS apps, marketplaces, content management, admin dashboards
Choose Firebase If You:
- • Building mobile apps (Flutter, React Native)
- • Need offline-first capabilities
- • Have simple, document-based data
- • Want real-time updates out of the box
- • Need automatic horizontal scaling
- • Value Google Cloud ecosystem integration
- • Require mature, battle-tested infrastructure
Best for: Chat apps, social feeds, mobile games, real-time collaboration
Migration Considerations
From Firebase to Supabase
Difficulty: Moderate to Hard
- • Requires restructuring NoSQL documents to SQL tables
- • Security rules → Row Level Security policies
- • Firestore queries → SQL/Supabase client
- • Cloud Functions → Edge Functions (different runtime)
Time estimate: 2-4 weeks for medium app, 1-3 months for complex app
From Supabase to Firebase
Difficulty: Hard
- • Must denormalize relational data into documents
- • Lose JOIN capabilities (client-side joins instead)
- • RLS policies → Firestore security rules
- • PostgreSQL features may have no Firebase equivalent
Time estimate: 3-6 weeks for medium app, can be months for complex schemas
The verdict: Both migrations are non-trivial. Choose carefully upfront, as switching later is expensive.
Common Myths Debunked
❌ "Firebase is always more expensive"
Not true. For low-traffic apps, Firebase's free tier is generous. For high-traffic read-heavy apps, Firebase can be cheaper than Supabase's compute costs. It depends on your usage pattern.
❌ "Supabase is just PostgreSQL with a UI"
Supabase adds authentication, real-time subscriptions, storage, edge functions, and auto-generated APIs on top of PostgreSQL. It's a complete BaaS platform.
❌ "NoSQL is always faster than SQL"
For simple key-value lookups, yes. For complex queries with relationships, properly indexed SQL is often faster and requires fewer round trips.
❌ "Firebase doesn't work for complex apps"
Large companies use Firebase successfully. You just need to understand NoSQL data modeling and be okay with denormalization and client-side joins.
The Verdict: Decision Matrix
| Factor | Supabase | Firebase |
|---|---|---|
| Relational Data | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐ |
| Real-time Features | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Mobile Development | ⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Complex Queries | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐ |
| Learning Curve | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐ |
| Pricing Transparency | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐ |
| Ecosystem Maturity | ⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Open Source | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐ |
| Offline Support | ⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Transactions | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐ |
Real Developer Experiences
"Migrated from Firebase to Supabase after our bill hit $800/month. Now paying $25/mo on Supabase Pro with better performance. The SQL queries are so much easier to reason about."
— SaaS founder, 10K users
"Started with Supabase, switched to Firebase after struggling with real-time features on mobile. Firebase's offline persistence saved us months of work."
— Mobile app developer, React Native
"Supabase's Row Level Security is game-changing for multi-tenant SaaS. We tried implementing similar logic in Firebase and it was a nightmare."
— CTO, B2B platform
"Firebase's automatic scaling handled our viral launch (50K users in 3 days) without any configuration. Supabase would have required upgrading instances."
— Indie maker, social app
My Recommendation
After building projects on both platforms, here's my honest take:
The Short Answer
- →Choose Supabase if you're building a traditional web app with relational data, need powerful queries, or value open source and pricing transparency.
- →Choose Firebase if you're building a mobile-first app, need best-in-class real-time/offline features, or want Google's infrastructure and ecosystem.
- →Can't decide? Build a prototype on both (takes 1-2 days). The right choice will become obvious once you write actual queries and data models.
Neither is objectively better—they solve different problems. Firebase excels at mobile-first, real-time apps. Supabase excels at relational data and complex queries. The "wrong" choice is whichever doesn't match your data model and access patterns.
Chosen Supabase? Design Your Schema Fast
If you're going with Supabase's PostgreSQL power, get your schema right from the start. Generate production-ready schemas with AI, complete with relationships, indexes, and Row Level Security.
Generate Supabase SchemaFrequently Asked Questions
Can I use both Firebase and Supabase together?
Technically yes, but it's complex and expensive. Some teams use Firebase for auth/real-time and Supabase for relational data, but managing two backends is overhead. Usually better to pick one.
Which is better for a solo developer/indie hacker?
Supabase's $25/mo predictable pricing is often better for indie makers. Firebase's pay-per-use can lead to surprise bills. But Firebase's free tier is more generous for small projects.
Is Supabase production-ready?
Yes. Thousands of production apps run on Supabase. It's built on PostgreSQL (extremely mature) with 3+ years of refinement. Still younger than Firebase, but proven at scale.
Can Firebase handle e-commerce with inventory management?
Yes, but it's harder. You'll need to handle inventory decrements with transactions and carefully model product-order relationships. Supabase's SQL makes this more straightforward.
What about vendor lock-in?
Supabase is open source and uses standard PostgreSQL—you can export and self-host anytime. Firebase is proprietary Google tech. Migrating away from Firebase is significantly harder.
Conclusion
The Supabase vs Firebase decision isn't about which is "better"—it's about which matches your project's needs:
- Relational data + web-first? → Supabase
- Mobile-first + real-time? → Firebase
- Complex queries? → Supabase
- Offline-first apps? → Firebase
- Predictable costs? → Supabase
- Google ecosystem? → Firebase
Both are excellent platforms that will serve you well if used for their intended purposes. The key is understanding your data model and access patterns before committing.
In 2025, the good news is you can't really go wrong with either—both are mature, well-supported, and used in production by thousands of successful apps. Choose based on your specific requirements, not hype.