Firebase vs Supabase — free-tier comparison
At a glance
Firebase: Most file storage
Firebase
BaaS
Spark plan with generous limits
Paid from Pay as you go
- 1GB Firestore storage
- 10GB hosting storage
- 125K Cloud Functions invocations
- Tight client SDKs for web, iOS and Android
- Realtime sync with Firestore and Realtime Database
- NoSQL data model can constrain complex queries
Best for
- Mobile and web apps that need realtime sync
- Rapid prototypes and MVPs
Supabase
BaaS
500MB database, 1GB storage, 2GB bandwidth
Paid from $25/month
- 500MB database space
- 1GB file storage
- 2GB bandwidth
- Real PostgreSQL with full SQL and extensions
- Auth, storage, realtime and auto-generated APIs out of the box
- Free projects can be paused after inactivity
Best for
- Web and mobile apps needing auth plus a relational database
- Realtime features such as chat, presence and live updates
The catch?
Firebase
- No catch
Supabase
- Pauses when idle
Detailed comparison
| Firebase | Supabase | |
|---|---|---|
| Free tier & pricing | ||
| Free tier ↑ better | Perpetual ★ | Perpetual (pauses) ★ |
| Paid from ↓ better | Pay-as-you-go | $25/mo |
| Regions ↑ better | Multi-region ★ | Multi-region ★ |
| BaaS | ||
| Database size ↑ better | 1 GB ★ | 500 MB |
| Monthly active users ↑ better | Unlimited ★ | 50,000 MAU |
| File storage ↑ better | 5 GB ★ | 1 GB |
FAQ
What is the difference between Realtime Database and Firestore?
Both are NoSQL. Firestore is the newer, more scalable document database with richer queries; Realtime Database is the original JSON tree, good for simple low-latency sync.
Is the free plan enough for production?
For small apps it can be. Heavier usage moves you to the pay-as-you-go Blaze plan, so monitor usage to keep costs predictable.
Is Supabase really open source?
Yes. The platform is open source and built on PostgreSQL, so you can self-host or move your data out at any time.
Will my free project be deleted?
Free projects may be paused after a period of inactivity and can be restored. Back up important data and check the current policy.