"Supabase vs Firebase: Which Platform Is Best for Your Development Needs?"
Tags: sql, webdev, firebase, database
Published: 2023-04-16 09:23:01

Supabase and Firebase are two of the most popular backend-as-a-service (BaaS) providers used by developers to build web and mobile applications. They both offer a wide range of features like database management, authentication, and real-time data syncing to simplify the development process. In this blog post, we’ll compare Supabase vs Firebase based on their pricing and features to help you decide which one is the best fit for your project.


![Firebase Interface](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/vp0j0107b6w9vrtm285k.png)

Pricing

Pricing is an important factor to consider when deciding between these two BaaS providers. Supabase's pricing model is based on the number of users and API requests, whereas Firebase's pricing is based on usage, storage, and bandwidth.


![Supabase Interface](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/1tuei2r92x7f4vkkd8be.png)

Supabase offers a free plan for up to 10,000 API requests per month, and their paid plans start at $25/month for 100,000 API requests. Additionally, they offer a flexible pricing model that allows you to adjust the number of users and API requests as needed, making it a good option for startups or smaller projects.

Firebase, on the other hand, offers a free plan that includes 1 GB of storage and 20,000 read operations per day. For larger projects, their paid plans start at $25/month, which includes 10 GB of storage and unlimited read operations. However, with Firebase, you may also incur additional charges for features like Cloud Functions or Authentication, which can add up quickly.

Features

Both Supabase and Firebase offer a variety of features that make them appealing to developers. Here’s a breakdown of some of the most important features and how they compare:

Database management: Both platforms support PostgreSQL and MySQL, but Supabase offers more flexibility for working with multiple databases, while Firebase only supports one.

Authentication: Firebase offers a range of authentication options like email/password, social media, and phone authentication. Supabase currently only supports email/password authentication, although they plan to add more options in the future.

Real-time data syncing: Both platforms offer real-time data syncing, but Supabase uses PostgreSQL's native pub/sub feature, while Firebase uses Google's proprietary Firebase Realtime Database.

Cloud Functions: Firebase offers a built-in feature for serverless computing with Cloud Functions, whereas Supabase does not currently have this feature.

When to use each platform

So, when should you use Supabase vs Firebase? Here's a general breakdown of when each platform may be the best fit:

Supabase is a good fit if you:

- Need more flexibility with database management
- Want a more predictable pricing model
- Don't need advanced features like Cloud Functions

Firebase is a good fit if you:

- Need advanced authentication options
- Want a built-in serverless computing platform
- Prioritize real-time data syncing

Ultimately, the choice between Supabase and Firebase depends on your project’s specific needs and requirements. It’s important to evaluate your project carefully to determine which platform offers the best combination of features and pricing for your specific use case.