How it works
Each Supabase project is a full PostgreSQL database with services around it: Auth for sign-in, Storage for files, Realtime for live updates, Edge Functions for server code, and an automatic REST API through PostgREST (plus GraphQL). Client libraries for JavaScript, Flutter, Swift, Kotlin and Python call these directly, and a dashboard, a CLI and a local stack handle migrations and development.
Because apps query tables with a public key, row level security policies are what keep data private: a table without them is open to anyone. Being plain Postgres brings SQL, extensions such as pgvector and pg_cron, and a realistic exit, since the database can be dumped and moved anywhere. The whole stack can be self-hosted, although most teams use the hosted service.
Supabase pros and cons
Pros
- A real relational database with SQL, joins and transactions
- Auth, storage, realtime and functions in one place
- Open source and standard Postgres, so leaving is realistic
- Free plan for small projects, then a flat monthly plan plus usage
- Extensions such as pgvector for AI search
Cons
- Security depends on writing correct row level security policies
- Free projects pause after a week without activity
- No offline sync built into the client libraries
- Self-hosting the full stack takes real effort
When to use Supabase
Pick it when
- Web and mobile apps with users, orders or other relational data
- Small teams that want a backend without running servers
- You want SQL and an exit path rather than a proprietary database
Skip it when
- Offline-first mobile apps that need built-in sync, where Firestore fits better
- You need full control over every server setting
Supabase pricing
Free tier
Free plan for small projects (two active projects, 500 MB database, pauses after a week idle); Pro from $25 a month (about ₹2,100) plus usage.
Supabase pricing page (opens in a new tab)Approximate, checked September 2026.What the other tools cost
Supabase vs the alternatives
- Supabase vs FirebaseThe two backend platforms most often weighed against each other. Both give you a database, sign-in, storage and functions; the difference starts with the database: PostgreSQL tables against Firestore documents.
- Supabase vs Appwrite vs PocketBaseThree open-source backends that bundle a database, sign-in, storage and live updates. They differ mainly in the database underneath and in how much there is to run yourself.
Related terms
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All-in-one platforms