---
title: "Best Supabase Alternatives in 2026: 8 Backends Compared | Superapp"
description: "8 Supabase alternatives compared on free limits, pricing and self-hosting: Firebase, Appwrite, Neon, Convex, PocketBase, Nhost, Xano and app builders."
image: https://superapp.dev/superapp-logo.png
canonical_url: https://superapp.dev/blog/best-supabase-alternatives
md_url: https://superapp.dev/blog/best-supabase-alternatives.md
---
## Best Supabase Alternatives: The Short Answer

Firebase is the best Supabase alternative for mobile apps that want Google-managed services, Appwrite is best if you want a Firebase-style platform you can self-host, Neon is best if you only need serverless Postgres, Convex suits TypeScript apps that need realtime, PocketBase suits small self-hosted apps, Nhost suits GraphQL, and Xano suits no-code front ends. If you have not built the app yet, Superapp builds the app with a managed backend included.

> Quick answer: Firebase is the most common swap, and Appwrite is the closest open-source match. If you were choosing a backend for an app you have not built, Superapp builds native Swift apps and React web apps with managed cloud services included, so there is no backend to wire. As a disclosure, Superapp is our product, so weigh this accordingly. Its limits: it is not a standalone backend for an existing codebase, it has no Android yet, and credits run out.

Prices were checked on the vendors' own pages in November 2026 unless a row says otherwise.

## What Does Supabase Cost?

Supabase's plans, per [Supabase pricing](https://supabase.com/pricing) on November 10, 2026:

| Plan | Price | Database | Monthly active users | Pausing |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Free | $0 | 500 MB per project | 50,000 | Paused after 1 week idle; 2 active projects |
| Pro | From $25 a month | 8 GB disk, then $0.125 per GB | 100,000, then $0.00325 each | Never |
| Team | From $599 a month | Same as Pro | Same as Pro | Never |
| Enterprise | Custom | Custom | Custom | Never |

Extra projects on Pro and Team start at $10 a month each.

## Why Do People Look for a Supabase Alternative?

- Free-tier pausing. Free projects pause after a week of inactivity, which is awkward for demos and side projects.
- The jump to Team. Pro is $25, but Team, which adds organization features, starts at $599.
- Data model. Some teams prefer a document database, a reactive TypeScript model or GraphQL over raw Postgres.
- Hosting control. Supabase can be self-hosted, but some teams want something lighter, like a single binary.
- Not wanting a backend at all. Many founders only need one because they are building an app.

## The 8 Best Supabase Alternatives at a Glance

| Backend | Best for | Entry paid price | Open source or self-host | Database |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Firebase | Mobile apps on Google services | Blaze, pay as you go | No | Firestore (document) |
| Appwrite | A self-hostable Firebase-style platform | Pro, usage based | Yes, BSD 3-Clause | Appwrite databases |
| Neon | Postgres with branching | Usage based | Managed service | Postgres |
| Convex | Reactive TypeScript backends | $25 per developer a month | No | Convex document store |
| PocketBase | Small self-hosted apps | Free, plus hosting | Yes, MIT | SQLite |
| Nhost | GraphQL on Postgres | $25 a month (Pro) | Self-hosted option | Postgres |
| Xano | No-code APIs for visual front ends | $85 a month annual | No | Xano database |
| Superapp | An app with a managed backend included | $25 a month (Pro) | No | Managed cloud services |

## How Did We Compare the Supabase Alternatives?

We compared every Supabase alternative on six questions, using each vendor's own pricing and docs checked on November 10, 2026:

1. What database does it use: Postgres, a document store or something else?
2. What does the free plan include, and what are its catches?
3. How is paid usage billed: a flat plan, per developer or pay as you go?
4. Can you self-host or leave easily?
5. Which app services come with it: auth, storage, functions, realtime?
6. What do its own pages warn about?

Rankings are our editorial judgment for the team each backend suits best. We include one app builder for founders who only need a backend because they are building an app.

## The 8 Best Supabase Alternatives, Reviewed

### 1. Firebase: Best for Mobile Apps on Google Services

Firebase is Google's backend platform: Firestore, Authentication, Hosting, Cloud Functions and more. The free Spark plan includes 1 GiB of Firestore storage with 50,000 reads and 20,000 writes a day and 50,000 auth MAUs, but Cloud Functions are not available on Spark; Blaze is pay as you go with the same free quotas, per [Firebase pricing](https://firebase.google.com/pricing).

In its own words: "Designed for the complete app development lifecycle, backed by Google, and trusted by millions of businesses around the world" ([source](https://firebase.google.com/))

Compared with Supabase: a document database with Google-managed mobile services, billed pay as you go on Blaze.

- Price: Free Spark plan; Blaze pay as you go
- Best for: Mobile apps that want Google-managed services
- Pitfall: Usage-based bills are hard to predict
- Not for: Teams that want SQL or self-hosting

### 2. Appwrite: Closest Open Source Match

Appwrite is an open-source backend with auth, databases, storage, functions and messaging, licensed under BSD 3-Clause with about 57,000 GitHub stars, and it self-hosts with Docker, per its [repository](https://github.com/appwrite/appwrite). On Appwrite Cloud, free projects freeze into read-only mode at their limits, while Pro keeps running and bills overage with a budget cap, per [Appwrite pricing](https://appwrite.io/pricing).

In its own words: "Appwrite is an open-source developer platform with Auth, Databases, Storage, Functions, Messaging, and Sites." ([source](https://appwrite.io/))

Compared with Supabase: a Firebase-style platform you can self-host, licensed BSD 3-Clause.

- Price: Free cloud plan; self-hosting free
- Best for: Teams that want Firebase-style services they can self-host
- Pitfall: Cloud plan prices not shown on its page when we checked
- Not for: Teams that need raw Postgres

### 3. Neon: Best for Serverless Postgres Only

Neon is serverless Postgres with branching. Its Free plan is "permanent (not a trial)", with 100 projects, 100 compute-hours per project, 1 GB of storage per project, auth up to 60,000 MAUs, 5 GB of object storage and functions; Launch and Scale bill by usage, at $0.106 and $0.222 per compute-hour, per [Neon pricing](https://neon.com/pricing).

In its own words: "Serverless, branchable, scale-to-zero, and works with any language, framework, or ORM that speaks Postgres." ([source](https://neon.com/))

Compared with Supabase: serverless Postgres with branching and a permanent free plan.

- Price: Free; usage-based paid plans
- Best for: Postgres with branching for each environment
- Pitfall: You assemble the rest of the backend
- Not for: People who want an all-in-one platform

### 4. Convex: Best for Realtime TypeScript Apps

Convex is a reactive backend where queries and functions are written in TypeScript and the client updates live. Free and Starter is $0 with pay as you go, including 1 million function calls and 0.5 GB of database storage; Professional is $25 per developer a month, per [Convex pricing](https://www.convex.dev/pricing).

In its own words: "Database, functions, workflow, sync, search, file storage, and more." ([source](https://www.convex.dev/)) "All TypeScript, zero glue." ([source](https://www.convex.dev/))

Compared with Supabase: a reactive TypeScript backend instead of SQL.

- Price: Free; Professional $25 per developer a month
- Best for: TypeScript apps that need realtime by default
- Pitfall: A different model from SQL
- Not for: Teams that want plain Postgres

### 5. PocketBase: Best Single File Self Hosted Backend

PocketBase is an "Open Source realtime backend in 1 file", MIT licensed with about 61,600 GitHub stars. You run a single binary with a database, auth and file storage. Its [README](https://github.com/pocketbase/pocketbase) warns it "is still under active development and therefore full backward compatibility is not guaranteed" before version 1.0.

In its own words: "Open Source backend in 1 file" ([source](https://pocketbase.io/)) "Safely store files locally or in a S3 storage." ([source](https://pocketbase.io/))

Compared with Supabase: a single-binary backend for small apps.

- Price: Free; you pay for hosting
- Best for: Small apps and prototypes you host yourself
- Pitfall: Pre-1.0, so upgrades can break things
- Not for: Large production systems

### 6. Nhost: Best for GraphQL

Nhost is a Postgres and GraphQL backend with auth and storage. Starter is free with 1 project that pauses after a week of inactivity and a 1 GB database; Pro starts at $25 a month with a 10 GB database and unlimited projects, per [Nhost pricing](https://nhost.io/pricing).

In its own words: "Nhost is a managed backend platform with Postgres, GraphQL, Auth, Storage, and serverless Functions." ([source](https://nhost.io/)) "Run the entire Nhost stack locally with a single command." ([source](https://nhost.io/))

Compared with Supabase: Postgres with GraphQL, priced like Supabase Pro.

- Price: Free; Pro from $25 a month
- Best for: GraphQL-first apps
- Pitfall: Free project pauses when idle
- Not for: Teams that do not want GraphQL

### 7. Xano: Best No Code Backend

Xano is a no-code backend for building APIs and databases visually, popular with front-end builders like WeWeb and FlutterFlow. Free includes 100,000 records and a 10-requests-per-20-seconds limit; Essential is $85 a month billed annually and Pro $224, per [Xano pricing](https://www.xano.com/pricing/).

In its own words: "Connect any front end (React, Next.js, mobile, or a site an agent built) or host static files on Xano." ([source](https://www.xano.com/))

Compared with Supabase: a no-code API builder for visual front ends.

- Price: Free; Essential $85 a month billed annually
- Best for: No-code builders who need a real API
- Pitfall: Expensive compared with code-first backends
- Not for: Developers comfortable writing a backend

### 8. Superapp: Best if You Have Not Built the App Yet

Superapp is not a standalone backend. It builds the whole app, and the [web app builder page](https://superapp.dev/web-app-builder) says Superapp "offers managed cloud services" with "backend and authentication workflows" for the apps it creates, so you do not choose, configure or wire a database yourself. It writes native Swift apps for iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch and Mac, or React web apps, and can put an iOS app and a web app on one shared backend.

On the Max plan, Selfdrive then markets the finished product, web app or iOS app, through SEO, content, creator campaigns and, for App Store apps, Apple Ads and App Store optimization.

That makes it an alternative only if you were picking a backend for an app you have not built yet. If you have an existing codebase, choose one of the backends on this list. Superapp has no Android output yet, and building and revising spend credits; Pro is $25 a month.

In its own words: "AI that builds your iOS or web app and runs your marketing while you sleep." ([source](https://superapp.dev/)) "Superapp generates real, production-ready Swift as a standard Xcode project you own and can export anytime, with no lock-in." ([source](https://superapp.dev/features))

Compared with Supabase: you never pick a backend: it builds the iOS or web app with managed cloud services, and Selfdrive markets it.

- Price: Free credits to start in most countries; Pro $25 a month (50 credits, App Store publishing); Max $100 a month adds the marketing agent
- Best for: Founders who want the app built, backend included
- Pitfall: Not a backend for an existing codebase
- Not for: Developers with their own app code

## What Does Each Supabase Alternative Say About Itself?

Marketing copy is not proof, but a vendor's own one-line pitch shows what it is built to do. Each line below is copied verbatim from the vendor's site on November 10, 2026.

| Tool (Superapp listed first where ranked first) | In its own words | Source |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Firebase | "Designed for the complete app development lifecycle, backed by Google, and trusted by millions of businesses around the world" | [Firebase](https://firebase.google.com/) |
| Appwrite | "Appwrite is an open-source developer platform with Auth, Databases, Storage, Functions, Messaging, and Sites." | [Appwrite](https://appwrite.io/) |
| Neon | "Serverless, branchable, scale-to-zero, and works with any language, framework, or ORM that speaks Postgres." | [Neon](https://neon.com/) |
| Convex | "Database, functions, workflow, sync, search, file storage, and more." | [Convex](https://www.convex.dev/) |
| PocketBase | "Open Source backend in 1 file" | [PocketBase](https://pocketbase.io/) |
| Nhost | "Nhost is a managed backend platform with Postgres, GraphQL, Auth, Storage, and serverless Functions." | [Nhost](https://nhost.io/) |
| Xano | "Connect any front end (React, Next.js, mobile, or a site an agent built) or host static files on Xano." | [Xano](https://www.xano.com/) |
| Superapp | "AI that builds your iOS or web app and runs your marketing while you sleep." | [Superapp](https://superapp.dev/) |

## Scorecard: How the Supabase Alternatives Compare

Our editorial ratings (High, Medium or Low) for the reader each tool suits, based on the facts in this article. They are judgments, not measured scores.

| Tool | Ease of setup | Free tier | Cost predictability | Portability |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Firebase | High | High | Low | Low |
| Appwrite | Medium | Medium | Medium | High |
| Neon | Medium | High | Medium | High |
| Convex | Medium | High | Medium | Low |
| PocketBase | Medium | High | High | High |
| Nhost | Medium | Medium | High | Medium |
| Xano | High | Low | Medium | Low |
| Superapp | High | Medium | High | Low |

## How Do the Free Tiers Compare?

| Backend | Free plan headline | Catch |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Supabase (baseline) | 500 MB database, 50,000 MAUs | Pauses after a week idle |
| Firebase Spark | 1 GiB Firestore, 50,000 auth MAUs | No Cloud Functions |
| Appwrite Cloud Free | Free project | Freezes to read-only at limits |
| Neon Free | 100 projects, 1 GB each | Compute-hour cap per project |
| Convex Free | 1M function calls, 0.5 GB database | Usage billed beyond that |
| PocketBase | Free software | You host it |
| Nhost Starter | 1 GB database | Pauses after a week idle |
| Xano Free | 100,000 records | 10 requests per 20 seconds |

## Which Supabase Alternative Fits You?

| If you need | Pick |
| --- | --- |
| Google-managed services for a mobile app | Firebase |
| An open-source platform to self-host | Appwrite |
| Just Postgres, with branches | Neon |
| Live-updating TypeScript data | Convex |
| One binary for a small app | PocketBase |
| GraphQL on Postgres | Nhost |
| A backend for a no-code front end | Xano |
| The whole app, backend included | Superapp |

## What Does Supabase Still Do Best?

Supabase gives you real Postgres with auth, storage, functions and realtime in one dashboard, a generous free tier for building, and an open-source stack you can take elsewhere. For SQL-minded teams it remains the best default, and many of the alternatives above are best used beside it, not instead of it.

## What Does Each Backend Cost at Small Scale?

Our own reading of each entry paid plan, before usage overages.

| Backend | Entry paid plan | What is included |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Supabase (baseline) | Pro from $25 a month | 8 GB disk, 100,000 MAUs |
| Firebase | Blaze, pay as you go | Spark quotas free, then usage |
| Appwrite | Pro, usage based | Overage with a budget cap |
| Neon | Launch, usage based | $0.106 per compute-hour |
| Convex | Professional $25 per developer | Higher limits |
| PocketBase | Free | Your hosting |
| Nhost | Pro from $25 a month | 10 GB database, $15 compute credits |
| Xano | Essential $85 a month billed annually | 10 GB database |
| Superapp | Pro $25 a month | The app and its managed backend |

## Which Supabase Alternative Fits Each Kind of User?

| If you are (Superapp row first where it fits) | Pick | Why |
| --- | --- | --- |
| A mobile team on Google Cloud | Firebase | Mobile SDKs and services |
| A team that must self-host | Appwrite | Open source, Docker |
| A team that only needs Postgres | Neon | Branching, free plan |
| A TypeScript team wanting realtime | Convex | Reactive by default |
| An indie hacker | PocketBase | One file |
| A GraphQL team | Nhost | Postgres and GraphQL |
| A no-code builder | Xano | Visual APIs |
| A founder without an app yet | Superapp | Backend included |

## Where Does Superapp Fit?

Superapp does two jobs most tools on this list split across separate products. First it builds: a website, a React web app with sign-in and a managed cloud backend, or a native Swift app for iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch and Mac, from a plain-English description. Its features page says "Superapp builds native apps for iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, Mac, and Vision Pro from one project," and that the output is "a standard Xcode project you own and can export anytime, with no lock-in."

Then it markets. On the $100 Max plan, Selfdrive runs growth after launch, and it now markets web apps as well as iOS apps. The [Selfdrive page](https://superapp.dev/selfdrive) says "It coordinates Apple Search Ads, App Store optimization, a website and SEO, and UGC creator campaigns," and that it "Works with apps made in Superapp and outside of it." For a web app, the relevant channels are the website, SEO, content and creator campaigns; Apple Ads and App Store optimization apply to App Store apps.

| What you need (Superapp listed first) | Superapp | Typical Supabase setup |
| --- | --- | --- |
| A website | Included on Pro | Yes |
| A web app with logins and data | Yes, React with a managed backend | Usually a separate tool |
| A native iOS app | Yes, native Swift, App Store publishing on a paid plan | Usually a separate tool |
| SEO and content after launch | Selfdrive on Max, for web apps and iOS apps | You do it yourself or hire help |
| Creator (UGC) campaigns | Selfdrive on Max | Separate agency or platform |
| Apple Ads and App Store optimization | Selfdrive on Max, for App Store apps | Separate tools |

The honest limits: Superapp has no Android output yet, it does not build online stores, credits run out on heavy builds, ad spend and creator fees are paid separately, and Selfdrive is new, so judge it on your own numbers.

## What Mistakes Should You Avoid When Leaving Supabase?

1. Leaving Supabase over free-tier pausing when Pro at $25 never pauses.
2. Moving off Postgres without checking how your SQL queries translate.
3. Choosing a database model by habit. Decide between SQL and documents based on your queries, not the brand.
4. Ignoring free-tier pausing or freezing. Demo projects that pause look broken to users.
5. Not setting budget alerts on pay-as-you-go plans.
6. Leaving security rules or row-level policies at defaults.
7. Migrating auth last. User accounts are the hardest part to move; plan it first.
8. Building a custom backend for an app you have not validated. An all-in-one builder can get you to users faster.

## Checklist Before You Switch From Supabase

- Export your schema and data.
- List every auth provider and user field you rely on.
- Map storage buckets and file paths.
- Rewrite server functions for the new runtime.
- Recreate security rules or row-level policies.
- Run both backends in parallel during the cutover.
- Set budget alerts before going live.

## Glossary

| Term (as used for Superapp and its alternatives) | Meaning |
| --- | --- |
| Postgres | An open-source SQL database used by Supabase, Neon and Nhost. |
| Document database | A database that stores JSON-like documents, such as Firestore. |
| MAU | Monthly active users, a common billing unit for auth. |
| Row-level security | Database rules that decide which rows each user can read or write. |
| Edge function | Server code that runs close to users without managing servers. |
| Self-hosting | Running the backend software on your own servers. |
| Selfdrive | Superapp's marketing agent on the Max plan, which markets web apps and iOS apps after launch. |

## Frequently Asked Questions

**What is the best Supabase alternative in 2026?**

Firebase for mobile apps on Google services, Appwrite for an open-source self-hostable platform and Neon if you only need serverless Postgres.

**What is the best open source Supabase alternative?**

Appwrite, licensed BSD 3-Clause, and PocketBase, licensed MIT.

**Is Firebase better than Supabase?**

Firebase is better integrated with Google services and mobile SDKs. Supabase is better if you want SQL and Postgres.

**Why does my Supabase project pause?**

Free projects are paused after 1 week of inactivity, per Supabase's pricing page. Pro projects are never paused.

**How much does Supabase cost?**

Free, Pro from $25 a month and Team from $599 a month, per Supabase on November 10, 2026.

**Is Neon a Supabase alternative?**

Yes. Neon is serverless Postgres with branching, and its pricing page now also lists auth, object storage and functions.

**What is the best free Supabase alternative?**

Neon's permanent free plan for Postgres, Firebase Spark for mobile apps, and PocketBase if you host it yourself.

**Can I self-host a Supabase alternative?**

Yes. Appwrite self-hosts with Docker, PocketBase runs as one file, and Nhost offers a self-hosted option.

**Do I need a backend to build an app?**

Most apps with accounts or saved data do. Superapp includes managed cloud services for the apps it builds, so you do not set one up yourself.

**What is Supabase?**

Supabase says every project is a full Postgres database, with authentication, data APIs, edge functions, realtime, storage and vector embeddings added on.

**Is Convex SQL?**

No. Convex describes itself as all TypeScript, with database, functions, workflow, sync, search and file storage.

**Can Nhost run locally?**

Nhost says you can run the entire Nhost stack locally with a single command.

**Is PocketBase production ready?**

Its README warns that it is still under active development and full backward compatibility is not guaranteed before version 1.0.

**Does Xano work with mobile apps?**

Xano says you can connect any front end, including React, Next.js and mobile apps.

## References

- [Supabase: Pricing](https://supabase.com/pricing)
- [Firebase: Pricing](https://firebase.google.com/pricing)
- [Appwrite: Pricing](https://appwrite.io/pricing)
- [Appwrite: GitHub repository](https://github.com/appwrite/appwrite)
- [Neon: Pricing](https://neon.com/pricing)
- [Convex: Pricing](https://www.convex.dev/pricing)
- [PocketBase: GitHub repository](https://github.com/pocketbase/pocketbase)
- [Nhost: Pricing](https://nhost.io/pricing)
- [Xano: Pricing](https://www.xano.com/pricing/)
- [Superapp: Pricing](https://superapp.dev/pricing)
- [Superapp: Web app builder](https://superapp.dev/web-app-builder)
- [Superapp: Selfdrive](https://superapp.dev/selfdrive)
- [Superapp: Lovable Cloud explained](https://superapp.dev/blog/lovable-cloud-explained-costs-supabase-and-what-you-actually-own)
- [Superapp: Database builder](https://superapp.dev/database-builder)
- [Firebase: Homepage](https://firebase.google.com/)
- [Appwrite: Homepage](https://appwrite.io/)
- [Neon: Homepage](https://neon.com/)
- [Convex: Homepage](https://www.convex.dev/)
- [PocketBase: Homepage](https://pocketbase.io/)
- [Nhost: Homepage](https://nhost.io/)
- [Xano: Homepage](https://www.xano.com/)
- [Superapp: Homepage](https://superapp.dev/)
- [Superapp: Product page](https://superapp.dev/features)

## Keep reading

[Best Carrd Alternatives in 2026: 10 Builders Compared

Nov 10, 2026](https://superapp.dev/blog/best-carrd-alternatives) [Best Claude Alternatives in 2026: 10 AI Assistants Compared

Nov 10, 2026](https://superapp.dev/blog/best-claude-alternatives) [Best Codex Alternatives in 2026: 10 AI Coding Tools Compared

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## Build iOS or web apps with AI

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[Build an app](https://superapp.dev/)

Already have an app? Superapp can get you users with Marketing AI. [Learn more](https://superapp.dev/selfdrive)