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Supabase: an open-source alternative to Firebase
Supabase in 2026: the open-source backend platform (PostgreSQL, auth, API, Edge Functions, AI). Benefits, pricing, Firebase comparison, and when to choose it.
Supabase is the open-source backend platform that has established itself as a serious alternative to Firebase since 2022. Native PostgreSQL, authentication, storage, REST API, and since 2024, a complete AI ecosystem with pgvector and Edge Functions. Here’s what you need to know in 2026.
What is Supabase?
Supabase is an open-source backend platform built on PostgreSQL. It combines in a single tool what is typically assembled across multiple services: a relational database, user authentication, file storage, auto-generated API, real-time subscriptions, and serverless functions (Edge Functions).
Unlike Firebase, which relies on Firestore (a NoSQL document database), Supabase uses PostgreSQL. If you know SQL, you’re immediately productive. You can access your data via an auto-generated REST API, GraphQL, or directly through a Postgres connection.
Supabase is open source. You can self-host it on your own infrastructure or use Supabase’s managed cloud. In both cases, you retain full control over your data.
Supabase vs Firebase: key differences
Database
Firebase uses Firestore, a NoSQL document database. Supabase uses PostgreSQL, a relational database with a strict schema. For projects with complex business logic, joins, or well-structured data, PostgreSQL is the better fit. Firestore excels at ultra-simple real-time synchronization.
Open source vs proprietary
Firebase is a Google product and proprietary. Supabase is open source (Apache 2.0 license). You can read the code, contribute, and deploy your own instance. No vendor lock-in.
Costs
Firebase charges based on usage (reads, writes, storage, bandwidth). The bill can be surprising for high-volume projects. Supabase offers predictable per-project pricing with a generous free tier.
Supabase in 2026: pricing and AI features
Supabase pricing 2026
- Free : free, 500 MB database, 1 GB storage, 5 GB bandwidth. Limited to 2 active projects.
- Pro : $25/month/project. 8 GB database, 100 GB storage, 250 GB bandwidth. Suitable for the vast majority of production projects.
- Team : $599/month. Multiple projects, SSO, extended logs, priority support.
- Enterprise : custom quote. Guaranteed SLA, dedicated support, private hosting options.
The Free plan is enough to validate a prototype. The Pro plan covers almost all SaaS or business application projects with up to several thousand active users.
Supabase and AI in 2026
Since 2024, Supabase has become the go-to backend for AI projects. There are several reasons for this.
First, pgvector : the PostgreSQL extension that allows you to store and query vector embeddings directly in Supabase. In practice, you can build semantic search, recommendation systems, or knowledge bases for AI agents without a separate vector database.
Then, Edge Functions : serverless TypeScript functions that run as close as possible to users. They allow you to call AI APIs (Claude, OpenAI, Mistral) directly from the Supabase backend, without exposing your API keys on the client side.
Finally, Anthropic’s MCP (Model Context Protocol) enables AI agents to read and write to a Supabase database in a standardized way. Claude can query your tables, retrieve records, and create data via a secure connection.
Supabase’s main features
- PostgreSQL database : all the power of Postgres (transactions, indexes, functions, triggers, extensions).
- Auth : email/password authentication, OAuth (Google, GitHub, Apple, etc.), magic links, MFA.
- Storage : file storage with granular access policies per user or role.
- Realtime : real-time subscriptions to table changes via WebSockets.
- Edge Functions : serverless TypeScript code deployed in seconds, accessible via HTTPS.
- pgvector : vector search and embeddings directly in the database.
- Row Level Security (RLS) : row-level security policies: each user only sees their own data.
Who is Supabase for?
Supabase is a great fit for technical teams that want a modern backend without managing complex infrastructure. It’s the standard choice for SaaS projects, business applications, ambitious MVPs, and projects integrating AI.
Supabase is not the right tool if your team lacks technical expertise to manage a database schema. In that case, Airtable or Notion databases will be more accessible to start with.
To go further with Supabase
For an in-depth analysis of Supabase as a reference for modern backends (feedback, detailed comparison with Firebase and Airtable, production use cases), see our dedicated article: Why Supabase is becoming the reference for modern backends.
Scroll develops your projects on Supabase
At Scroll, we use Supabase for most of our application projects: SaaS, back-offices, client portals, and AI agent applications. We master data modeling, RLS policies, Edge Functions, and pgvector integration for AI use cases. If you have a project to launch, a prototype to stabilize, or an AI/no-code project to take over, contact our Supabase team.
