THE STACK REPORT
3-Way Head-to-Head
Supabase vs Firebase vs Appwrite
An objective, data-driven comparison based on 6 key criteria
The Verdict: It Depends
If MVP on budget → Supabase
If Mobile-first realtime → Firebase
If Self-host / compliance → Appwrite
Top Score
Supabase
88
2 criteria won
Firebase
78
2 criteria won
Appwrite
81
2 criteria won
// Data & Methodology
- Sources
- GitHub API, official pricing pages, product documentation
- Snapshot
- 2026-01-01
- Metrics
- GitHub stars, pricing tiers, feature availability, ecosystem size
- Note
- Stars measure adoption signals, not quality. Correlation ≠ causation.
Criteria Breakdown
Score out of 100 for each criterion
| Criteria | Supabase | Firebase | Appwrite |
|---|---|---|---|
| Database Power | 92 ✓ | 75 | 78 |
| Realtime | 82 | 95 ✓ | 72 |
| Developer Experience | 90 ✓ | 80 | 78 |
| Ecosystem | 85 | 92 ✓ | 70 |
| Cost Efficiency | 88 | 65 | 92 ✓ |
| Flexibility | 90 | 60 | 95 ✓ |
| Total Score | 88 | 78 | 81 |
// Quick Facts
Feature comparison at a glance
Feature
Supabase Firebase Appwrite Database
PostgreSQL Full SQL
Firestore NoSQL
MariaDB SQL
GitHub Stars
95 493
5 059 SDK only*
54 161
Open Source
◐ Core Only
✕ Proprietary
✓ Full (BSD-3)
Self-Hosting
✓ Docker
✕ Cloud Only
✓ Docker
Edge Functions
✓ Deno Global CDN
◐ Cloud Fns Regional
✕ Self-Host
Realtime
✓ PG Replication
✓ Native Best-in-class
✓ Realtime API
Pro Pricing
$25/mo Predictable
Pay-per-use Variable
$15/mo or Self-Host
*Firebase JS SDK repo only; the product ecosystem is much larger.
Choose Based on Your Constraints
// Choose Supabase If
You're building an MVP on a budget, want SQL joins, need predictable pricing, or prioritize TypeScript DX with auto-generated types.
- PostgreSQL = no vendor lock-in
- Generous free tier (500MB DB)
- Edge Functions (Deno)
- Best TypeScript integration
// Choose Firebase If
You're building mobile-first apps, need offline sync, want mature SDKs (iOS/Android/Flutter), or are already in the Google ecosystem.
- Best mobile SDKs
- Native offline support
- Google ecosystem integration
- Battle-tested at scale
// Choose Appwrite If
You need full control, have compliance requirements (GDPR/HIPAA), want to self-host, or want zero vendor lock-in.
- Fully open source (BSD-3)
- Docker self-hosting
- Data sovereignty
- No usage-based billing
Frequently Asked Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
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