Should I Use Firebase or Supabase for My Next Project?

When starting a new project, one of the most critical decisions is choosing the right backend solution. Firebase and Supabase are two popular options that offer a suite of tools to help you build and scale your application quickly. Both provide authentication, database, and storage solutions, but they differ in their approach, pricing, and features. Let’s break down the pros and cons of each and see how they compare in terms of setup, usage, and pricing.

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Firebase vs. Supabase: Key Differences

Firebase

• Managed by Google: Firebase is a fully managed backend-as-a-service (BaaS) platform.
• NoSQL Database: Uses Firestore, a NoSQL document-based database.
• Real-time Updates: Built-in real-time synchronization for data.
• Ecosystem: Offers a wide range of tools like Cloud Functions, Hosting, Analytics, and more.

Supabase

• Open Source: Supabase is an open-source alternative to Firebase.
• SQL Database: Built on PostgreSQL, a relational database.
• Real-time Updates: Provides real-time functionality using PostgreSQL’s LISTEN/NOTIFY.
• Ecosystem: Focuses on core features like Auth, Database, and Storage, with a growing list of integrations.

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Initializing the Client and Connecting to Auth (in React)

Firebase Setup

import { initializeApp } from "firebase/app";
import { getAuth } from "firebase/auth";
import { getFirestore } from "firebase/firestore";

const firebaseConfig = {
  apiKey: "YOUR_API_KEY",
  authDomain: "YOUR_AUTH_DOMAIN",
  projectId: "YOUR_PROJECT_ID",
  storageBucket: "YOUR_STORAGE_BUCKET",
  messagingSenderId: "YOUR_MESSAGING_SENDER_ID",
  appId: "YOUR_APP_ID",
};

const app = initializeApp(firebaseConfig);
const auth = getAuth(app);
const db = getFirestore(app);

Supabase Setup

import { createClient } from "@supabase/supabase-js";

const supabaseUrl = "YOUR_SUPABASE_URL";
const supabaseKey = "YOUR_SUPABASE_KEY";
const supabase = createClient(supabaseUrl, supabaseKey);

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Fetching Data from a Table/Collection

Firebase (Firestore)

import { collection, getDocs } from "firebase/firestore";

const fetchData = async () => {
  const querySnapshot = await getDocs(collection(db, "your_collection"));
  querySnapshot.forEach((doc) => {
    console.log(doc.id, " => ", doc.data());
  });
};

Supabase (PostgreSQL)

const fetchData = async () => {
  const { data, error } = await supabase
    .from("your_table")
    .select("*");
  if (error) console.error(error);
  else console.log(data);
};

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Pricing Breakdown

Firebase (Free Tier)

• Authentication: 10,000 monthly active users (MAU).
• Firestore: 1 GiB storage, 50,000 reads/writes per day.
• Hosting: 10 GB storage, 360 MB/day data transfer.
• Cloud Functions: 2 million invocations/month.

Supabase (Free Tier)

• Authentication: Unlimited users (rate-limited to 500 signups per hour).
• Database: 500 MB storage, 2 GB bandwidth.
• Storage: 1 GB storage, 2 GB bandwidth.
• Realtime: Unlimited connections.

Firebase (1,000 MAU)

• Authentication: ~$1/month (beyond free tier).
• Firestore: ~0.06/100,000reads, 0.06/100,000reads, 0.18/100,000 writes.
• Hosting: Minimal costs unless traffic spikes.

Supabase (1,000 MAU)

• Authentication: Free (within rate limits).
• Database: Free (within storage/bandwidth limits).
• Storage: Free (within storage/bandwidth limits).

Firebase (50,000 MAU)

• Authentication: ~$50/month.
• Firestore: ~$30/month (assuming moderate usage).
• Hosting: ~$10/month (depending on traffic).

Supabase (50,000 MAU)

• Authentication: Free (within rate limits).
• Database: ~$25/month (Pro plan, includes 8 GB storage).
• Storage: ~$25/month (Pro plan, includes 100 GB storage).

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Which Should You Choose?

Choose Firebase If:

• You need a fully managed, NoSQL database with real-time updates.
• You want access to a broader ecosystem of tools (e.g., Analytics, Cloud Functions).
• You’re comfortable with Google’s pay-as-you-go pricing model.

Choose Supabase If:

• You prefer an open-source, SQL-based solution.
• You want more control over your database and infrastructure.
• You’re looking for predictable pricing and a simpler feature set.

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Both Firebase and Supabase are excellent choices, but the decision ultimately depends on your project’s requirements and your familiarity with the tools. Firebase is ideal for rapid prototyping and projects that need a wide range of features, while Supabase is perfect for developers who prefer SQL and open-source solutions.