Supabase vs. Firebase: Which Backend Should You Choose?
Firebase has millions of users and 10 years of history. Supabase has real SQL and an open-source ethos. Here's how to pick.
The EveryPerk Team
Editorial
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Firebase and Supabase are both "backend-as-a-service" platforms that handle database, authentication, and file storage. But they represent fundamentally different philosophies.
The Database Question
Firebase uses Firestore, a NoSQL document database. Supabase uses Postgres, a relational database.
If you think in JSON documents and don't need complex queries, Firestore is fine. If you've ever cursed at NoSQL for anything resembling a join, relational query, or schema validation - use Supabase.
Authentication
Both platforms offer solid auth. Firebase Auth has a slight edge in mobile SDKs. Supabase Auth is cleaner for web apps and supports Row Level Security policies that tie directly into your database schema.
The Vendor Lock-in Question
Firebase is Google's proprietary system. Once you're in, migrating out is painful. Supabase runs on Postgres, the most portable database in existence.
Verdict
For new projects, Supabase is the better default choice for most web applications. Real SQL is too valuable to give up, and the open-source ecosystem means you're never fully locked in.