Supabase

Key facts: Supabase is an open-source backend platform built on Postgres: a database, authentication, file storage, realtime updates and edge functions, with a dashboard and auto-generated APIs. It is widely used as the backend for web and mobile apps, and its AI features help generate SQL and build with AI assistants.

Plans: Supabase has a free plan with a small database and limited resources, and paid Pro, Team and Enterprise plans that raise limits and add support. The free tier is a genuine way to ship a small app.

Best for: developers who want a Postgres backend without managing servers. Watch out: free-tier projects pause after inactivity and have resource limits, so plan for that before launch.

Pros

• A complete open-source backend on Postgres: database, authentication, file storage, realtime updates and edge functions.
• Dashboard plus auto-generated APIs speed up shipping a web or mobile app.
• AI features help generate SQL and build alongside AI assistants.
• A genuine free tier lets you ship a small app without paying upfront.

Watch out for

• Free-tier projects pause after inactivity and carry resource limits, so plan for that before launch.
• Paid Pro, Team and Enterprise tiers are needed as limits, support or scale requirements grow.
• Self-hosting or managing Postgres at scale still demands real backend judgement.

Best for

Developers who want a Postgres backend without managing servers. Who should skip it: teams that need a fully managed, non-Postgres stack, or that cannot accept free-tier pauses on a hobby project.

Pricing

A free plan with a small database and limited resources, plus paid Pro, Team and Enterprise plans that raise limits and add support — check the official pricing page for current pricing.

FAQs

What is Supabase? An open-source backend platform built on Postgres, offering a database, authentication, file storage, realtime updates and edge functions.

Do I need to manage servers? No. It provides a dashboard and auto-generated APIs so you can build without managing the backend infrastructure yourself.

Is there a free tier? Yes, with a small database and limited resources — a genuine way to ship a small app.

What is the catch with the free tier? Free-tier projects pause after inactivity and have resource limits, so plan for that before launch.