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Lambda (AWS Serverless) vs Supabase

Lambda (AWS Serverless) logo

Lambda (AWS Serverless)

Software

Run code without thinking about servers

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Supabase logo

Supabase

Software

The open source Firebase alternative

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Lambda (AWS Serverless) billed on two axes at once, $0.20 per million requests plus $0.0000166667 per GB-second of duration, so memory settings change the bill as much as traffic does; Supabase free tier projects auto-pause after 1 week of inactivity
  • They diverge on capability: Lambda (AWS Serverless) covers Function-as-a-Service, Supabase covers PostgreSQL database.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Lambda (AWS Serverless) and Supabase actually diverge.

Attributes where Lambda (AWS Serverless) and Supabase differ
AttributeLambda (AWS Serverless)Supabase
Pricing modelusage-basedUnknown
PlatformsWeb, ApiWeb, iOS, Android
Founded20142020

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Lambda (AWS Serverless)

  • Function-as-a-Service
  • Event-driven execution
  • Auto-scaling
  • Pay-per-use
  • Multiple languages
  • Concurrency limits
  • Dead Letter Queues
  • Environment variables

Only in Supabase

  • PostgreSQL database
  • Auto-generated APIs
  • Authentication & authorization
  • Real-time subscriptions
  • Storage
  • Edge functions
  • Vector embeddings
  • Database migrations

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Lambda (AWS Serverless)

  • Event-driven functions without managing serversnot Supabase
  • API backends behind API Gatewaynot Supabase
  • Processing S3, DynamoDB, SQS and Kinesis eventsnot Supabase
  • Scheduled jobs without a always-on instancenot Supabase
  • Edge compute through Lambda@Edgenot Supabase

Supabase

  • Web application backends using Postgres plus auto-generated REST/GraphQL APIsnot Lambda (AWS Serverless)
  • Mobile app backends via Flutter/Swift/Kotlin client librariesnot Lambda (AWS Serverless)
  • AI applications using vector/embeddings storagenot Lambda (AWS Serverless)
  • Authentication with 20+ social providers plus email/passwordnot Lambda (AWS Serverless)
  • File and media storage (S3-compatible with CDN) and realtime sync over WebSocketsnot Lambda (AWS Serverless)

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Lambda (AWS Serverless)

  • Billed on two axes at once, $0.20 per million requests plus $0.0000166667 per GB-second of duration, so memory settings change the bill as much as traffic does
  • Provisioned concurrency, used to avoid cold starts, is charged separately at $0.0000041667 per GB-second whether or not the function runs
  • Ephemeral storage beyond the included 512 MB is metered
  • Lambda@Edge costs $0.60 per million requests, three times the standard request rate
  • VPC use and cross-region data transfer carry EC2 charges on top

Supabase

  • Free tier projects auto-pause after 1 week of inactivity
  • Free tier hard caps: 500 MB database, 1 GB file storage, 5 GB egress/month, 50,000 monthly active users, max 2 active free projects per organization
  • Pro plan charges usage overages beyond included quotas, e.g. $0.00325 per MAU above 100,000 and $0.125/GB disk above 8 GB
  • SOC2/ISO 27001 certification and HIPAA (add-on) compliance require the $599/month Team plan; not available on the $25/month Pro plan

Pricing, plan by plan

Lambda (AWS Serverless)

Free
  • Free TierFree
    • 1M free requests/month
    • 400,000 GB-seconds/month
    • Always free

Supabase

Free
  • FreeFree
    • 50,000 MAU
    • 500MB database
    • 5GB egress
  • Pro$25/month
    • 100,000 MAU
    • 8GB disk
    • 250GB egress
  • Team$599/month
    • SOC2 and ISO 27001
    • HIPAA add-on
    • 28-day log / 14-day backup retention
  • Enterprise$undefined/month
    • Custom limits
    • Dedicated support manager
    • 24/7/365 support

Which should you pick?

Choose Lambda (AWS Serverless) if

  • You need function-as-a-service.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Api.
  • You also want event-driven execution.
Lambda (AWS Serverless) review

Choose Supabase if

  • You need postgresql database.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want auto-generated apis.
Supabase review

Questions people ask

Is Lambda (AWS Serverless) or Supabase better?
Neither clearly leads. Lambda (AWS Serverless) starts at Free and Supabase at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Lambda (AWS Serverless) or Supabase?
Lambda (AWS Serverless) starts at Free and Supabase at Free.
Does Lambda (AWS Serverless) or Supabase run on more platforms?
Lambda (AWS Serverless) runs on Web, Api. Supabase runs on Web, iOS, Android.
Can I use Lambda (AWS Serverless) for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Lambda (AWS Serverless) best used for?
Lambda (AWS Serverless) is most often used for event-driven functions without managing servers, api backends behind api gateway, processing s3, dynamodb, sqs and kinesis events, scheduled jobs without a always-on instance. Of those, event-driven functions without managing servers and api backends behind api gateway are not what Supabase is typically brought in for.
What can Lambda (AWS Serverless) do that Supabase cannot?
Lambda (AWS Serverless) covers Function-as-a-Service, Event-driven execution, Auto-scaling, Pay-per-use. Supabase covers PostgreSQL database, Auto-generated APIs, Authentication & authorization, Real-time subscriptions.
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