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Mobile Development · head to head

Firebase vs Flutter

Firebase logo

Firebase

Mobile Development

Google's platform for building web and mobile applications with cloud backend

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Flutter logo

Flutter

Mobile Development

Google’s open-source framework for building apps from one codebase

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Firebase spark plan limited to 1 GiB storage, 50,000 daily reads, 20,000 daily writes; Flutter dart is used almost nowhere else, so the language itself is a hiring and learning cost
  • They diverge on capability: Firebase covers Real-time Database, Flutter covers Single codebase, many targets.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Firebase and Flutter actually diverge.

Attributes where Firebase and Flutter differ
AttributeFirebaseFlutter
Pricing modelfreemiumOpen source, no licence fee
PlatformsiOS, Android, Web, Flutter, C++, UnityiOS, Android, Web, Windows, macOS, Linux
Founded1998Unknown

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

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 Firebase

  • Real-time Database
  • REST API
  • Authentication
  • Google Cloud
  • Cloud functions
  • Cloud Storage
  • Web support
  • Mobile support

Only in Flutter

  • Single codebase, many targets
  • Own rendering engine
  • Hot reload
  • Widget library
  • Ahead-of-time compilation
  • DevTools

What people use each for

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

Firebase

  • Mobile app backend developmentnot Flutter
  • Real-time data synchronisationnot Flutter
  • Web application backendnot Flutter
  • Cross-platform app developmentnot Flutter

Flutter

  • Shipping one app to iOS and Android with a small teamnot Firebase
  • Interfaces with heavy custom design that need to look identical on both platformsnot Firebase
  • Adding web or desktop builds to an existing mobile codebasenot Firebase
  • Prototyping quickly where hot reload shortens the design loopnot Firebase

Where each one falls short

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

Firebase

  • Spark plan limited to 1 GiB storage, 50,000 daily reads, 20,000 daily writes
  • Spark plan restricts to 100 concurrent database connections
  • Spark plan limits Firebase Studio to 3 workspaces maximum
  • Document size capped at 1 MiB per document
  • Transaction time limited to 270 seconds with 60-second idle expiration
  • Maximum 100 databases per project (increase requires support request)

Flutter

  • Dart is used almost nowhere else, so the language itself is a hiring and learning cost
  • Because Flutter draws its own widgets, apps can feel subtly unlike the platform unless deliberately styled per-platform
  • Binary sizes are larger than equivalent native apps because the engine ships with the app
  • Access to a brand-new platform API waits on a plugin, or on writing platform channel code yourself

Pricing, plan by plan

Firebase

Free
  • SparkFree
    • No-cost usage with daily-refreshing quotas
    • Cloud Firestore: up to 1 GB storage, 20K writes/day, 50K reads/day
    • Cloud Functions: up to 2M invocations/month, 400K GB-seconds/month
  • Blaze$null/variable
    • Pay-as-you-go usage beyond free tier
    • Cloud Firestore: $5/GB after 1 GB, writes beyond 20K/day at overage rates
    • Cloud Functions: $0.40 per million invocations beyond 2M/month, $0.12/GB for outbound networking beyond 5 GB/month

Flutter

Free
  • FlutterFree
    • Full framework
    • All platform targets
    • Dart toolchain

Which should you pick?

Choose Firebase if

  • You need real-time database.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on iOS, Android, Web, Flutter, C++, Unity.
  • You also want rest api.
Firebase review

Choose Flutter if

  • You need single codebase, many targets.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on iOS, Android, Web, Windows, macOS, Linux.
  • You also want own rendering engine.
Flutter review

Questions people ask

Is Firebase or Flutter better?
Neither clearly leads. Firebase starts at Free and Flutter at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Firebase or Flutter?
Firebase starts at Free and Flutter at Free.
Does Firebase or Flutter run on more platforms?
Firebase runs on iOS, Android, Web, Flutter, C++, Unity. Flutter runs on iOS, Android, Web, Windows, macOS, Linux.
Can I use Firebase for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Firebase best used for?
Firebase is most often used for mobile app backend development, real-time data synchronisation, web application backend, cross-platform app development. Of those, mobile app backend development and real-time data synchronisation are not what Flutter is typically brought in for.
What can Firebase do that Flutter cannot?
Firebase covers Real-time Database, REST API, Authentication, Google Cloud. Flutter covers Single codebase, many targets, Own rendering engine, Hot reload, Widget library.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Firebase: What are Firebase's free tier limits?

Firebase Spark plan includes no-cost daily-refreshing quotas: Cloud Firestore up to 1 GB storage with 20K writes and 50K reads per day; Cloud Functions up to 2M invocations monthly; Cloud Storage 5 GB-months with 100 GB downloads monthly; Hosting 10 GB storage and 360 MB daily data transfer; Realtime Database up to 1 GB storage. No payment method required.

Source
Flutter: Is Flutter free?

Yes. Flutter is open source with no licence fee. The framework is under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 licence and its code samples under the 3-Clause BSD licence.

Firebase: How much does Firebase Blaze plan cost?

Firebase Blaze is pay-as-you-go beyond free tier limits. Pricing includes Cloud Firestore storage at $5/GB after 1 GB; Cloud Functions $0.40 per million invocations beyond 2M monthly; Cloud Storage $0.026/GB beyond 5 GB; Hosting $0.15/GB beyond 360 MB daily. New eligible customers receive $300 free credit.

Source
Flutter: What language does Flutter use?

Dart, a language Google designed for fast startup and ahead-of-time compilation to native code.

Firebase: Which Firebase services are always free regardless of tier?

A/B Testing, Analytics, App Check, Cloud Messaging, and Crashlytics are offered at no cost on both Spark and Blaze plans, with no usage limits stated.

Source
Flutter: Can Flutter build for more than mobile?

Yes. The same codebase targets iOS, Android, web, Windows, macOS, Linux and embedded devices, though mobile remains the most mature target.

Flutter: How is Flutter different from React Native?

Flutter draws its own widgets with its own engine, so the result is pixel-identical across platforms. React Native renders to the real native components of each platform. Flutter uses Dart; React Native uses JavaScript and React.

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