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Mobile Development · head to head

Firebase vs Hasura

Firebase logo

Firebase

Mobile Development

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

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Hasura logo

Hasura

APIs

GraphQL engine that instantly creates production-ready GraphQL API from databases

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; Hasura active model definition: model/command accessed more than 1,000 times monthly
  • They diverge on capability: Firebase covers Real-time Database, Hasura covers GraphQL API.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Firebase and Hasura actually diverge.

Attributes where Firebase and Hasura differ
AttributeFirebaseHasura
PlatformsiOS, Android, Web, Flutter, C++, UnityWeb
CategoryMobile DevelopmentAPIs
Founded19982017

Identical on both: starting price (Free), pricing model (freemium), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated).

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 Hasura

  • GraphQL API
  • Real-time subscriptions
  • Access control
  • PostgreSQL
  • MySQL
  • Webhooks
  • REST APIs
  • Self-hosted support

Both cover

  • Cloud support

What people use each for

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

Firebase

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

Hasura

  • Automatic GraphQL API generation from existing databasesnot Firebase
  • Real-time data subscriptions for modern applicationsnot Firebase
  • Backend infrastructure for web and mobile applicationsnot Firebase
  • Event-triggered webhooks for database changesnot 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)

Hasura

  • Active model definition: model/command accessed more than 1,000 times monthly
  • Private DDN requires Base or Advanced plan

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

Hasura

Free
  • DDN FreeFree
    • Unlimited models
    • 1 supergraph developer
    • 15-minute observability retention
  • DDN Base$5/month
    • Per active model billing
    • Unlimited developers
    • 30-day observability retention
  • DDN Advanced$30/month
    • Per active model billing
    • Federated collaboration
    • Multi-repo CI/CD

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 Hasura if

  • You need graphql api.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want real-time subscriptions.
Hasura review

Questions people ask

Is Firebase or Hasura better?
Neither clearly leads. Firebase starts at Free and Hasura at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Firebase or Hasura?
Firebase starts at Free and Hasura at Free.
Does Firebase or Hasura run on more platforms?
Firebase runs on iOS, Android, Web, Flutter, C++, Unity. Hasura runs on Web.
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 Hasura is typically brought in for.
What can Firebase do that Hasura cannot?
Firebase covers Real-time Database, REST API, Authentication, Google Cloud. Hasura covers GraphQL API, Real-time subscriptions, Access control, PostgreSQL. Both handle Cloud support.

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
Hasura: How much does Hasura cost?

Hasura DDN Free is free. DDN Base starts at $5/active model/month, and DDN Advanced starts at $30/active model/month.

Source
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
Hasura: What is an active model in Hasura pricing?

An active model is defined as any model or command accessed more than 1,000 times monthly.

Source
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
Hasura: Is there a free version of Hasura?

Yes, Hasura DDN Free is always free and includes unlimited models, 1 supergraph developer, and 15-minute observability retention.

Source
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