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Databases · head to head

Meilisearch vs Supabase

Meilisearch logo

Meilisearch

Databases

Fast open-source search engine built for typo tolerance

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Supabase logo

Supabase

Technology

The open source Firebase alternative

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Meilisearch not built for log analytics or aggregation-heavy workloads, which is where Elasticsearch remains the answer; Supabase free tier projects auto-pause after 1 week of inactivity
  • They diverge on capability: Meilisearch covers Typo tolerance, Supabase covers PostgreSQL database.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Meilisearch and Supabase actually diverge.

Attributes where Meilisearch and Supabase differ
AttributeMeilisearchSupabase
Pricing modelOpen source, no licence fee; managed cloud billed separatelyUnknown
PlatformsLinux, macOS, Windows, Docker, Self-hostedWeb, iOS, Android
CategoryDatabasesTechnology
FoundedUnknown2020

Identical on both: starting price (Free), 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 Meilisearch

  • Typo tolerance
  • Search as you type
  • Faceted search
  • Simple API

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.

Meilisearch

  • Adding product or content search to an application without running Elasticsearchnot Supabase
  • Search-as-you-type interfaces where latency is visible to the usernot Supabase
  • Replacing SQL LIKE queries that cannot handle typos or rankingnot Supabase

Supabase

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

Where each one falls short

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

Meilisearch

  • Not built for log analytics or aggregation-heavy workloads, which is where Elasticsearch remains the answer
  • Scaling across many nodes is less mature than the older engines it competes with
  • Memory use grows with index size, and large datasets need real capacity planning

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

Meilisearch

Free
  • MeilisearchFree
    • Full functionality
    • Self-hosted
    • No usage limits

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 Meilisearch if

  • You need typo tolerance.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, macOS, Windows, Docker, Self-hosted.
  • You also want search as you type.
Meilisearch 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 Meilisearch or Supabase better?
Neither clearly leads. Meilisearch 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, Meilisearch or Supabase?
Meilisearch starts at Free and Supabase at Free.
Does Meilisearch or Supabase run on more platforms?
Meilisearch runs on Linux, macOS, Windows, Docker, Self-hosted. Supabase runs on Web, iOS, Android.
Can I use Meilisearch for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Meilisearch best used for?
Meilisearch is most often used for adding product or content search to an application without running elasticsearch, search-as-you-type interfaces where latency is visible to the user, replacing sql like queries that cannot handle typos or ranking. Of those, adding product or content search to an application without running elasticsearch and search-as-you-type interfaces where latency is visible to the user are not what Supabase is typically brought in for.
What can Meilisearch do that Supabase cannot?
Meilisearch covers Typo tolerance, Search as you type, Faceted search, Simple API. Supabase covers PostgreSQL database, Auto-generated APIs, Authentication & authorization, Real-time subscriptions.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Meilisearch: Is Meilisearch free?

The engine is open source and free to self-host. Meilisearch Cloud is a paid managed service.

Supabase: How much does Supabase cost?

Supabase offers a free tier and three paid plans. Pro starts at $25 per month, Team at $599 per month, and Enterprise requires a custom quote. All pricing is in USD charged monthly.

Source
Meilisearch: Meilisearch or Elasticsearch?

Meilisearch is far simpler for application search and works well by default. Elasticsearch is the choice when you also need log analytics and heavy aggregations.

Supabase: What are Supabase's usage overage fees?

Pro plan users pay $0.00325 per monthly active user over the 100,000 included, and $0.125 per GB for database storage exceeding 8 GB per project. Compute instances cost $10 to $3,730+ per month.

Source
Meilisearch: Does it handle typos automatically?

Yes. Typo tolerance is on by default rather than something you configure.

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