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MongoDB vs Supabase

MongoDB logo

MongoDB

Technology

The developer data platform

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: MongoDB 16 MB maximum document size limits large single objects; Supabase free tier projects auto-pause after 1 week of inactivity
  • They diverge on capability: MongoDB covers Document model, Supabase covers PostgreSQL database.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which MongoDB and Supabase actually diverge.

Attributes where MongoDB and Supabase differ
AttributeMongoDBSupabase
PlatformsCloud (Atlas), Self-hosted, Multi-cloud (AWS, Google Cloud, Azure)Web, iOS, Android
Founded20072020

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

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 MongoDB

  • Document model
  • Distributed architecture
  • ACID transactions
  • Real-time analytics
  • Full-text search
  • Time series data
  • Geospatial queries
  • Aggregation framework

Only in Supabase

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

Both cover

  • Python

What people use each for

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

MongoDB

  • Mobile applicationsnot Supabase
  • Content managementnot Supabase
  • Real-time analyticsnot Supabase
  • IoT applicationsnot Supabase
  • Gaming backendsnot Supabase

Supabase

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

Where each one falls short

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

MongoDB

  • 16 MB maximum document size limits large single objects
  • No native JOIN support for relational data operations
  • Higher memory usage due to storing field names with each document
  • Eventual consistency in distributed deployments can cause data stale reads

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

MongoDB

Free
  • M0Free
    • 512 MB storage
    • Learning and exploration
  • M2$9/month
    • 2 GB storage
    • Development and testing
  • M5$25/month
    • 5 GB storage
  • M10+$56.94/month
    • Dedicated clusters for production

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 MongoDB if

  • You need document model.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Cloud (Atlas), Self-hosted, Multi-cloud (AWS, Google Cloud, Azure).
  • You also want distributed architecture.
MongoDB 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 MongoDB or Supabase better?
Neither clearly leads. MongoDB 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, MongoDB or Supabase?
MongoDB starts at Free and Supabase at Free.
Does MongoDB or Supabase run on more platforms?
MongoDB runs on Cloud (Atlas), Self-hosted, Multi-cloud (AWS, Google Cloud, Azure). Supabase runs on Web, iOS, Android.
Can I use MongoDB for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is MongoDB best used for?
MongoDB is most often used for mobile applications, content management, real-time analytics, iot applications. Of those, mobile applications and content management are not what Supabase is typically brought in for.
What can MongoDB do that Supabase cannot?
MongoDB covers Document model, Distributed architecture, ACID transactions, Real-time analytics. Supabase covers PostgreSQL database, Auto-generated APIs, Authentication & authorization, Real-time subscriptions. Both handle Python.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

MongoDB: Does MongoDB offer a free tier?

Yes. MongoDB Atlas offers an M0 free tier with 512 MB storage for learning and exploration, plus paid options starting at $9/month for M2 with 2 GB storage.

Source
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
MongoDB: Can I self-host MongoDB?

Yes. You can run MongoDB Community Edition on your own servers, or use MongoDB Enterprise Advanced for self-managed production deployments with enterprise features.

Source
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
MongoDB: What is the maximum document size in MongoDB?

Documents are limited to 16 MB. For documents exceeding this limit, you can use MongoDB's GridFS API to store files larger than the maximum size.

Source
MongoDB: Does MongoDB support ACID transactions?

Yes. MongoDB supports ACID transactions within a single document by default, and multi-document ACID transactions are available for replica sets and sharded clusters in MongoDB 4.0+.

Source
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