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Databases · head to head

Nile vs Supabase

Nile logo

Nile

Databases

PostgreSQL database platform built for multi-tenant SaaS applications

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: Nile limited to B2B SaaS use cases, not optimized for single-tenant applications; Supabase free tier projects auto-pause after 1 week of inactivity
  • They diverge on capability: Nile covers Multi-tenant virtualization, Supabase covers PostgreSQL database.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Nile and Supabase actually diverge.

Attributes where Nile and Supabase differ
AttributeNileSupabase
Pricing modelPay-per-use with committed pricingUnknown
PlatformsWeb, APIWeb, 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 Nile

  • Multi-tenant virtualization
  • Serverless compute
  • Tenant branching
  • Schema migration
  • Tenant dashboards
  • Global deployment
  • PostgreSQL compatible

Only in Supabase

  • PostgreSQL database
  • Auto-generated APIs
  • Authentication & authorization
  • Real-time subscriptions
  • Storage
  • Edge functions
  • Database migrations
  • Next.js

Both cover

  • Vector embeddings

What people use each for

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

Nile

  • Multi-tenant SaaS applications with per-customer isolationnot Supabase
  • Serverless workloads needing cost-efficient auto-scalingnot Supabase
  • RAG applications leveraging vector embeddingsnot Supabase
  • Applications requiring per-tenant analytics dashboardsnot Supabase
  • Cross-customer analytics using shared data tablesnot Supabase

Supabase

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

Where each one falls short

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

Nile

  • Limited to B2B SaaS use cases, not optimized for single-tenant applications
  • Query token abstraction makes pricing less transparent than traditional compute pricing
  • Free plan limited to 50M query tokens and 1GB storage for development
  • Serverless startup latency may impact performance-sensitive applications
  • Per-million token overages require careful monitoring to avoid surprise costs

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

Nile

Free
  • FreeFree
    • 50M query tokens included
    • 1 GB storage
    • 500 connections
  • Pro$15/month
    • 150M query tokens included
    • 5 GB storage
    • 10,000 connections
  • Scale$350/month
    • 500M query tokens included
    • 50 GB storage
    • 100,000 connections
  • Enterprise$undefined/custom
    • Custom resource allocation
    • Large-scale workloads supporting millions of tenants
    • Designated support

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 Nile if

  • You need multi-tenant virtualization.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, API.
  • You also want serverless compute.
Nile 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 Nile or Supabase better?
Neither clearly leads. Nile 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, Nile or Supabase?
Nile starts at Free and Supabase at Free.
Does Nile or Supabase run on more platforms?
Nile runs on Web, API. Supabase runs on Web, iOS, Android.
Can I use Nile for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Nile best used for?
Nile is most often used for multi-tenant saas applications with per-customer isolation, serverless workloads needing cost-efficient auto-scaling, rag applications leveraging vector embeddings, applications requiring per-tenant analytics dashboards. Of those, multi-tenant saas applications with per-customer isolation and serverless workloads needing cost-efficient auto-scaling are not what Supabase is typically brought in for.
What can Nile do that Supabase cannot?
Nile covers Multi-tenant virtualization, Serverless compute, Tenant branching, Schema migration. Supabase covers PostgreSQL database, Auto-generated APIs, Authentication & authorization, Real-time subscriptions. Both handle Vector embeddings.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Nile: What are query tokens and how are they calculated?

Query tokens are abstract units of CPU and memory used when queries execute on Nile's serverless compute. The platform uses this abstraction to enable fair, predictable pay-per-use pricing.

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
Nile: Do all Nile plans include multi-tenant isolation?

Yes. All plans including the free tier include unlimited databases, tenants, and vector embeddings with built-in data isolation.

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
Nile: What is included in the Pro plan?

The Pro plan ($15/month) includes 150M query tokens, 5GB storage, 10,000 connections, and a 99.95% SLA. SAML and MFA authentication features are available on Pro and above.

Source
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