Technology · head to head
Postgres vs Supabase
The short version
- Each has a real cost: Postgres each major version is supported for only 5 years after its initial release, after which it is end-of-life; Supabase free tier projects auto-pause after 1 week of inactivity
- They diverge on capability: Postgres covers ACID compliance, Supabase covers PostgreSQL database.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Postgres and Supabase actually diverge.
Identical on both: starting price (Free), 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 Postgres
- ACID compliance
- Complex queries
- Foreign keys
- Triggers
- Views
- Stored procedures
- JSON/JSONB support
- Full-text search
Only in Supabase
- PostgreSQL database
- Auto-generated APIs
- Authentication & authorization
- Real-time subscriptions
- Storage
- Edge functions
- Vector embeddings
- Database migrations
Both cover
- Python
- SSL
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Postgres
- Running a general purpose relational database for applicationsnot Supabase
- Self-hosting an open source SQL database with no licence feenot Supabase
- Workloads needing extensions, JSON and full text search in one enginenot Supabase
Supabase
- Web application backends using Postgres plus auto-generated REST/GraphQL APIsnot Postgres
- Mobile app backends via Flutter/Swift/Kotlin client librariesnot Postgres
- AI applications using vector/embeddings storagenot Postgres
- Authentication with 20+ social providers plus email/passwordnot Postgres
- File and media storage (S3-compatible with CDN) and realtime sync over WebSocketsnot Postgres
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Postgres
- Each major version is supported for only 5 years after its initial release, after which it is end-of-life
- Major version upgrades break on-disk compatibility and require a full dump and reload or the pg_upgrade tool
- New major versions ship about once a year, so staying supported means a disruptive upgrade cycle
- Minor releases contain only frequently-encountered bug fixes, low-risk fixes, security issues and data corruption fixes, so feature gaps are not addressed within a major version
- There is no vendor SLA; commercial support must be bought separately from third party professional services listed by the project
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
Postgres
Free- Community EditionFree
- Full database features
- No limitations
- Community 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 Postgres if
- You need acid compliance.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Linux, Windows, Macos, Docker.
- You also want complex queries.
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.
Questions people ask
- Is Postgres or Supabase better?
- Neither clearly leads. Postgres 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, Postgres or Supabase?
- Postgres starts at Free and Supabase at Free.
- Does Postgres or Supabase run on more platforms?
- Postgres runs on Linux, Windows, Macos, Docker. Supabase runs on Web, iOS, Android.
- Can I use Postgres for free?
- Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
- What is Postgres best used for?
- Postgres is most often used for running a general purpose relational database for applications, self-hosting an open source sql database with no licence fee, workloads needing extensions, json and full text search in one engine. Of those, running a general purpose relational database for applications and self-hosting an open source sql database with no licence fee are not what Supabase is typically brought in for.
- What can Postgres do that Supabase cannot?
- Postgres covers ACID compliance, Complex queries, Foreign keys, Triggers. Supabase covers PostgreSQL database, Auto-generated APIs, Authentication & authorization, Real-time subscriptions. Both handle Python, SSL.