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Databases · head to head

PostgreSQL vs Supabase

PostgreSQL logo

PostgreSQL

Databases

The world's most advanced open source relational database

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: PostgreSQL requires manual scaling across multiple machines for very large deployments; Supabase free tier projects auto-pause after 1 week of inactivity
  • They diverge on capability: PostgreSQL covers ACID Compliance, Supabase covers PostgreSQL database.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which PostgreSQL and Supabase actually diverge.

Attributes where PostgreSQL and Supabase differ
AttributePostgreSQLSupabase
PlatformsLinux, Windows, macOS, BSD, UnixWeb, iOS, Android
CategoryDatabasesTechnology
Founded19962020

Identical on both: starting price (Free), pricing model (Unknown), 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 PostgreSQL

  • ACID Compliance
  • JSON/JSONB Support
  • Full-text Search
  • Extensibility
  • Advanced Indexing
  • Partitioning
  • Replication
  • pgAdmin

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.

PostgreSQL

  • Transaction processingnot Supabase
  • Data storagenot Supabase
  • Application backendnot Supabase
  • Reportingnot Supabase
  • Data analyticsnot Supabase

Supabase

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

Where each one falls short

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

PostgreSQL

  • Requires manual scaling across multiple machines for very large deployments
  • Performance tuning requires deep knowledge of database internals
  • No built-in graphical admin interface; command-line tools are primary method

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

PostgreSQL

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the PostgreSQL review.

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 PostgreSQL if

  • You need acid compliance.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, Windows, macOS, BSD, Unix.
  • You also want json/jsonb support.
PostgreSQL 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 PostgreSQL or Supabase better?
Neither clearly leads. PostgreSQL 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, PostgreSQL or Supabase?
PostgreSQL starts at Free and Supabase at Free.
Does PostgreSQL or Supabase run on more platforms?
PostgreSQL runs on Linux, Windows, macOS, BSD, Unix. Supabase runs on Web, iOS, Android.
Can I use PostgreSQL for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is PostgreSQL best used for?
PostgreSQL is most often used for transaction processing, data storage, application backend, reporting. Of those, transaction processing and data storage are not what Supabase is typically brought in for.
What can PostgreSQL do that Supabase cannot?
PostgreSQL covers ACID Compliance, JSON/JSONB Support, Full-text Search, Extensibility. Supabase covers PostgreSQL database, Auto-generated APIs, Authentication & authorization, Real-time subscriptions.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

PostgreSQL: Is PostgreSQL completely free?

Yes. PostgreSQL is completely free and open source with no licensing fees or restrictions on use.

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
PostgreSQL: What platforms does PostgreSQL run on?

PostgreSQL runs on all major operating systems including Linux, Windows, macOS, BSD, and commercial Unix variants, and has been proven highly scalable managing terabytes to petabytes of data.

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
PostgreSQL: What procedural languages are supported?

PostgreSQL supports stored functions and procedures in multiple languages including PL/pgSQL, Perl, Python, Tcl, Java, JavaScript, R, and Rust.

Source
PostgreSQL: What is ACID compliance in PostgreSQL?

PostgreSQL has been ACID-compliant since 2001, ensuring data integrity through atomicity, consistency, isolation, and durability guarantees for all transactions.

Source
PostgreSQL: Does PostgreSQL support JSON data?

Yes. PostgreSQL supports JSON and JSONB data types for storing and querying JSON documents, along with XML and other document formats.

Source
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