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Cybersecurity · head to head

Private Internet Access vs Supabase

Private Internet Access logo

Private Internet Access

Cybersecurity

Long-standing VPN service with a large server network and flexible multi-year plans

From
$11.99/month
Rated
-
Supabase logo

Supabase

Technology

The open source Firebase alternative

From
Free
Rated
-

The short version

  • Only Supabase has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Private Internet Access monthly plan is priced noticeably higher than the discounted multi-year commitments, penalizing short-term users.; Supabase free tier projects auto-pause after 1 week of inactivity
  • They diverge on capability: Private Internet Access covers Split tunneling, Supabase covers PostgreSQL database.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Private Internet Access and Supabase actually diverge.

Attributes where Private Internet Access and Supabase differ
AttributePrivate Internet AccessSupabase
Starting price$11.99/monthFree
Pricing modelsubscriptionUnknown
Free tierNoYes
Platformswindows, mac, linux, ios, androidWeb, iOS, Android
CategoryCybersecurityTechnology
FoundedUnknown2020

Identical on both: 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 Private Internet Access

  • Split tunneling
  • Kill switch
  • Ad and tracker blocking
  • Dedicated IP add-on
  • Bundled antivirus add-on

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.

Private Internet Access

  • Encrypting traffic on public Wi-Fi with a kill switchnot Supabase
  • Blocking ads and trackers network-wide via MACEnot Supabase
  • Maintaining a consistent connection identity with a dedicated IP add-onnot Supabase
  • Committing to a long-term plan for a lower effective monthly ratenot Supabase

Supabase

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

Where each one falls short

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

Private Internet Access

  • Monthly plan is priced noticeably higher than the discounted multi-year commitments, penalizing short-term users.
  • Dedicated IP and antivirus are paid add-ons rather than included features.
  • Headquartered in a jurisdiction whose privacy reputation some competitors market against, despite audited no-logs claims.
  • App interface is less streamlined than some higher-priced premium VPN competitors.

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

Private Internet Access

$11.99/month
  • Monthly$11.99/month
    • Billed month to month
    • Full server network access
    • 30-day money-back guarantee
  • 1-Year$3.1/month
    • Billed annually at $37.19
    • Full server network access
  • 2-Year$2.19/month
    • Lowest advertised rate, billed every 2 years
    • Full server network access

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 Private Internet Access if

  • You need split tunneling.
  • You work on windows, mac, linux, ios, android.
  • You also want kill switch.

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 Private Internet Access or Supabase better?
Neither clearly leads. Private Internet Access starts at $11.99/month and Supabase at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Private Internet Access or Supabase?
Supabase has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $11.99/month for Private Internet Access and Free for Supabase.
Does Private Internet Access or Supabase run on more platforms?
Private Internet Access runs on windows, mac, linux, ios, android. Supabase runs on Web, iOS, Android.
Can I use Supabase for free?
Yes. Supabase has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Private Internet Access starts at $11.99/month.
What is Private Internet Access best used for?
Private Internet Access is most often used for encrypting traffic on public wi-fi with a kill switch, blocking ads and trackers network-wide via mace, maintaining a consistent connection identity with a dedicated ip add-on, committing to a long-term plan for a lower effective monthly rate. Of those, encrypting traffic on public wi-fi with a kill switch and blocking ads and trackers network-wide via mace are not what Supabase is typically brought in for.
What can Private Internet Access do that Supabase cannot?
Private Internet Access covers Split tunneling, Kill switch, Ad and tracker blocking, Dedicated IP add-on. Supabase covers PostgreSQL database, Auto-generated APIs, Authentication & authorization, Real-time subscriptions.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

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
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
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