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Software · head to head

Render vs Supabase

Render logo

Render

Software

A modern cloud platform for the next generation

From
Free
Rated
-
Supabase logo

Supabase

Software

The open source Firebase alternative

From
Free
Rated
-

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Render the free Hobby workspace is limited to 25 services and 5 GB of bandwidth; Supabase free tier projects auto-pause after 1 week of inactivity
  • They diverge on capability: Render covers Web services, Supabase covers PostgreSQL database.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Render and Supabase actually diverge.

Attributes where Render and Supabase differ
AttributeRenderSupabase
Pricing modelusage-basedUnknown
PlatformsWeb, ApiWeb, iOS, Android
Founded20192020

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

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 Render

  • Web services
  • Static sites
  • Background workers
  • Postgres database
  • Redis database
  • Scheduled jobs
  • Environment variables
  • Custom domains

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.

Render

  • Deploying web services, static sites and cron jobs from a Git repository without managing serversnot Supabase
  • Running managed Postgres and Redis alongside application servicesnot Supabase
  • Preview environments per pull request for small teamsnot Supabase

Supabase

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

Where each one falls short

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

Render

  • The free Hobby workspace is limited to 25 services and 5 GB of bandwidth
  • Every paid plan charges the workspace fee plus compute on top, so $25 per month for Pro is a floor rather than a total
  • SAML SSO and SCIM require the Scale plan at $499 per month
  • HIPAA-compliant workspaces, inbound IP rules and advanced RBAC roles are Scale plan features
  • Organization-level audit logs require Scale; Pro provides only workspace audit logs
  • Contractual uptime SLAs, support response SLAs and a technical account manager are Enterprise only, and Enterprise is custom priced with no published rate
  • Included bandwidth is 25 GB on Pro and 1 TB on Scale, with usage beyond that billed separately

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

Render

Free
  • FreeFree
    • 1 web service
    • 1 static site
    • Shared CPU
  • Starter$7/month
    • Unlimited services
    • Dedicated CPU
    • 2GB RAM

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 Render if

  • You need web services.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Api.
  • You also want static sites.

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 Render or Supabase better?
Neither clearly leads. Render 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, Render or Supabase?
Render starts at Free and Supabase at Free.
Does Render or Supabase run on more platforms?
Render runs on Web, Api. Supabase runs on Web, iOS, Android.
Can I use Render for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Render best used for?
Render is most often used for deploying web services, static sites and cron jobs from a git repository without managing servers, running managed postgres and redis alongside application services, preview environments per pull request for small teams. Of those, deploying web services, static sites and cron jobs from a git repository without managing servers and running managed postgres and redis alongside application services are not what Supabase is typically brought in for.
What can Render do that Supabase cannot?
Render covers Web services, Static sites, Background workers, Postgres database. Supabase covers PostgreSQL database, Auto-generated APIs, Authentication & authorization, Real-time subscriptions. Both handle Python.

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