Softwr

Cloud · head to head

SST vs Supabase

SST logo

SST

Cloud

Build full-stack apps on your own infrastructure

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: SST primarily optimized for AWS with Cloudflare support; Supabase free tier projects auto-pause after 1 week of inactivity
  • They diverge on capability: SST covers Single config file, Supabase covers PostgreSQL database.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which SST and Supabase actually diverge.

Attributes where SST and Supabase differ
AttributeSSTSupabase
PlatformsAWS, Cloudflare, Node.jsWeb, iOS, Android
CategoryCloudTechnology
FoundedUnknown2020

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 SST

  • Single config file
  • Resource linking
  • Local development
  • Multi-cloud support
  • Multiple deployment stages
  • VPC tunneling

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.

SST

  • Deploying Next.js frontends with serverless backendsnot Supabase
  • Managing databases and storage alongside application codenot Supabase
  • Creating staging environments for feature testingnot Supabase

Supabase

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

Where each one falls short

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

SST

  • Primarily optimized for AWS with Cloudflare support
  • Learning curve for developers unfamiliar with infrastructure concepts
  • Limited documentation for some advanced use cases

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

SST

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the SST 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 SST if

  • You need single config file.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on AWS, Cloudflare, Node.js.
  • You also want resource linking.
SST 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 SST or Supabase better?
Neither clearly leads. SST 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, SST or Supabase?
SST starts at Free and Supabase at Free.
Does SST or Supabase run on more platforms?
SST runs on AWS, Cloudflare, Node.js. Supabase runs on Web, iOS, Android.
Can I use SST for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is SST best used for?
SST is most often used for deploying next.js frontends with serverless backends, managing databases and storage alongside application code, creating staging environments for feature testing. Of those, deploying next.js frontends with serverless backends and managing databases and storage alongside application code are not what Supabase is typically brought in for.
What can SST do that Supabase cannot?
SST covers Single config file, Resource linking, Local development, Multi-cloud support. Supabase covers PostgreSQL database, Auto-generated APIs, Authentication & authorization, Real-time subscriptions.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

SST: Is SST free?

Yes, SST is open source and free. You only pay for cloud resources from AWS and other providers.

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
SST: What cloud providers does SST support?

SST supports over 150 providers through built-in AWS and Cloudflare components, plus Pulumi and Terraform providers.

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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