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Technology · head to head

Supabase vs Terragrunt

Supabase logo

Supabase

Technology

The open source Firebase alternative

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Terragrunt logo

Terragrunt

Cloud

The Open Source IaC Orchestrator Platform Teams Trust

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Supabase free tier projects auto-pause after 1 week of inactivity; Terragrunt additional complexity layer on top of Terraform
  • They diverge on capability: Supabase covers PostgreSQL database, Terragrunt covers Infrastructure orchestration.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Supabase and Terragrunt actually diverge.

Attributes where Supabase and Terragrunt differ
AttributeSupabaseTerragrunt
PlatformsWeb, iOS, AndroidAWS, Azure, GCP
CategoryTechnologyCloud
Founded2020Unknown

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 Supabase

  • PostgreSQL database
  • Auto-generated APIs
  • Authentication & authorization
  • Real-time subscriptions
  • Storage
  • Edge functions
  • Vector embeddings
  • Database migrations

Only in Terragrunt

  • Infrastructure orchestration
  • Run Queue
  • DRY configuration
  • Automated hooks
  • Infrastructure catalog
  • Least-privilege access

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Supabase

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

Terragrunt

  • Organizing Terraform code across multiple environmentsnot Supabase
  • Automating infrastructure deployment workflowsnot Supabase
  • Implementing infrastructure as code templates for developer self-servicenot Supabase

Where each one falls short

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

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

Terragrunt

  • Additional complexity layer on top of Terraform
  • Requires understanding of Terraform concepts
  • Paid tier pricing not clearly published

Pricing, plan by plan

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

Terragrunt

Free
  • Open SourceFree
    • Terragrunt CLI - completely free
    • Community support
  • Terragrunt Scale FreeFree
    • Free CI/CD pipeline
    • Unlimited runs and resources
    • For up to 25 infrastructure units
  • Terragrunt Scale Paid$undefined/custom
    • Volume pricing for more than 25 infrastructure units
    • Enterprise support

Which should you pick?

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

Choose Terragrunt if

  • You need infrastructure orchestration.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on AWS, Azure, GCP.
  • You also want run queue.
Terragrunt review

Questions people ask

Is Supabase or Terragrunt better?
Neither clearly leads. Supabase starts at Free and Terragrunt at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Supabase or Terragrunt?
Supabase starts at Free and Terragrunt at Free.
Does Supabase or Terragrunt run on more platforms?
Supabase runs on Web, iOS, Android. Terragrunt runs on AWS, Azure, GCP.
Can I use Supabase for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Supabase best used for?
Supabase is most often used for web application backends using postgres plus auto-generated rest/graphql apis, mobile app backends via flutter/swift/kotlin client libraries, ai applications using vector/embeddings storage, authentication with 20+ social providers plus email/password. Of those, web application backends using postgres plus auto-generated rest/graphql apis and mobile app backends via flutter/swift/kotlin client libraries are not what Terragrunt is typically brought in for.
What can Supabase do that Terragrunt cannot?
Supabase covers PostgreSQL database, Auto-generated APIs, Authentication & authorization, Real-time subscriptions. Terragrunt covers Infrastructure orchestration, Run Queue, DRY configuration, Automated hooks.

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
Terragrunt: Is Terragrunt free?

Yes, the Terragrunt CLI is completely free and open source. Terragrunt Scale offers a free tier for up to 25 infrastructure units.

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
Terragrunt: What is the difference between Terragrunt and Terraform?

Terragrunt is an orchestration layer on top of Terraform that handles state management, DRY principles, and deployment automation without replacing Terraform itself.

Source
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