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Technology · head to head

Supabase vs Zeta

Supabase logo

Supabase

Technology

The open source Firebase alternative

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Zeta logo

Zeta

Technology

Cloud native credit card processing and core banking from Bhavin Turakhia's Zeta

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Supabase has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Supabase free tier projects auto-pause after 1 week of inactivity; Zeta it competes against card processors with decades of production track record, and in card processing an outage is a public event, so a shorter operational history is a genuine risk factor rather than a technicality.
  • They diverge on capability: Supabase covers PostgreSQL database, Zeta covers Tachyon card processing.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Supabase and Zeta actually diverge.

Attributes where Supabase and Zeta differ
AttributeSupabaseZeta
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelUnknownquote
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, iOS, AndroidWeb, API, Cloud, iOS, Android
Founded2020Unknown

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Technology).

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 Zeta

  • Tachyon card processing
  • Real time authorisation
  • Rewards and offers engine
  • Core banking modules
  • Programme configuration
  • Mobile and web SDKs
  • Fraud and controls
  • Cloud deployment

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

Zeta

  • A United States bank whose card platform makes launching a new rewards product a multi quarter vendor projectnot Supabase
  • An issuer that wants authorisation level controls and real time data rather than end of day filesnot Supabase
  • A large fintech launching a credit card programme at scale with custom product logicnot Supabase
  • A bank consolidating card and deposit processing onto one modern platformnot 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

Zeta

  • It competes against card processors with decades of production track record, and in card processing an outage is a public event, so a shorter operational history is a genuine risk factor rather than a technicality.
  • Contracts are enterprise scale and quoted with volume minimums, which puts it out of reach of small issuers who would otherwise benefit most from modern tooling.
  • A card portfolio migration runs twelve to twenty four months at minimum, during which the issuer runs two platforms and pays for both.
  • Zeta is a processor rather than a licence holder, so network membership, BIN sponsorship and regulatory obligations remain entirely with the issuer.
  • Public references for large live United States production volumes are fewer than the announcements imply, so diligence should insist on active account counts and uptime history rather than partnership press releases.

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

Zeta

On request
  • Tachyon platform$undefined/year
    • Quoted per institution, commonly on active accounts or transaction volume
    • Implementation for a card portfolio migration measured in quarters to years
    • Minimum volume commitments typical on enterprise contracts

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 Zeta if

  • You need tachyon card processing.
  • You work on Web, API, Cloud, iOS, Android.
  • You also want real time authorisation.
Zeta review

Questions people ask

Is Supabase or Zeta better?
Neither clearly leads. Supabase starts at Free and Zeta at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Supabase or Zeta?
Supabase has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Supabase and On request for Zeta.
Does Supabase or Zeta run on more platforms?
Supabase runs on Web, iOS, Android. Zeta runs on Web, API, Cloud, iOS, Android.
Can I use Supabase for free?
Yes. Supabase has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Zeta starts at On request.
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 Zeta is typically brought in for.
What can Supabase do that Zeta cannot?
Supabase covers PostgreSQL database, Auto-generated APIs, Authentication & authorization, Real-time subscriptions. Zeta covers Tachyon card processing, Real time authorisation, Rewards and offers engine, Core banking modules.

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
Zeta: Which Zeta is this?

The banking technology company founded by Bhavin Turakhia, which builds the Tachyon card processing and core banking platform. Not any similarly named payroll or accounting product.

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
Zeta: What is its strongest use case?

United States credit card issuing and processing, where legacy platforms make product changes slow and expensive.

Zeta: Does Zeta provide the BIN or licence?

No. It processes. Network membership, BIN sponsorship and regulatory obligations stay with the issuer.

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