Firebase vs Supabase
Self-hosted for $4/mo on hetzner CAX11, versus $0-$0/user/mo on Firebase.
Side-by-side
| Firebase | Supabase (self-hosted) | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | $0-$0/user/mo | $4.13/mo flat (any team size) |
| Hosting | Firebase's servers | Your VPS (hetzner CAX11) |
| Data ownership | Firebase controls the data | Your disk, your encryption |
| Source code | Closed | Open (Apache-2.0) |
| Customization | API + integrations only | Full source access; modify freely |
| Maintenance burden | Zero | Backups + updates (manual) |
| Health score (ossreplace) | — | 81 / 100 |
Why teams leave Firebase
Supabase answers this by: Open-source alternatives that can replace Firebase.
The cost math
Assumes 5-person team using Firebase at the midpoint price ($0/user/mo).
| Period | Firebase | Supabase on hetzner | You save |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly | $0 | $4.13 | $-4.13 |
| Yearly | $0 | $49.56 | $-49.56 |
| 3 years | $0 | $149 | $-149 |
Deploy Supabase now
One-click deploys at the cheapest provider for this workload:
Affiliate disclosure — these links may earn ossreplace a commission at no cost to you.
Common questions
Is Supabase a good alternative to Firebase?
Supabase is an open-source, self-hostable alternative to Firebase with an ossreplace health score of 81/100 — a composite of project activity, maturity, community, security, and adoption. It runs on your own hetzner VPS from $4.13/mo with full source access under the Apache-2.0 license, versus Firebase's $0–0/user/mo hosted plans.
How much cheaper is Supabase than Firebase?
A 5-person team pays about $0/mo on Firebase. Self-hosting Supabase on hetzner CAX11 costs a flat $4.13/mo regardless of team size — roughly $-149 less over three years (-Infinity% lower).
Is Supabase hard to self-host?
Supabase self-hosts on your own VPS. You handle the install, backups, and updates yourself in exchange for full data ownership and no per-seat fees.
Do you keep control of your data with Supabase vs Firebase?
Yes. Because Supabase runs on your own server, the data lives on your disk under your encryption. With Firebase, Firebase controls the hosting, storage, and access.