The closest Supabase alternatives are Nhost and Neon if you want to stay on Postgres, PocketBase if you want one small file running SQLite, Appwrite for an open source all-in-one backend you can host yourself, Convex for a reactive database written in TypeScript, and Firebase if you are happy on Google's hosted service.
| Backend | Database | Code licence |
|---|---|---|
| Supabase | Postgres | Apache-2.0 |
| Firebase | Cloud Firestore; SQL Connect uses Cloud SQL for PostgreSQL | Hosted Google service |
| Appwrite | Its own Databases service | BSD-3-Clause |
| PocketBase | Embedded SQLite | MIT |
| Convex | Its own reactive database | FSL-1.1-Apache-2.0 |
| Nhost | PostgreSQL with a Hasura GraphQL API | MIT |
| Neon | Serverless Postgres | Apache-2.0 |
Updated
Tick what matters to you and the list narrows to the backends that fit. A backend is the part of an app that stores data, signs people in and runs server code. Prices change often, so each row links to its own pricing page rather than quoting a free tier.
I need Postgres (SQL). Permissive open source licence (MIT, BSD or Apache). Code I can run on my own server.
7 of 7 backends match
On any Postgres option, a plain SQL dump is your exit door. Run it from a machine with the Postgres client tools installed, using the connection string from your dashboard.
The connection string holds a password, so read it from an environment variable rather than typing it into scripts.
# DATABASE_URL looks like postgresql://user:password@host:5432/postgres
pg_dump "$DATABASE_URL" --no-owner --file=backup.sql
# restore into another Postgres database
psql "$NEW_DATABASE_URL" --file=backup.sqlSupabase, Nhost and Neon all store data in Postgres, a long-established SQL database, so skills, tools and dumps carry over between them. PocketBase uses SQLite, which lives in a single file next to the app.
Firebase's main database, Cloud Firestore, stores documents rather than tables, and Convex has its own database driven from TypeScript functions. Both are pleasant for live-updating apps but mean rewriting queries if you leave.
It depends on the database you want. Nhost keeps Postgres and adds GraphQL, Appwrite gives a full backend under the BSD-3-Clause licence, and PocketBase packs a SQLite backend into one MIT-licensed file.
They bill differently: Firebase's Blaze plan is pay as you go per operation, while Supabase charges a plan fee plus usage. Run your expected traffic through both pricing pages before deciding.
Convex's backend repository says the self-hosted product includes most features of the cloud product, including the dashboard and CLI. Its licence is FSL-1.1 with an Apache 2.0 future licence.
Neon centres on serverless Postgres with branching and scale to zero. Its docs also list an Auth product, but compare storage and functions needs before switching everything.
If you do not want to manage servers, a hosted option you can learn quickly matters more than the licence. Many small sites never need a separate backend at all and use their site builder's forms and database.
Related: Supabase vs Firebase, Supabase pricing, Firebase pricing, Supabase Auth guide.
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