Supabase
Open-source Firebase alternative built on PostgreSQL with instant APIs, authentication, storage, and real-time subscriptions.
What is Supabase?
Supabase is an open-source backend platform that gives you a full PostgreSQL database, authentication, file storage, and auto-generated APIs in minutes.
It's built on top of battle-tested tools like PostgreSQL, PostgREST, and GoTrue. Everything runs on actual Postgres, so you can use SQL directly or let Supabase generate REST and GraphQL APIs automatically.
Most builders use it to skip weeks of backend setup. You get user authentication (email, OAuth, magic links), file storage, real-time subscriptions, and row-level security out of the box. The dashboard makes it feel like working in a spreadsheet, but you have full database access when you need it.
Free tier includes 500MB database and 1GB file storage. Paid plans start at $25/month for production apps. Self-hosting is free if you want to run it yourself.
Good to Know
Built on PostgreSQL - you get a real database, not a proprietary system
Auto-generates REST and GraphQL APIs from your database schema
Includes authentication, file storage, and real-time subscriptions built-in
Open-source and self-hostable - no vendor lock-in
Free tier works for side projects, paid plans scale to production
How Vibe Coders Use Supabase
Launching a SaaS MVP with user auth and a database in one afternoon
Building a real-time chat or collaboration feature without setting up WebSockets
Storing and serving user-uploaded files without touching AWS S3
Prototyping a mobile app backend with auto-generated APIs
Frequently Asked Questions
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