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PocketBase vs Supabase
A detailed comparison to help you choose between PocketBase and Supabase.
Last reviewed:
| Feature | PocketBase | Supabase |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing Model | Open Source | Freemium |
| Free Tier | Yes | Yes |
| Monthly Cost (Solo) | $0 | $0 |
| Target Audience | developers, solopreneurs | solopreneurs, startups, developers |
| Verified | No | Yes |
| Solo-Friendly | Yes | Yes |
| Open Source | Yes | Yes |
| Editorial Rating | 4.3/5 | 4.6/5 |
| Categories | Developer Tools | Developer Tools |
| Key Features | SQLite database with REST API, Real-time subscriptions, Built-in authentication, File storage, Admin dashboard | Full PostgreSQL database, Authentication & authorization, Real-time subscriptions, Edge Functions, File storage |
| Free Tier Quality | excellent | excellent |
Pricing Breakdown
PocketBase
Free and open-source. Self-hosted. Typical hosting cost: $5-10/month on a VPS.
Supabase
Free: 500MB database, 1GB storage, 50K MAUs. Pro: $25/month (8GB database, 100GB bandwidth, daily backups). Team: $599/month (SOC 2, priority support). Enterprise: custom.
Integration Overlap
Only in PocketBase (6)
JavaScript SDKDart/Flutter SDKREST APIS3-compatible storageDockerCaddy/Nginx
Only in Supabase (10)
Next.jsReactFlutterSwiftKotlinStripeVercelNetlifyPrismaDrizzle ORM
Use Case Fit
PocketBase
- * MVP and prototype backends
- * Mobile app backends
- * Side project databases
- * Simple CRUD applications
- * Self-hosted alternatives to Firebase
Supabase
- * Full-stack web application backend
- * Mobile app backend with real-time sync
- * Authentication and user management
- * File storage and image transformations
- * Serverless API development
PocketBase
Pros
- + Incredibly simple to deploy (one file)
- + Zero external dependencies
- + Real-time out of the box
- + Completely free and open-source
Cons
- - SQLite limits concurrent writes
- - Not suitable for high-scale apps
- - Smaller community than Supabase
- - Limited to Go for backend extensions
Supabase
Pros
- + Open source — no vendor lock-in
- + Full PostgreSQL power with a managed experience
- + Generous free tier for side projects
- + Real-time and auth built in from day one
- + Excellent developer documentation
Cons
- - Fewer managed services compared to Firebase
- - Edge Functions still maturing
- - Self-hosting requires significant DevOps knowledge
- - Connection pooling can be tricky at scale
Editorial Verdict
Both tools are evenly matched on price. PocketBase excels at mvp and prototype backends, while Supabase is stronger for full-stack web application backend.
SaaSLens Editorial Team
Editorial Team