StackShareStackShare
Follow on
StackShare

Discover and share technology stacks from companies around the world.

Follow on

© 2025 StackShare. All rights reserved.

Product

  • Stacks
  • Tools
  • Feed

Company

  • About
  • Contact

Legal

  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Service
  1. Stackups
  2. Application & Data
  3. Platform as a Service
  4. Realtime Backend API
  5. Firebase vs SignalR

Firebase vs SignalR

OverviewDecisionsComparisonAlternatives

Overview

Firebase
Firebase
Stacks42.5K
Followers36.0K
Votes2.0K
SignalR
SignalR
Stacks656
Followers1.2K
Votes146
GitHub Stars9.3K
Forks2.3K

Firebase vs SignalR: What are the differences?

Introduction

Firebase and SignalR are both popular tools used in web development for real-time communication and data synchronization. Although both serve similar purposes, they have some key differences that set them apart.

  1. Data Synchronization: Firebase is a real-time database that allows developers to store and sync data between clients and servers effortlessly. It provides features like real-time data synchronization, offline support, and automatic data replication. On the other hand, SignalR is a library used for real-time web functionality in ASP.NET applications. It enables server-to-client and client-to-server communication using WebSockets or other transport mechanisms. SignalR is primarily focused on real-time messaging and event-driven architecture.

  2. Backend Infrastructure: Firebase is a fully-managed platform provided by Google, which means developers do not need to worry about infrastructure management. It handles the server-side responsibilities like scaling, monitoring, and security. In contrast, SignalR requires developers to set up their own backend infrastructure using ASP.NET or ASP.NET Core. This means developers have more control over their backend implementation but also bear the responsibility of managing and maintaining their servers.

  3. Supported Platforms: Firebase is a cross-platform tool and provides SDKs for various platforms like iOS, Android, and web. This makes it suitable for developing real-time applications across multiple platforms. On the other hand, SignalR primarily focuses on .NET platforms and is tightly integrated with ASP.NET and ASP.NET Core. While SignalR can be used with other platforms through custom implementations, it is more suited for .NET-based applications.

  4. Data Querying: Firebase uses its own query language called Firebase Realtime Database Query, which is based on concepts like filtering, sorting, and limiting data. It allows developers to perform complex queries on the database in real-time. SignalR, on the other hand, does not provide a built-in query language. Developers need to use existing data storage solutions like databases or APIs to query data and then use SignalR for real-time updates and notifications.

  5. Authentication and Authorization: Firebase provides built-in authentication and authorization mechanisms, making it easier for developers to implement user authentication and access control. It supports popular authentication providers like Google, Facebook, and Twitter. SignalR, on the other hand, does not provide authentication and authorization out of the box. Developers need to implement their own authentication and authorization mechanisms using ASP.NET or other frameworks.

  6. Scalability and Performance: Firebase is designed to scale seamlessly and handle millions of concurrent connections. It automatically handles load balancing, scaling, and sharding of data across multiple servers. SignalR, on the other hand, relies on the infrastructure and scalability capabilities of the host application. It can be scaled by deploying multiple instances of the application and leveraging technologies like Azure SignalR Service for load balancing and scaling.

In summary, Firebase provides a fully-managed real-time database with cross-platform support and built-in authentication, while SignalR is a library primarily focused on real-time web functionality in .NET-based applications, requiring developers to manage their own backend infrastructure and authentication mechanisms.

Share your Stack

Help developers discover the tools you use. Get visibility for your team's tech choices and contribute to the community's knowledge.

View Docs
CLI (Node.js)
or
Manual

Advice on Firebase, SignalR

Jared
Jared

Contractor at Insight Global

Aug 9, 2019

ReviewonFirebaseFirebase

I started using Firebase over 5 years ago because of the 'real-time' nature. I originally used to use Real Time Database, but now I use Cloud Firestore. I recommend using the Google Firebase PaaS to quickly develop or prototype small to enterprise level web/mobile applications. Since Google purchased Firebase, it has exploded and it growing rapidly. I also find some level of comfort that it is Backed by Google.

272k views272k
Comments
Noam
Noam

Jul 16, 2020

Needs adviceonNode.jsNode.jsExpressJSExpressJSReactReact

We are starting to work on a web-based platform aiming to connect artists (clients) and professional freelancers (service providers). In-app, timeline-based, real-time communication between users (& storing it), file transfers, and push notifications are essential core features. We are considering using Node.js, ExpressJS, React, MongoDB stack with Socket.IO & Apollo, or maybe using Real-Time Database and functionalities of Firebase.

1.15M views1.15M
Comments
Eric
Eric

Owner at The Richner Group

Sep 24, 2020

Needs adviceonReactReactElasticsearchElasticsearchFirebaseFirebase

We are starting to work on a web-based platform aiming to connect investors/wholesalers (clients) and buyers (service providers). A third service provider, lenders, will be added in the future.

The ability to create profiles of buyers w/ their buying criteria, to create saved records of properties for sale (provided by client) to be cross-referenced against the buyers' criteria is our core functionality.

In-app, timeline-based, real-time communication between users (& storing it), file transfers, and push notifications are post MVP features we would like as well.

We are considering using React, Elasticsearch / App Search w/ their Search UI, and using Real-Time Database and functionalities of Firebase.

30.1k views30.1k
Comments

Detailed Comparison

Firebase
Firebase
SignalR
SignalR

Firebase is a cloud service designed to power real-time, collaborative applications. Simply add the Firebase library to your application to gain access to a shared data structure; any changes you make to that data are automatically synchronized with the Firebase cloud and with other clients within milliseconds.

SignalR allows bi-directional communication between server and client. Servers can now push content to connected clients instantly as it becomes available. SignalR supports Web Sockets, and falls back to other compatible techniques for older browsers. SignalR includes APIs for connection management (for instance, connect and disconnect events), grouping connections, and authorization.

Add the Firebase library to your app and get access to a shared data structure. Any changes made to that data are automatically synchronized with the Firebase cloud and with other clients within milliseconds.;Firebase apps can be written entirely with client-side code, update in real-time out-of-the-box, interoperate well with existing services, scale automatically, and provide strong data security.;Data Accessibility- Data is stored as JSON in Firebase. Every piece of data has its own URL which can be used in Firebase's client libraries and as a REST endpoint. These URLs can also be entered into a browser to view the data and watch it update in real-time.;Real-time Synchronization- Firebase takes a new approach to the way data is moved around an app. Rather than using a traditional request & response model, it works by synchronizing data between devices. Whenever your data changes, all clients are immediately notified within milliseconds. The synchronized data is also persisted, allowing new clients to be immediately updated.;First-class Data Security- Traditional applications intermix security code with application code, whereas Firebase treats security as a first-class feature. You define your security policies in one place using a flexible rules language, and Firebase ensures that they are consistently enforced across all parts of your application. Having all your security logic in one place allows for easy auditing and helps you avoid security mistakes. The safety and security of your data is our top priority.;Automatic Scaling- The Firebase API is built from the ground up for performance and scale. Whenever your data changes, Firebase calculates the minimum set of updates required to keep all your clients in sync. In addition, all Firebase API functions are designed to scale linearly with the size of the data being synchronized. More importantly, Firebase handles all of the scaling and operations for you. Your app will scale from its first user to its first million without any code changes.;Servers are Optional- Firebase can provide all of the data storage, control, and transmission needs of most apps. In many cases, Firebase can completely replace your server and server-side code. This means you no longer need to build complicated backend software and can instead focus on your application logic and your customers.
-
Statistics
GitHub Stars
-
GitHub Stars
9.3K
GitHub Forks
-
GitHub Forks
2.3K
Stacks
42.5K
Stacks
656
Followers
36.0K
Followers
1.2K
Votes
2.0K
Votes
146
Pros & Cons
Pros
  • 371
    Realtime backend made easy
  • 270
    Fast and responsive
  • 242
    Easy setup
  • 215
    Real-time
  • 191
    JSON
Cons
  • 31
    Can become expensive
  • 16
    No open source, you depend on external company
  • 15
    Scalability is not infinite
  • 9
    Not Flexible Enough
  • 7
    Cant filter queries
Pros
  • 32
    Supports .NET server
  • 25
    Real-time
  • 18
    Free
  • 16
    Fallback to SSE, forever frame, long polling
  • 15
    WebSockets
Cons
  • 2
    Expertise hard to get
  • 2
    Requires jQuery
  • 1
    Weak iOS and Android support
  • 1
    Big differences between ASP.NET and Core versions
Integrations
Trigger.io
Trigger.io
Famo.us
Famo.us
Backbone.js
Backbone.js
Ember.js
Ember.js
AngularJS
AngularJS
React
React
.NET
.NET

What are some alternatives to Firebase, SignalR?

Socket.IO

Socket.IO

It enables real-time bidirectional event-based communication. It works on every platform, browser or device, focusing equally on reliability and speed.

PubNub

PubNub

PubNub makes it easy for you to add real-time capabilities to your apps, without worrying about the infrastructure. Build apps that allow your users to engage in real-time across mobile, browser, desktop and server.

Pusher

Pusher

Pusher is the category leader in delightful APIs for app developers building communication and collaboration features.

Ably

Ably

Ably offers WebSockets, stream resume, history, presence, and managed third-party integrations to make it simple to build, extend, and deliver digital realtime experiences at scale.

Syncano

Syncano

Syncano is a backend platform to build powerful real-time apps more efficiently. Integrate with any API, minimize boilerplate code and control your data - all from one place.

NATS

NATS

Unlike traditional enterprise messaging systems, NATS has an always-on dial tone that does whatever it takes to remain available. This forms a great base for building modern, reliable, and scalable cloud and distributed systems.

SocketCluster

SocketCluster

SocketCluster is a fast, highly scalable HTTP + realtime server engine which lets you build multi-process realtime servers that make use of all CPU cores on a machine/instance. It removes the limitations of having to run your Node.js server as a single thread and makes your backend resilient by automatically recovering from worker crashes and aggregating errors into a central log.

deepstream.io

deepstream.io

Scalable Server for Realtime Web Apps with JSON structures that can be read, manipulated and listened to, messages that can be sent to one or more subscribers, and request response workflows, between two clients or servers.

8base

8base

A cloud service designed to power enterprise-grade web and mobile applications that require support for large numbers of users, complex data and transactional requirements, comprehensive role-based security and a modern look-and-feel.

Supabase

Supabase

Supabase is currently in early-Alpha .It is an open-source Firebase alternative. It adds realtime and RESTful APIs to your PostgreSQL database without a single line of code.

Related Comparisons

Bootstrap
Materialize

Bootstrap vs Materialize

Laravel
Django

Django vs Laravel vs Node.js

Bootstrap
Foundation

Bootstrap vs Foundation vs Material UI

Node.js
Spring Boot

Node.js vs Spring-Boot

Liquibase
Flyway

Flyway vs Liquibase