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Firebase vs Supabase: What are the differences?

Firebase and Supabase are two popular backend as a service (BaaS) platforms that provide various features to support developing web and mobile applications. Below are the key differences between Firebase and Supabase.

  1. Real-time Database: Firebase offers a real-time database that synchronizes data across clients in real-time, allowing for seamless updates and collaboration. In contrast, Supabase utilizes a PostgreSQL database, which provides strong relational database features but does not have native real-time functionality without the use of additional tools like websockets or triggers.

  2. Authentication: Firebase provides built-in authentication services with support for various providers like Google, Facebook, and email/password. On the other hand, Supabase also offers authentication features with support for OAuth providers but is more customizable as it allows developers to choose their own authentication logic and storage.

  3. Data Storage: Firebase provides cloud storage for storing user-generated content like images, videos, and files. In comparison, Supabase leverages PostgreSQL's BLOB data type for storing files, offering more flexibility in managing and querying the data within the database.

  4. Serverless Functions: Firebase offers serverless functions through Google Cloud Functions, allowing developers to run backend code without managing servers. In contrast, Supabase recently announced support for serverless functions using AWS Lambda, providing a similar serverless architecture for application logic.

  5. Real-time Push Notifications: Firebase includes support for sending real-time push notifications to users through Firebase Cloud Messaging (FCM), enabling developers to engage users with timely updates. With Supabase, developers need to set up external services or use other solutions to achieve real-time push notifications functionality.

In Summary, Firebase and Supabase differ in their real-time database capabilities, authentication services, data storage options, serverless function support, and real-time push notifications handling.

Advice on Firebase and Supabase
Needs advice
on
ApolloApolloFirebaseFirebase
and
Socket.IOSocket.IO

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.

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Replies (3)
Timothy Malstead
Junior Full Stack Developer at Freelance · | 7 upvotes · 463.3K views
Recommends
on
FirebaseFirebase

I would recommend looking hard into Firebase for this project, especially if you do not have dedicated full-stack or backend members on your team.

The real time database, as you mentioned, is a great option, but I would also look into Firestore. Similar to RTDB, it adds more functions and some cool methods as well. Also, another great thing about Firebase is you have easy access to storage and dead simple auth as well.

Node.js Express MongoDB Socket.IO and Apollo are great technologies as well, and may be the better option if you do not wish to cede as much control to third parties in your application.

Overall, I say if you wish to focus more time developing your React application instead of other parts of your stack, Firebase is a great way to do that.

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Recommends
on
AblyAbly

Hello Noam 👋,

I suggest taking a look at Ably, it has all the realtime features you need and the platform is designed to guarantee critical functionality at scale.

Here is an in depth comparison between Ably and Firebase

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Recommends
on
8base8base

Hey Noam,

I would recommend you to take a look into 8base. It has features you've requested, also relation database and GraphQL API which will help you to develop rapidly.

Thanks, Ilya

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Pros of Firebase
Pros of Supabase
  • 371
    Realtime backend made easy
  • 270
    Fast and responsive
  • 242
    Easy setup
  • 215
    Real-time
  • 191
    JSON
  • 134
    Free
  • 128
    Backed by google
  • 83
    Angular adaptor
  • 68
    Reliable
  • 36
    Great customer support
  • 32
    Great documentation
  • 25
    Real-time synchronization
  • 21
    Mobile friendly
  • 18
    Rapid prototyping
  • 14
    Great security
  • 12
    Automatic scaling
  • 11
    Freakingly awesome
  • 8
    Super fast development
  • 8
    Angularfire is an amazing addition!
  • 8
    Chat
  • 6
    Built in user auth/oauth
  • 6
    Ios adaptor
  • 6
    Awesome next-gen backend
  • 6
    Firebase hosting
  • 4
    Speed of light
  • 4
    Very easy to use
  • 3
    Great
  • 3
    It's made development super fast
  • 3
    Brilliant for startups
  • 2
    The concurrent updates create a great experience
  • 2
    Push notification
  • 2
    .net
  • 2
    Cloud functions
  • 2
    Free hosting
  • 2
    Free authentication solution
  • 2
    JS Offline and Sync suport
  • 2
    Low battery consumption
  • 2
    I can quickly create static web apps with no backend
  • 2
    Great all-round functionality
  • 1
    Large
  • 1
    Easy to use
  • 1
    Free SSL
  • 1
    Faster workflow
  • 1
    Google's support
  • 1
    CDN & cache out of the box
  • 1
    Easy Reactjs integration
  • 1
    Simple and easy
  • 1
    Good Free Limits
  • 1
    Serverless
  • 6
    Relational Database
  • 5
    Self hosting
  • 3
    Free
  • 2
    Open source
  • 2
    Postgres hosting
  • 2
    Easy deployment
  • 1
    Focus on product, not on deployment
  • 1
    Faster development
  • 1
    Realtime
  • 1
    Huge time-saver

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Cons of Firebase
Cons of Supabase
  • 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
  • 3
    Very unstable server
  • 3
    No Relational Data
  • 2
    Too many errors
  • 2
    No offline sync
  • 0
    No cons

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- No public GitHub repository available -

What is Firebase?

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.

What is 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.

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What are some alternatives to Firebase and Supabase?
Parse
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MongoDB
MongoDB stores data in JSON-like documents that can vary in structure, offering a dynamic, flexible schema. MongoDB was also designed for high availability and scalability, with built-in replication and auto-sharding.
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Auth0
A set of unified APIs and tools that instantly enables Single Sign On and user management to all your applications.
Realm
The Realm Mobile Platform is a next-generation data layer for applications. Realm is reactive, concurrent, and lightweight, allowing you to work with live, native objects.
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