Supabase vs Firebase vs AWS Amplify: Complete Comparison (2026)

Three cloud backends, three philosophies. Supabase bets on PostgreSQL. Firebase bets on Google's managed services. AWS Amplify bets on the AWS ecosystem. Here's which one deserves your next project.

Quick Comparison

Feature	Supabase	Firebase	AWS Amplify
Database	PostgreSQL (relational)	Firestore (NoSQL)	DynamoDB (NoSQL) or Aurora
Auth	GoTrue (email, OAuth, SSO)	Firebase Auth	Cognito
Real-time	Postgres changes via WebSocket	Firestore snapshots	AppSync (GraphQL subscriptions)
Storage	S3-compatible	Cloud Storage	S3
Functions	Deno Edge Functions	Cloud Functions	Lambda
Hosting	No (use Vercel/Netlify)	Firebase Hosting	Amplify Hosting
GraphQL	pg_graphql extension	No (REST + SDK)	AppSync (native GraphQL)
Open-source	Yes (self-hostable)	No	Partially
Free tier	Generous	Generous	Generous
Vendor lock-in	Low (PostgreSQL)	High (Firestore)	High (AWS services)

Supabase

Strengths

• PostgreSQL. Full SQL, extensions (pgvector, PostGIS), views, functions, triggers. Your data model isn't constrained by the platform.
• Row-Level Security. Fine-grained access control at the database level. Security that scales with your schema.
• Open-source. Self-host everything. No vendor lock-in on the core platform.
• Real-time. Subscribe to database changes via WebSocket. Build collaborative apps without additional infrastructure.
• Vector search. pgvector built-in for AI/embedding workloads.
• Edge Functions. Deno-based serverless functions at the edge.
• Developer community. Fastest-growing BaaS community. Excellent docs and tutorials.

Weaknesses

• No hosting. You need Vercel, Netlify, or another platform for your frontend.
• Self-hosting is complex. 12+ Docker containers for the full platform.
• NoSQL use cases. If your data is truly document-oriented, PostgreSQL adds unnecessary complexity.
• Scaling costs. The jump from free to Pro ($25/mo) and beyond can surprise growing apps.
• RLS complexity. Row-Level Security policies are powerful but have a learning curve.

Best For

Web applications with relational data. Teams who value PostgreSQL's power and want open-source flexibility.

Firebase

Strengths

• Complete platform. Database, auth, hosting, storage, functions, analytics, A/B testing, messaging, crashlytics — all integrated.
• Real-time by default. Firestore snapshots provide real-time data sync out of the box. Best real-time DX.
• Mobile-first. The best mobile SDKs (iOS, Android, Flutter). Firebase was built for mobile apps.
• Offline support. Firestore has built-in offline persistence and sync. Essential for mobile.
• Google ecosystem. Deep integration with Google Cloud, Analytics, and advertising.
• Firebase Extensions. Pre-built solutions for common tasks (Stripe payments, email sending, image resizing).

Weaknesses

• NoSQL limitations. Firestore's data model requires denormalization. Complex queries are limited. No joins.
• Vendor lock-in. Firestore is proprietary. Migrating away requires a complete data layer rewrite.
• Pricing surprises. Firestore charges per read/write operation. Unoptimized queries can generate massive bills.
• Cold functions. Cloud Functions have noticeable cold starts (2-5 seconds on first invocation).
• Query limitations. No full-text search, limited aggregation, no compound queries without composite indexes.
• Closed source. No self-hosting option.

Best For

Mobile apps (iOS, Android, Flutter) that need offline support and real-time sync. Rapid prototypes. Teams invested in the Google ecosystem.

AWS Amplify

Strengths

• AWS integration. Access to every AWS service: Lambda, SQS, SNS, S3, DynamoDB, Aurora, SageMaker, and hundreds more.
• AppSync (GraphQL). Managed GraphQL with subscriptions, offline support, and fine-grained authorization.
• Amplify Gen 2. TypeScript-first, code-first configuration. Significant DX improvement over Gen 1.
• CI/CD built-in. Git-based deployments with preview environments.
• Sandbox environments. Per-developer cloud sandboxes for development.
• Enterprise-ready. AWS compliance certifications (HIPAA, SOC2, FedRAMP, etc.).

Weaknesses

• Complexity. AWS is inherently complex. Amplify abstracts some complexity but you'll eventually hit raw AWS concepts.
• Cognito pain. AWS Cognito (auth) is notoriously difficult to customize and debug.
• DynamoDB learning curve. Single-table design, capacity planning, and query patterns are non-intuitive for SQL developers.
• Vendor lock-in. Deep AWS dependency. Migrating away from DynamoDB + Cognito + AppSync is extremely costly.
• Documentation. Amplify Gen 1 vs Gen 2 documentation is confusing. Outdated guides are common.
• Slow iteration. AWS services move slower than Supabase or Firebase for developer-facing features.

Best For

Enterprise applications requiring AWS compliance. Teams already invested in AWS. Apps needing GraphQL subscriptions with AppSync.

Database Deep Dive

This is the most important difference between the three platforms.

Supabase (PostgreSQL)

-- Relational queries, joins, aggregations — all SQL
SELECT users.name, COUNT(orders.id) as order_count
FROM users
JOIN orders ON users.id = orders.user_id
WHERE orders.created_at > NOW() - INTERVAL '30 days'
GROUP BY users.name
ORDER BY order_count DESC;

Pros: Full SQL power, extensions, mature ecosystem, portable. Cons: Schema migrations required. More upfront planning.

Firebase (Firestore)

// Document-oriented, denormalized data
const snapshot = await db.collection('users')
  .where('status', '==', 'active')
  .orderBy('createdAt', 'desc')
  .limit(20)
  .get();

Pros: Flexible schema, real-time by default, offline sync. Cons: No joins, denormalization required, query limitations, per-read pricing.

AWS Amplify (DynamoDB)

// Single-table design, key-based access patterns
const result = await ddbClient.send(new QueryCommand({
  TableName: 'MyApp',
  KeyConditionExpression: 'PK = :pk AND begins_with(SK, :sk)',
  ExpressionAttributeValues: {
    ':pk': `USER#${userId}`,
    ':sk': 'ORDER#'
  }
}));

Pros: Virtually unlimited scale, single-digit millisecond latency. Cons: Complex data modeling, no ad-hoc queries, steep learning curve.

Bottom line: If your data is relational (most apps), choose Supabase. If you need offline sync and real-time for mobile, Firebase. If you need unlimited scale on AWS, Amplify/DynamoDB.

Pricing Comparison

Free Tiers

Resource	Supabase	Firebase	Amplify
Database	500MB	1GB (Firestore)	25GB (DynamoDB)
Auth users	50K MAU	Unlimited (email)	50K MAU (Cognito)
Storage	1GB	5GB	5GB (S3)
Functions	500K invocations	2M/month	1M/month (Lambda)
Bandwidth	2GB	10GB	15GB

At Scale (10K MAU, moderate usage)

	Supabase	Firebase	Amplify
Estimated cost	$25-50/mo	$25-100/mo	$20-80/mo

Firebase costs are the most unpredictable due to per-operation pricing. Supabase and Amplify are more predictable.

Migration Difficulty

From → To	Difficulty	Notes
Supabase → anything	Easy	PostgreSQL is standard. Export and import.
Firebase → anything	Hard	Firestore data model must be restructured for relational DBs.
Amplify → anything	Hard	DynamoDB single-table design doesn't transfer. Cognito migration is painful.
anything → Supabase	Moderate	Import SQL data. Rewrite auth and real-time logic.

FAQ

Which is best for a Next.js app?

Supabase. Best TypeScript support, easiest integration, and PostgreSQL fits most web app data models.

Which is best for a mobile app?

Firebase. Best mobile SDKs, offline persistence, and real-time sync. Flutter + Firebase is an especially strong combination.

Which is cheapest?

Depends on usage pattern. Supabase is most predictable. Firebase can be cheapest for low-read apps but expensive for read-heavy workloads. Amplify/AWS is cheapest at very high scale.

Can I switch later?

From Supabase: yes, easily (it's PostgreSQL). From Firebase or Amplify: painful, plan for months of migration work.

Which has the best developer experience?

Supabase for web developers. Firebase for mobile developers. Amplify Gen 2 has improved significantly but still trails both for DX.

The Verdict

• Choose Supabase for web applications, relational data, and open-source values. The best default choice for most projects in 2026.
• Choose Firebase for mobile-first apps needing offline support and real-time sync. Unmatched mobile DX.
• Choose AWS Amplify for enterprise apps requiring AWS compliance, existing AWS infrastructure, or GraphQL-first architecture.

For most developers starting a new project in 2026: Supabase. Its PostgreSQL foundation means your data decisions stay flexible as your app evolves.