Supabase vs Firebase vs AWS Amplify: The Definitive BaaS Comparison (2026)
Three platforms, three philosophies. Supabase bets on PostgreSQL and open-source. Firebase bets on Google's infrastructure and real-time. 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 (document) + RTDB | DynamoDB (NoSQL) |
| Auth | GoTrue (email, OAuth, SSO) | Firebase Auth (comprehensive) | Cognito |
| Real-time | Postgres Changes (WebSocket) | Native (Firestore + RTDB) | AppSync (GraphQL subs) |
| Storage | S3-compatible | Cloud Storage | S3 |
| Functions | Deno Edge Functions | Cloud Functions (Node) | Lambda |
| Hosting | No | Firebase Hosting | Amplify Hosting |
| GraphQL | pg_graphql | No (REST-like SDK) | AppSync (native) |
| Open-source | Yes (Apache 2.0) | No | Partially |
| Self-host | Yes | No | No |
| Free tier | Generous | Generous | Generous |
| Pricing model | Predictable tiers | Pay-per-use | Pay-per-use |
Database: The Core Decision
This is the most important choice. Everything else follows from it.
Supabase: PostgreSQL
Pros: Full SQL, joins, views, CTEs, extensions (pgvector, PostGIS), Row-Level Security, 40+ years of ecosystem. Your data model isn't limited by the platform.
Cons: Requires SQL knowledge. Schema migrations needed for changes. No built-in offline support.
Firebase: Firestore
Pros: Real-time by default. Offline sync built-in. Flexible schema (add fields anytime). Scales automatically.
Cons: No joins (denormalize everything). Complex queries require composite indexes. Data modeling is unintuitive for relational thinkers. Vendor lock-in.
AWS Amplify: DynamoDB
Pros: Virtually unlimited scale. Single-digit millisecond latency at any scale. Pay-per-request pricing.
Cons: Single-table design pattern is complex. No joins. Access patterns must be known upfront. Steep learning curve.
Verdict
Choose PostgreSQL (Supabase) if you have relational data, want SQL, or need extensions like pgvector for AI workloads.
Choose Firestore (Firebase) if you need real-time sync, offline-first, or are building mobile apps.
Choose DynamoDB (Amplify) if you need massive scale and are already in the AWS ecosystem.
Auth
Firebase Auth is the most comprehensive: email/password, phone, OAuth (Google, Apple, Facebook, Twitter, GitHub), anonymous auth, custom auth, and multi-tenancy. Largest provider support.
Supabase Auth covers all common methods: email/password, magic links, OAuth (30+ providers), phone auth, and SSO (SAML). Row-Level Security integration is unique and powerful.
Cognito (Amplify) is powerful but complex. User pools, identity pools, custom auth flows, enterprise SSO. Works but the DX is notoriously painful.
Winner: Firebase for breadth. Supabase for PostgreSQL integration. Avoid Cognito if you have a choice.
Real-Time
Firebase wins decisively. Firestore and Realtime Database are built for real-time from the ground up. Every read can be a real-time listener. Offline sync is automatic.
Supabase offers real-time via Postgres Changes (listen to INSERT/UPDATE/DELETE). Works well but it's an add-on to a relational database, not a native real-time system.
Amplify provides real-time through AppSync GraphQL subscriptions. Powerful but requires GraphQL knowledge and AppSync configuration.
Winner: Firebase. Real-time is its core strength.
Developer Experience
Supabase has the best DX for web developers. Clean dashboard, excellent docs, TypeScript SDK with full type inference, and a growing community. The dashboard lets you edit data, write SQL, and manage auth without leaving the browser.
Firebase has good DX for mobile developers especially. Extensive docs, battle-tested SDKs for iOS/Android/Flutter/web, and a massive community. The console is functional but not as clean as Supabase's.
Amplify has the most friction. The CLI generates a lot of boilerplate, configuration is complex, and the abstraction layers can be confusing. Improved significantly with Amplify Gen 2, but still the hardest to learn.
Winner: Supabase for web. Firebase for mobile. Amplify trails both.
Pricing
Supabase
- Free: 2 projects, 500MB DB, 1GB storage, 50K MAUs
- Pro: $25/month (8GB DB, 100GB storage)
- Team: $599/month
- Predictable monthly billing. No surprise bills.
Firebase
- Spark (Free): 1GB Firestore, 5GB storage, 50K reads/day
- Blaze (Pay-as-you-go): Pay per read/write/storage
- Can get expensive with high read volumes. Firestore reads add up fast.
AWS Amplify
- Free tier: 12 months of limited usage
- Pay-as-you-go: Per-request DynamoDB, per-invocation Lambda
- Complex pricing across multiple services. Hard to predict costs.
Winner: Supabase for predictability. Firebase and Amplify can surprise you with bills at scale.
When to Choose Each
Choose Supabase When:
- You want PostgreSQL (relational data, SQL, extensions)
- You're building a web app (especially Next.js)
- You want open-source and self-hosting options
- You prefer predictable pricing
- You want vector search for AI features
Choose Firebase When:
- You're building a mobile app (iOS/Android/Flutter)
- Real-time sync is critical (chat, collaboration, live data)
- You need offline-first capability
- You want the fastest path to a working prototype
- You're already in the Google Cloud ecosystem
Choose AWS Amplify When:
- You're already deep in AWS
- You need AppSync/GraphQL
- You're building at massive scale from day one
- Enterprise compliance requires AWS
- You need services that only AWS provides
FAQ
Can I migrate between these?
Supabase → anything: PostgreSQL data exports easily. Firebase → anything: Firestore data requires transformation (document → relational). Amplify → anything: DynamoDB export is possible but complex.
Which scales best?
Firebase and DynamoDB scale virtually infinitely. Supabase (PostgreSQL) requires manual scaling at very high volumes but handles most applications fine.
Which is best for a startup?
Supabase for web-first startups. Firebase for mobile-first. Avoid Amplify unless you have specific AWS requirements.
The Verdict
For most projects in 2026:
- Web apps → Supabase (PostgreSQL + great DX + predictable pricing)
- Mobile apps → Firebase (real-time + offline + native SDKs)
- Enterprise/AWS shops → Amplify (when AWS is non-negotiable)
Supabase has the most momentum and the best developer experience for new projects. Firebase remains unbeatable for real-time mobile. Amplify is a distant third unless AWS is a requirement.