Supabase vs Firebase for Mobile Apps (2026)
Supabase vs Firebase for React Native apps. I migrated from Firebase to Supabase after two projects. PostgreSQL, open source, and no vendor lock-in won.
I Migrated. Here's Why.
My first two solo apps used Firebase. Worked fine initially. Then I hit the walls:
- Firestore's query model couldn't handle the joins I needed
- Firebase Auth tokens were hard to validate server-side in NestJS
- Vendor lock-in — my data was trapped in a proprietary format
- Pricing became unpredictable as usage grew
Migrated to Supabase for app #3. Haven't looked back.
The Comparison
| Factor | Supabase | Firebase |
|---|---|---|
| Database | PostgreSQL (SQL) | Firestore (NoSQL) |
| Query flexibility | Full SQL, joins, CTEs | Limited compound queries |
| Auth | GoTrue (open source) | Proprietary |
| Row Level Security | Built-in | Security Rules (different) |
| Real-time | PostgreSQL LISTEN/NOTIFY | Firestore snapshots |
| Storage | S3-compatible | GCS-backed |
| Open source | Yes | No |
| Self-hostable | Yes | No |
| Pricing | Predictable | Usage-based (unpredictable) |
| React Native SDK | @supabase/ssr |
@react-native-firebase |
Where Supabase Wins
SQL Is More Powerful Than Firestore Queries
Firestore can't do:
- JOINs across collections
- Complex aggregations
- Full-text search (without Algolia)
- Transactions across documents in different collections
PostgreSQL does all of this natively.
RLS > Security Rules
Firestore's security rules are a separate language you need to learn and test independently. Supabase RLS is just SQL — CREATE POLICY ... USING (auth.uid() = user_id). Same language as your queries.
Open Source = No Lock-in
If Supabase the company disappears tomorrow, I can run the open-source version on my own server. PostgreSQL is the world's most reliable database. My data is in a standard format I can take anywhere.
Try migrating off Firestore. I did. It took 3 days.
Where Firebase Wins
- Real-time sync: Firestore's real-time sync is more mature for complex offline-first scenarios
- Analytics + Crashlytics: Firebase Analytics and Crashlytics are excellent and free
- ML Kit: On-device ML features
- Cloud Functions: Simpler serverless functions
- Ecosystem: More tutorials, more Stack Overflow answers
The Pricing Reality
Firebase pricing looks cheap until it isn't:
- Firestore: $0.06/100K reads. Sounds cheap. Then your app does 10M reads/month = $6,000.
- Supabase Pro: $25/month. Predictable. Includes 8GB database, 250GB bandwidth, 100GB storage.
For my usage pattern (4 apps, moderate traffic), Supabase costs 80% less.
My Stack Now
Supabase for everything: auth, database, storage, real-time. NestJS for business logic the database shouldn't handle. This separation is clean and AI agents understand it.
Related
- Supabase Auth — how auth works in the stack
- React Native + NestJS + Supabase Starter — the full stack
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Skip the debate. Ship the app.
Shippen gives you a proven stack. React Native + NestJS + Supabase + 17 AI agents. One-time purchase.