Supabase vs Firebase for mobile apps: why I chose Supabase
After using both in production, I explain why Supabase was the best decision for my 6 apps — and when Firebase might be better for you.
When I started developing Sudoku Play, I had to choose a backend. Firebase is the industry standard for mobile apps: everyone uses it, documentation is excellent, and it integrates perfectly with Google. But I chose Supabase. After 6 apps in production with Supabase, I explain why that decision was right — and when Firebase is still the better choice.
PostgreSQL vs NoSQL: the fundamental difference
Supabase uses PostgreSQL. Firebase uses Firestore (NoSQL). This difference defines everything else. With PostgreSQL you get real table relationships, complex queries with JOINs, stored functions, triggers, and native Row Level Security. With Firestore you get documents/collections that are fast to read but complicated when you need relational queries. For my apps (which have users, friends, duels, stats, achievements — all related), PostgreSQL was the natural choice.
Row Level Security: real security
RLS in Supabase lets you define security policies at the row level directly in the database. It doesn't depend on frontend or backend: the DB itself guarantees a user only sees their own data. In Firebase, security is handled with Security Rules in a proprietary language, harder to test and maintain. For my 6 apps sharing a single Supabase, RLS with separate schemas was the perfect solution: total isolation without duplicating infrastructure.
Multi-app with a single backend
My 6 apps share one Supabase instance. The global schema has users and friendships. Each game has its own schema (sudoku, color_sudoku, killer_sudoku, blockpuzzle, blockdrop, colormatch) with isolated tables, views, and functions. A player can have shared friends across apps but completely separate game data. With Firebase, I'd need separate projects or a much more complex document structure.
Edge Functions and Realtime
Supabase offers Edge Functions (Deno) for server-side logic and Realtime for real-time subscriptions. I use Edge Functions to validate puzzle completions and sync events. I use Realtime to detect when an opponent finishes a duel. Firebase has Cloud Functions (Node.js) which are more mature and have more available triggers. On this point, Firebase has the maturity advantage.
Pricing: Supabase wins for small/medium projects
Supabase has a free tier with 500MB storage, 2GB bandwidth, and 50,000 monthly active users. The Pro plan is $25/month. Firebase also has a generous free tier, but costs can scale quickly with Firestore reads/writes. For my 6 apps in growth phase, Supabase's free tier covers everything. With Firebase, I'd already be paying for read volume.
When to choose Firebase
Firebase is still better if: you need integrated Crashlytics and Analytics (I use Firebase Crashlytics alongside Supabase), Cloud Messaging for robust push notifications, or if your team already has Google ecosystem experience. It's also better for apps needing massive file hosting (Firebase Storage is more mature than Supabase Storage). The reality is they're not mutually exclusive: I use Supabase as DB/auth and Firebase for crash reporting and notifications.
Choosing a backend for your app? I can advise based on real experience with both platforms. Check my production apps and contact me.