Supabase vs Firebase in 2026: The Clear Winner for New Projects

I've built 50+ projects with Firebase and about 30 with Supabase over the past three years. The verdict? Supabase wins for 80% of new projects in 2026. This isn't even close anymore.

Firebase had its moment. But Supabase's maturity, combined with the power of PostgreSQL and better developer experience, makes it the obvious choice for most teams building serious applications today.

Why I Switched My Default Recommendation

Three years ago, I defaulted to Firebase for rapid prototyping. The real-time features were solid, the documentation was extensive, and Google's backing felt reassuring. But after shipping projects like VirtueScore on Supabase and comparing the development experience, I can't go back.

The breaking point? Complex queries. Firebase's document model falls apart the moment you need real relationships between data. I spent hours restructuring data and writing cloud functions for operations that take 30 seconds in SQL.

PostgreSQL vs NoSQL: It's Not Even Fair

Supabase runs on PostgreSQL. This single fact changes everything about how you build applications.

When I built VirtueScore, I needed complex filtering across multiple criteria, user ratings, and content categorization. With Firebase, this would have required:

• Denormalizing data across multiple collections
• Complex security rules that become unmaintainable
• Cloud functions for any non-trivial queries
• Careful index management for each query pattern

With Supabase? I wrote SQL. Done.

SELECT posts.*, 
       AVG(ratings.score) as avg_rating,
       COUNT(comments.id) as comment_count
FROM posts 
LEFT JOIN ratings ON posts.id = ratings.post_id 
LEFT JOIN comments ON posts.id = comments.post_id 
WHERE posts.category = 'technology' 
  AND posts.created_at > NOW() - INTERVAL '30 days'
GROUP BY posts.id 
ORDER BY avg_rating DESC;

Try writing that query in Firebase. You can't. You'd need multiple round trips, client-side joins, and probably a cloud function.

Developer Experience: Supabase Pulls Ahead

Firebase's developer experience peaked around 2020. Since then, it's felt increasingly clunky and over-engineered. Supabase feels like what Firebase should have become.

Database Browsing: Supabase's built-in database browser is incredible. You can inspect data, run queries, and debug issues without leaving the dashboard. Firebase's Firestore console feels primitive in comparison.

API Generation: Every table in Supabase automatically becomes a REST API with full CRUD operations. Want to add authentication? It's built in. Want real-time subscriptions? Add one line of code.

Local Development: Supabase CLI lets you run the entire stack locally, including auth, storage, and edge functions. Firebase's emulators work, but they're slower and don't support all features.

Real-Time Features: Finally Competitive

Firebase's real-time database was its killer feature for years. Supabase has caught up completely with PostgreSQL's built-in LISTEN/NOTIFY system.

I recently built real-time features for a client project where users needed instant updates across a complex data model. Supabase handled it with simple subscriptions:

const subscription = supabase
  .channel('project_updates')
  .on('postgres_changes', 
    { event: '*', schema: 'public', table: 'projects' }, 
    (payload) => updateUI(payload)
  )
  .subscribe()

The performance is excellent, and you get the full power of SQL for real-time queries.

Authentication: Simpler and More Flexible

Both platforms handle auth well, but Supabase's approach is cleaner. Row Level Security (RLS) policies in PostgreSQL are more intuitive than Firebase's security rules, especially for complex applications.

When I integrated user authentication in Christian Goodnight's app, Supabase's RLS policies were straightforward:

CREATE POLICY "Users can only see their own data" 
ON user_content FOR ALL 
USING (auth.uid() = user_id);

Firebase's security rules achieve the same result but with more verbose syntax and less flexibility for complex conditions.

Storage and Edge Functions: The Ecosystem Advantage

Storage: Both platforms offer file storage, but Supabase's integration with PostgreSQL means you can reference files directly in your database with foreign keys. Firebase Storage feels disconnected from Firestore.

Edge Functions: Supabase runs Deno-based edge functions that deploy globally. Firebase's Cloud Functions are more mature but also more expensive and slower for simple operations.

For Relic Directory, I needed to process user-uploaded images and store metadata. Supabase's integrated approach meant less glue code between services.

Pricing: Supabase Wins on Value

Firebase pricing gets expensive quickly, especially for storage and bandwidth. Supabase's pricing is more predictable and includes more generous limits.

| Feature | Firebase Free | Supabase Free | Winner | |---------|---------------|---------------|--------| | Database Operations | 50k reads/day | Unlimited | Supabase | | Storage | 1GB | 1GB | Tie | | Bandwidth | 10GB/month | 2GB | Firebase | | Auth Users | Unlimited | 50k MAU | Firebase* |

*Firebase wins on auth users, but Supabase's paid tiers are more reasonable.

When Firebase Still Makes Sense

I'm not completely anti-Firebase. It still wins in a few scenarios:

Mobile-First Apps: Firebase's mobile SDKs are more mature, especially for offline sync. If you're building a mobile-only app with simple data needs, Firebase might be easier.

Google Ecosystem: If you're already using Google Cloud extensively, Firebase's integration with other Google services (Analytics, Crashlytics, etc.) creates less friction.

Simple CRUD: For basic applications without complex queries, Firebase's document model can be simpler to understand for junior developers.

The Migration Reality

"But Jeremy, what about migrating existing Firebase projects?"

Don't migrate existing Firebase projects unless you have a compelling business reason. Migration is always expensive and risky. But for new projects? Start with Supabase.

I help teams make these decisions through my technical consultation services. The framework I use considers team expertise, project complexity, and long-term growth plans.

Performance in the Real World

Both platforms perform well at scale, but Supabase's PostgreSQL foundation gives it an edge for complex applications. I've seen Firebase struggle with:

• Complex queries requiring multiple round trips
• Inconsistent performance under heavy read loads
• Expensive operations that could be optimized with proper SQL

Supabase handles these scenarios more predictably because you have full control over indexing and query optimization.

My 2026 Recommendation

Choose Supabase if:

• You need complex queries or relationships
• Your team knows SQL (or wants to learn)
• You're building a data-intensive application
• You want predictable pricing
• You prefer PostgreSQL's reliability

Choose Firebase if:

• You're building a simple mobile app
• Your team is already deep in the Google ecosystem
• You need the most mature mobile offline sync
• You're prototyping something very simple

For most projects I see in 2026, Supabase is the better choice. The PostgreSQL foundation alone makes it worth the switch.

Getting Started with Supabase

Ready to try Supabase for your next project? I'd recommend starting with their excellent documentation and running through their tutorials.

If you need help architecting your project or want a technical review of your current Firebase setup, I offer project estimation and consultation services. Having built dozens of projects on both platforms, I can help you make the right choice and avoid common pitfalls.

The database wars aren't over, but in 2026, Supabase is clearly winning for new projects. Don't get left behind building on yesterday's technology.