Open source vs Open source
Supabase vs PocketBase: Which One Should You Choose in 1970?
Supabase is a open source Backend as a Service (BaaS) tool priced as freemium / Usage-based / Open-Source, starting at $25/mo (Pro tier) or Free Self-Hosted. PocketBase is open source, priced as free (MIT), no official managed cloud, starting at $0 (self-hosted single binary).
Quick verdict
- Choose Supabase for
- Supabasefull power of standard PostgreSQL with Row Level Security (RLS)
- Choose PocketBase for
- PocketBaseone executable with SQLite, auth, realtime subscriptions and an admin UI
Supabase vs PocketBase: feature comparison
| Feature | SupabaseOpen SourceSelf-Hostable | PocketBaseOpen SourceSelf-Hostable |
|---|---|---|
| Open-Source Available | Yes | Yes |
| Self-Hostable | Yes | Yes |
| Self-Hosting Difficulty | Low (Official Docker template) | Low (one executable plus SQLite) |
| Pricing Model | Freemium / Usage-based / Open-Source | Free (MIT), no official managed cloud |
| Starting Price | $25/mo (Pro tier) or Free Self-Hosted | $0 (self-hosted single binary) |
| Free Tier | Free Cloud plan: 500MB database, 50,000 monthly active users | Unlimited self-hosted under MIT |
| GitHub Stars | 75k | 61.6k |
Pricing takeaway
Supabase starts at $25/mo (Pro tier) or Free Self-Hosted (free Cloud plan: 500MB database, 50,000 monthly active users). PocketBase starts at $0 (self-hosted single binary) (unlimited self-hosted under MIT).
- Supabase
- Freemium / Usage-based / Open-Source. Starts at $25/mo (Pro tier) or Free Self-Hosted. Free Cloud plan: 500MB database, 50,000 monthly active users.Full Supabase pricing breakdown
- PocketBase
- Free (MIT), no official managed cloud. Starts at $0 (self-hosted single binary). Unlimited self-hosted under MIT.Full PocketBase pricing breakdown
Pros and cons
Supabase
Visit SupabasePros
- Full power of standard PostgreSQL with Row Level Security (RLS)
- Built-in Authentication, Edge Functions, Realtime, and S3-compatible Storage
- Easy migration: plain standard SQL with zero proprietary lock-in
Cons
- Free tier projects pause after 1 week of inactivity
- Edge functions support TypeScript/Deno only
- Free projects pause after a week of inactivity, and heavy usage needs paid compute add-ons
PocketBase
Visit PocketBasePros
- One executable with SQLite, auth, realtime subscriptions and an admin UI
- Backups are a single database file copy
- MIT licensed with no vendor account, billing or seat count
Cons
- SQLite limits horizontal scaling under very high write load
- No official managed offering, so uptime and backups are yours
- Young plugin ecosystem compared with Supabase or Appwrite
Supabase vs PocketBase: FAQ
Is PocketBase a good alternative to Supabase?
Supabase is a open source Backend as a Service (BaaS) tool priced as freemium / Usage-based / Open-Source, starting at $25/mo (Pro tier) or Free Self-Hosted. PocketBase is open source, priced as free (MIT), no official managed cloud, starting at $0 (self-hosted single binary).
Which is cheaper, Supabase or PocketBase?
Supabase starts at $25/mo (Pro tier) or Free Self-Hosted (free Cloud plan: 500MB database, 50,000 monthly active users). PocketBase starts at $0 (self-hosted single binary) (unlimited self-hosted under MIT).
Is Supabase or PocketBase open source?
Supabase is open source (github.com/supabase/supabase). PocketBase is open source (github.com/pocketbase/pocketbase).
Can I self-host Supabase or PocketBase?
Supabase can be self-hosted. Difficulty: Low (Official Docker template). PocketBase can be self-hosted. Difficulty: Low (one executable plus SQLite).
Do Supabase and PocketBase have a free tier?
Supabase: Free Cloud plan: 500MB database, 50,000 monthly active users. PocketBase: Unlimited self-hosted under MIT.