Nhost
Nhost is an open-source Firebase alternative that provides a complete backend-as-a-service platform with GraphQL, authentication, storage, and serverless functions to help you build and scale web and mobile applications.
Supabase
Supabase is an open-source Firebase alternative that provides a full suite of backend tools including a Postgres database, authentication, instant APIs, edge functions, and real-time subscriptions.
Quick Comparison
| Feature | Nhost | Supabase |
|---|---|---|
| Website | nhost.io | supabase.com |
| Pricing Model | Freemium | Freemium |
| Starting Price | Free | Free |
| FREE Trial | ✘ No free trial | ✘ No free trial |
| Free Plan | ✓ Has free plan | ✓ Has free plan |
| Product Demo | ✓ Request demo here | ✘ No product demo |
| Deployment | ||
| Integrations | ||
| Target Users | ||
| Target Industries | ||
| Customer Count | 0 | 0 |
| Founded Year | 2019 | 2020 |
| Headquarters | Stockholm, Sweden | Singapore, Singapore |
Overview
Nhost
Nhost provides you with a complete, open-source backend so you can focus on building your frontend without worrying about infrastructure. It combines a PostgreSQL database, Hasura for instant GraphQL APIs, and built-in authentication and storage into a single unified platform. You can manage your entire data layer through a visual dashboard or via the command line, making it easy to transition from a local development environment to a production-ready cloud setup.
Whether you are building a simple MVP or a complex enterprise application, you can use Nhost to handle user management, file uploads, and real-time data syncing. The platform also supports serverless functions, allowing you to write custom logic in Node.js or Python that scales automatically. By integrating these core backend components, you save weeks of configuration time and can deploy your applications globally with just a few clicks.
Supabase
Supabase provides you with a complete backend platform built on top of enterprise-grade open-source tools. Instead of spending weeks configuring servers and writing boilerplate code, you can spin up a dedicated PostgreSQL database in less than two minutes. It automatically generates REST and GraphQL APIs based on your database schema, allowing you to start building your frontend immediately without manual backend plumbing.
You can manage user signups with built-in authentication, store large files in S3-compatible storage, and write custom logic using edge functions. The platform handles the heavy lifting of scaling and security, so you can focus on creating your product. Whether you are building a simple MVP or a complex enterprise application, it offers the flexibility of SQL with the speed of modern serverless development.
Overview
Nhost Features
- Instant GraphQL API Generate a production-ready GraphQL API automatically from your PostgreSQL schema so you can query data instantly.
- Managed PostgreSQL Store your data in a dedicated PostgreSQL database that you can manage visually through a built-in dashboard.
- Built-in Authentication Secure your apps with ready-to-use authentication including email/password, social logins, and magic links for your users.
- Serverless Functions Deploy custom backend logic using Node.js or Python without managing any server infrastructure or scaling issues.
- Cloud Storage Upload and serve files securely with integrated storage that includes image transformation and granular access controls.
- Real-time Subscriptions Build reactive applications by subscribing to data changes in real-time through the GraphQL API without extra setup.
Supabase Features
- Managed Postgres Database. Get a full PostgreSQL database with every project, giving you total control over your data with SQL power.
- Instant APIs. Interact with your database immediately through automatically generated REST and GraphQL APIs that reflect your schema changes instantly.
- Real-time Subscriptions. Listen to database changes as they happen and sync data across all your connected users in milliseconds.
- User Authentication. Add secure login and user management to your app with support for email, passwords, and social providers.
- Edge Functions. Deploy custom server-side logic globally to handle webhooks, integrate third-party APIs, or process data closer to your users.
- Vector Embeddings. Store and query machine learning embeddings directly in your database to build AI-powered search and recommendation features.
- File Storage. Upload and serve large files like images and videos with built-in CDN support and easy access control.
- Database Webhooks. Trigger external services or serverless functions automatically whenever data is inserted, updated, or deleted in your tables.
Pricing Comparison
Nhost Pricing
- Shared infrastructure
- 500MB PostgreSQL database
- 1GB File storage
- 5GB Bandwidth
- 10,000 Monthly Active Users
- Community support
- Everything in Starter, plus:
- Dedicated infrastructure
- 8GB PostgreSQL database
- 10GB File storage
- 50GB Bandwidth
- 50,000 Monthly Active Users
- Email support
Supabase Pricing
- Unlimited API requests
- 50,000 monthly active users
- 500MB database size
- 5GB bandwidth
- 1GB file storage
- Community support
- Everything in Free, plus:
- 8GB database included
- 250GB bandwidth included
- 100GB file storage included
- Daily database backups
- No project pausing
Pros & Cons
Nhost
Pros
- Fast setup for GraphQL-based applications
- Open-source core prevents vendor lock-in
- Seamless integration between database and auth
- Generous free tier for initial development
- Excellent documentation for modern frontend frameworks
Cons
- Smaller ecosystem compared to Google Firebase
- Limited serverless function language support
- Learning curve for Hasura permissions logic
Supabase
Pros
- Extremely fast setup for new PostgreSQL databases
- Excellent documentation and active developer community
- Seamless integration between database and authentication
- Open-source foundation prevents vendor lock-in
- Generous free tier for hobbyists and startups
Cons
- Learning curve for users unfamiliar with SQL
- Limited support for complex NoSQL use cases
- Edge functions can have cold start delays
- Dashboard can feel overwhelming for beginners