SupabaseReview

Overview

Supabase is a powerful backend-as-a-service platform designed for solo developers and indie hackers looking to build scalable web applications without the hassle of setting up servers or managing databases. Its core value proposition lies in providing an instant PostgreSQL database, authentication services, and APIs out-of-the-box, allowing users to focus on coding rather than infrastructure management.

Key Features

• Instant Database Setup: Supabase offers a fully managed PostgreSQL database that you can start using immediately without any setup.
• Authentication Services: Provides built-in user authentication features such as sign-up, login, and password recovery.
• Real-time API Access: Unlimited API requests are available in the free tier, enabling developers to build robust applications with real-time data access.
• File Storage: Offers 1 GB of file storage for storing assets like images or documents directly within your project.
• Egress Bandwidth: Includes 5 GB of egress bandwidth, allowing you to transfer data out of Supabase's network without additional costs.
• Community Support and Daily Backups: Free tier projects receive community support and daily backups stored for 7 days.
• Email Support in Pro Plan: Upgrading to the Pro plan grants access to email support, ensuring that any issues can be resolved quickly.

Pricing

Free

As a solo user, you pay $0/month. The free plan includes:

• Unlimited API requests
• 50,000 monthly active users (MAUs)
• 500 MB database size
• 1 GB file storage
• 5 GB egress bandwidth
• Community support

Pro

As a solo user, you pay $25/month. The Pro plan includes:

• Everything in the Free Plan plus:
• Up to 100,000 MAUs (additional users cost $0.00325 per MAU)
• Up to 8 GB disk size per project (additional storage costs $0.125 per GB)
• Up to 250 GB egress bandwidth (additional bandwidth costs $0.09 per GB)
• Email support
• Daily backups stored for 7 days

Pros

• Instant Setup: No need to configure servers or databases, allowing you to start coding immediately.
• Scalability: Easily scale your application from a small project to handling millions of users as needed.
• Comprehensive Features: Offers everything from database management to user authentication and API access in one platform.
• Community Support: Free tier projects receive community support, which can be helpful for troubleshooting common issues.
• Daily Backups: Ensures data safety with daily backups stored for 7 days.

Cons

• Limited Storage and Bandwidth in Free Plan: The free plan has strict limits on storage (500 MB) and egress bandwidth (5 GB), which may not be sufficient for larger projects.
• Costly Scaling: As your project grows, the cost of additional users and resources can quickly escalate, making it expensive to scale beyond a certain point.
• No Offline Access: Supabase does not offer offline access capabilities, meaning you need an internet connection to use its services.

Best For

• Freelancers juggling multiple client projects who need a single workspace for database management and API integration.
• Indie hackers building MVPs quickly without worrying about backend infrastructure.
• Solo developers looking to launch scalable web applications with minimal setup time.

vs Alternatives

Obsidian

Price: FREE (optional $25 "Catalyst" donation) Reason to Choose Over Supabase: Offline-first, allowing you to work on your projects even without an internet connection.

Trello Standard

Price: $5/user/month (billed annually) Reason to Choose Over Supabase: Offers a more visual project management approach with Kanban boards and card-based organization, ideal for tracking tasks and progress visually.

Make

Price: Free up to 1,000 ops/month Reason to Choose Over Supabase: Provides extensive automation capabilities through workflows and integrations, making it suitable for automating repetitive tasks across different apps.