Supabase Pro wants a subscription.
These cost $0.
4 free alternatives to Supabase Pro, checked for license, recent activity and real adoption. Each one tells you the catch, so you can switch with your eyes open.
Supabase Pro vs Free Alternatives Matrix
Quick side-by-side comparison · $0/mo vs paid
| Alternative | Type | License | Where It Runs | Stars | Head-to-Head |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Supabase | open source | Apache-2.0 | Local or hosted | ★ 108k | Supabase Pro vs Supabase → |
| PocketBase | open source | MIT | Self-host | ★ 59k | Supabase Pro vs PocketBase → |
| Appwrite | open source | BSD-3-Clause | Local or hosted | ★ 57k | Supabase Pro vs Appwrite → |
| Nhost | open source | MIT | Local or hosted | ★ 9.3k | Supabase Pro vs Nhost → |
The picks
4 open source · ranked by fit
- 01
Supabase
open sourceApache-2.0Local or hosted108kaug 2026The actual Postgres, Auth, Storage, Realtime, Functions, and API stack; free software, decidedly non-free operations.
The catch vs Supabase ProThe self-hosted Supabase stack is the real product, but Pro's managed backups, upgrades, observability, support, scaling, and globally operated edge services become the user's problem.
Install, platforms & data +
- platforms
- webself-hostedcliself-host, real ops
- install
- Hosted Supabase project, or the official Docker Compose stack; `supabase start` runs the local stack
- setup
- Self-hosting is not 'just Postgres': the Compose stack needs many secrets and services, plus SMTP, object storage, TLS, backups, observability, and coordinated upgrades.
- your data
- Relational data, auth records, and platform metadata live in PostgreSQL; Realtime consumes the Postgres replication stream; object data lives in the configured storage backend with metadata in Postgres; edge-function and migration source stays in project files. Supabase Cloud stores and operates the managed copy.
- checked
- 2026-08-10
- 02
PocketBase
open sourceMITSelf-host59kmay 2026A drastically smaller substitute for one app: auth, files, realtime, API, and database in one binary, with no functions runtime.
The catch vs Supabase ProPocketBase's single SQLite binary gives up PostgreSQL compatibility, extensions, SQL tooling, row-level security semantics, edge functions, horizontal scale, and high availability.
Install, platforms & data +
- platforms
- desktopself-hostedone-click install
- install
- Download one platform binary and run `pocketbase serve`; build from Go source only for custom extensions
- setup
- It installs unusually cleanly, but a public deployment still needs process supervision, HTTPS/reverse proxying, backups of `pb_data`, and a deliberate upgrade routine.
- your data
- Collections, auth records, settings, and application data live in SQLite files under `pb_data`; uploaded files live under `pb_data/storage` by default or in configured S3-compatible storage, and schema migrations can be kept as JavaScript files in `pb_migrations`.
- checked
- 2026-08-10
- 03
Appwrite
open sourceBSD-3-ClauseLocal or hosted57kaug 2026A similarly complete backend console with auth, data, files, realtime, and functions; the database is not Postgres.
The catch vs Supabase ProAppwrite is similarly complete but its document database and APIs are not PostgreSQL, so existing SQL, extensions, migrations, row-level security, and database tooling do not transfer.
Install, platforms & data +
- platforms
- webself-hosteddocker to self-host
- install
- Hosted Appwrite Cloud signup, or the official Docker installer/Compose stack
- setup
- The installer is one command, but it expands into a large multi-container platform; production use still needs a domain, TLS, SMTP, storage, backups, and careful version upgrades.
- your data
- Self-hosted Appwrite stores application records in MariaDB, queues and cache in Redis, and uploaded files in Docker volumes or a configured object-storage adapter; functions and build artifacts are managed by the Appwrite worker/executor services. Appwrite Cloud stores the equivalent data in Appwrite's infrastructure.
- checked
- 2026-08-10
- 04
Nhost
open sourceMITLocal or hosted9.3kaug 2026Postgres plus GraphQL, auth, storage, functions, and realtime; closer to Firebase than most Firebase alternatives.
The catch vs Supabase ProNhost preserves PostgreSQL but centers Hasura GraphQL and a smaller platform, with less ecosystem depth, dashboard maturity, and managed feature coverage than Supabase.
Install, platforms & data +
- platforms
- webself-hostedcliself-host, real ops
- install
- Hosted Nhost project, or Nhost CLI/Docker for local and self-hosted deployments
- setup
- Self-hosting means operating PostgreSQL, Hasura, authentication, storage, functions, networking, secrets, email, and upgrades rather than one small binary.
- your data
- Application and auth records live in PostgreSQL, GraphQL metadata and migrations can live beside the project in version-controlled files, uploaded objects use S3-compatible storage, and serverless-function source remains in the project directory. Nhost Cloud runs those services in Nhost's infrastructure.
- checked
- 2026-08-10
Frequently Asked Questions
Direct answers · Supabase Pro open-source replacements
What is the best free alternative to Supabase Pro?+
The top free alternative to Supabase Pro is Supabase (open source, Apache-2.0). The actual Postgres, Auth, Storage, Realtime, Functions, and API stack; free software, decidedly non-free operations. Other popular Supabase Pro replacements include PocketBase, Appwrite, Nhost.
Can I self-host a free replacement for Supabase Pro?+
Yes. Of the 4 free alternatives to Supabase Pro, 4 can be self-hosted on your own server or local machine: Supabase (Apache-2.0), PocketBase (MIT), Appwrite (BSD-3-Clause), Nhost (MIT).
Should I vibe-code or build my own Supabase Pro clone from scratch?+
Our build verdict for Supabase Pro is KINDA (the core, yes. the polish, no). The core loop is buildable, but a dependable replacement becomes a real weekend or multi-day project. For Supabase Pro, self-host a Postgres backend with auth, storage, and a small API surface. The hard boundary is managed postgres, backups, auth delivery, storage, edge functions, observability, and support, plus infrastructure scale, operations, and reliability.
What is the catch when switching from Supabase Pro to Supabase?+
The self-hosted Supabase stack is the real product, but Pro's managed backups, upgrades, observability, support, scaling, and globally operated edge services become the user's problem.
