Supabase Pro alternatives: 4 free & open-source picks
Curated, verified, and actually free. No trials, no crippled tiers. Star counts and last-activity dates checked by hand, not scraped and forgotten.
The actual Postgres, Auth, Storage, Realtime, Functions, and API stack; free software, decidedly non-free operations.
licenseApache-2.0
runsyour machine or their cloud
installHosted Supabase project, or the official Docker Compose stack; `supabase start` runs the local stack
dataRelational 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.
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.
setupSelf-hosting is not 'just Postgres': the Compose stack needs many secrets and services, plus SMTP, object storage, TLS, backups, observability, and coordinated upgrades.
facts verified 2026-08-10
A drastically smaller substitute for one app: auth, files, realtime, API, and database in one binary, with no functions runtime.
licenseMIT
runsyour server
installDownload one platform binary and run `pocketbase serve`; build from Go source only for custom extensions
dataCollections, 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`.
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.
setupIt installs unusually cleanly, but a public deployment still needs process supervision, HTTPS/reverse proxying, backups of `pb_data`, and a deliberate upgrade routine.
facts verified 2026-08-10
A similarly complete backend console with auth, data, files, realtime, and functions; the database is not Postgres.
licenseBSD-3-Clause
runsyour machine or their cloud
installHosted Appwrite Cloud signup, or the official Docker installer/Compose stack
dataSelf-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.
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.
setupThe 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.
facts verified 2026-08-10
Postgres plus GraphQL, auth, storage, functions, and realtime; closer to Firebase than most Firebase alternatives.
licenseMIT
runsyour machine or their cloud
installHosted Nhost project, or Nhost CLI/Docker for local and self-hosted deployments
dataApplication 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.
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.
setupSelf-hosting means operating PostgreSQL, Hasura, authentication, storage, functions, networking, secrets, email, and upgrades rather than one small binary.
facts verified 2026-08-10
last updated 2026-08-10 · no votes, no pay-to-list · just what's real
| tool | license | running it | platforms | stars | active |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Supabase | Apache-2.0 | self-host, real ops | web, self-hosted, cli | 107,608 | 2026-08 |
| PocketBase | MIT | one-click install | macos, windows, linux, self-hosted | 58,600 | 2026-05 |
| Appwrite | BSD-3-Clause | docker to self-host | web, self-hosted | 56,789 | 2026-08 |
| Nhost | MIT | self-host, real ops | web, self-hosted, cli | 9,266 | 2026-08 |
People still pay for Supabase Pro because hosting products sell an operations team and failure-domain diversity, not merely a deploy button. The recurring cost buys patching, certificates, isolation, secrets, builds, deploys, logs, metrics, backups, capacity, incidents, and security response, not just the visible interface.
Is there a free alternative to Supabase Pro?
Yes: Supabase, PocketBase, Appwrite and 1 more. Every tool on this page is either open source or genuinely free to use long-term: no trials, no crippled tiers.
Should I just build my own Supabase Pro?
Our verdict is PARCIAL. 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. If you'd rather build, the exact one-shot prompt is free at puedovibecodearlo.app/supabase-pro.
