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Appwrite vs Supabase

Two backend platform options for database. When each fits, what it costs, who moves from one to the other, and what makers who chose it say.

AppwriteBackend platformllms.txtMCPCLI
SupabaseBackend platformllms.txtMCPCLIIn Bolt, Lovable, v0
Ask your AI about this, with this page as the source:ChatGPT ↗Claude ↗Perplexity ↗

Which fits you

Choose Appwrite if
  • A Firebase-style backend — database, auth, storage, functions and messaging — that is open source and can be self-hosted.

Use it whenYou want a Firebase-like SDK experience but need the option to run it on your own servers.

Trade-offIts own document-style database API rather than plain SQL; self-hosting runs many containers.

Choose Supabase if
  • You want the database, auth and file storage in one project, and plain SQL you can take elsewhere

Use it whenYou want one service for most of the backend and a SQL database you can take with you.

Trade-offAuth, storage and database in one vendor makes leaving harder later, and free projects pause after a week without activity.

At a glance

AppwriteSupabase
Used by8 makers' products · 1 open-source projects563 makers' products · 75 open-source projects
Cost at default usagedatabase size 8 GB, data transfer 50 GB, document or row reads 10 million reads, document or row writes 2 million writes—$25/mo Pro
Downloads53.6k/wk−28% vs npm25.4M/wk+96% vs npm
PricingFree to self-host; Appwrite Cloud has a free plan and paid per-project plans with usage limits.Free tier (inactive projects pause); paid plans per project plus usage. · paid from $25/mo
Free tierYesYes
Open sourceYes · self-hostableYes · self-hostable
Incidents, 90 daysfrom its status pageno public status feed50+ (16 major)

What makers say

Makers on using it for database, from Product Hunt and Starter Story interviews, each linked to the source. Products with a page of their own and fuller notes first.

On Appwrite
Imagine is powered by Appwrite Cloud as its core infrastructure layer. We use Appwrite’s databases, auth, storage, messaging, and realtime services to generate production-ready applications, and Appwrite Sites to handle hosting and global distribution for every app Imagine creates.
Imagine, the makerSep 2026 ↗
Rubium has it's back-end fully powered by Appwrite Cloud, we always trusted the team and their awesome services thanks to the great documentation, ease of use and security compliance.
Rubium, the makerMar 2024 ↗
We used Appwrite to handle all the heavy backend stuff - user accounts, database, storage. It saved us time and headaches, so we could focus on building the actual product.
DeepGuard, the makerJun 2025 ↗
4 more on the Appwrite page →
On Supabase
One Postgres with RLS on every table is the reason a solo founder can ship contracts, invoices and a client portal without a backend team. Auth, storage and realtime came for free.
Accordio AI, the makerSep 2026 ↗
Supabase made it dead simple to manage db and the best part is that we can connect it to Claude for product analysis without having to set up Posthog or other event tracking tools.
Clico, the makerSep 2026 ↗
For powering our backend and database. Managing user uploads and conversion jobs efficiently is critical, and Supabase's real-time capabilities keep everything running smoothly! 🔥
Segwise, the makerSep 2026 ↗
402 more on the Supabase page →

Loved and watch-outs

Themes that recur in makers' words and Hacker News comments, each linked to what it summarises.

AppwriteOn Product Hunt: 4.7★, 31 reviews · mentioned most: all-in-one platform, authentication, backend as a service
Supabase
Most loved
  • One project covers Postgres, auth, storage and realtime, so a solo founder ships without stitching vendors or hiring a backend team. PHPH 2PH 3PH 4
  • It is real Postgres with SQL, row-level security and pgvector rather than a proprietary store. PHPH 2PH 3PH 4
  • Open source and self-hostable, which reduces vendor lock-in. PHPH 2HNPH 3
Watch-outs
  • Row-level security policies are hard to get right, so many apps end up exposing data publicly. HNHN 2HN 3HN 4
  • Reliability has been shaky for some, and it is not really built for self-hosting in practice. HN
  • Per-project billing adds up for developers running many small side projects. HN
On Product Hunt: 5.0★, 899 reviews · mentioned most: authentication features, easy setup, PostgreSQL integration · complaints: documentation gaps

Who uses each

Appwrite8 makers' products
ImagineAyeHighDeepGuardEmma IntelligenceNextJobRadionRubiumWise Buys
Supabase563 makers' products
1-bit.day21sta0.devAccordio AIAdventoryAident AIAirbook AIAISA (aisa.to) AI Fluency AssessmentAlaiAlmanacAlpaca ChatAmara+551 more
Used by both — often one replacing the other, or each for a different part of the product
Emma Intelligence

What makers pair each with

With Appwrite

Not enough makers' products to say yet.

With Supabase
Frontend Framework
Transactional Email
Hosting
LLM API

Neither quite right?

See the whole database decision →
ConvexBackend platformRealtime, collaborative apps written entirely in TypeScript.vs Supabase →
FirebaseBackend platformMobile apps that need offline sync and client-side SDKs.vs Appwrite →vs Supabase →
NeonManaged databaseServerless Postgres that scales to zero, with a branch per preview deploy.vs Supabase →
PlanetScaleManaged databaseApps that expect heavy scale and want zero-downtime schema changes.vs Supabase →
TursoManaged databaseSQLite at the edge, or one database per customer.vs Supabase →
MongoDBManaged databaseDocument-shaped data and teams already fluent in Mongo.vs Supabase →
PostgreSQLRun it yourselfThe engine behind most of the hosted options above, run on your own server or container for full control and a flat cost.vs Supabase →