PostgreSQL vs Supabase for Solo Developers

Quick Comparison

PostgreSQL Overview

PostgreSQL is the open-source relational database that powers a huge chunk of the internet. You get JSONB support, full-text search, advanced indexing, extensions like PostGIS, and rock-solid ACID compliance. It is the industry standard for a reason.

When you run Postgres yourself (or through a managed provider like Neon or Railway), you get total control. You decide the version, the extensions, the configuration, the backup strategy, and the scaling approach. There is no abstraction layer between you and your database. For experienced developers, this control is valuable.

The tradeoff is that you have to build everything else yourself. Authentication, file storage, real-time subscriptions, auto-generated APIs. Those are separate concerns you wire up with your own code or additional services.

Supabase Overview

Supabase is an open-source Firebase alternative built on top of PostgreSQL. You get a managed Postgres database plus authentication, file storage, edge functions, real-time subscriptions, and an auto-generated REST API. It is a full backend platform in a box.

The key insight is that Supabase IS PostgreSQL. Your data lives in a real Postgres database. You can connect to it with any Postgres client, run raw SQL, use any ORM, and migrate away if you ever need to. This is not a proprietary database with a SQL-like interface. It is actual Postgres with a platform built around it.

For solo developers, Supabase is a force multiplier. Instead of setting up auth, storage, and an API layer yourself, you get all of it on day one. The free tier is generous enough to run a real project, and the $25/mo Pro plan handles most early-stage applications.

Key Differences

Supabase is a superset, not a competitor. This is the most important thing to understand. Supabase gives you everything PostgreSQL gives you, plus auth, storage, real-time, and edge functions. The comparison is really "bare Postgres" vs "Postgres with a platform."

Speed of development. With raw Postgres, you write your own API endpoints, set up authentication from scratch, configure file storage separately, and build real-time features with WebSockets. With Supabase, all of this exists on day one. For a solo developer building an MVP, this difference is measured in weeks.

Control vs. convenience. Raw Postgres gives you total control over every aspect of your database. You pick the version, tune the settings, manage extensions, and handle scaling. Supabase manages all of this for you, which is great until you need something specific that their managed platform does not support.

Row Level Security changes the game. Supabase pushes you toward Postgres RLS policies, which means your authorization logic lives in the database. This is powerful because it works regardless of which client connects. But RLS policies can get complex, and debugging them is harder than debugging middleware in your application code.

Pricing at scale. Self-hosted Postgres costs whatever your server costs. A $5/mo VPS can run Postgres just fine. Supabase free tier works for small projects, but the $25/mo Pro plan kicks in fast when you hit limits. At higher scale, Supabase gets expensive because you are paying for the platform, not just the database.

Vendor lock-in is minimal but real. While your data is in standard Postgres, features like Supabase Auth, Storage, and Edge Functions use Supabase-specific APIs. Migrating the database is easy. Migrating the platform features takes work.

When to Choose PostgreSQL (Self-Managed)

• You already have a backend framework (Django, Rails, Laravel) handling auth and APIs
• You need fine-grained control over database configuration
• You want to minimize monthly costs with a cheap VPS
• You are comfortable managing database operations yourself
• Your project has specific Postgres extension needs

When to Choose Supabase

• You want to ship an MVP as fast as possible
• You need auth, storage, and real-time without building them yourself
• You are building a frontend-heavy app (React, Next.js, Svelte)
• You want a generous free tier for side projects
• You value developer experience and want everything in one dashboard

The Verdict

For most solo developers, Supabase is the better starting point. You get PostgreSQL with a complete backend platform on top, and the free tier is generous enough to validate your idea before spending money. The 10/10 solo dev rating is earned.

That said, if you are running a backend framework like Django or Rails, raw Postgres makes more sense because your framework already provides auth, ORM, and API layers. Adding Supabase on top would be redundant. My rule: if you have a backend framework, use Postgres directly. If you are building frontend-first with something like Next.js or SvelteKit, Supabase saves you enormous amounts of time.