SQLite vs Supabase for Solo Developers

Quick Comparison

SQLite Overview

SQLite is the most deployed database engine in the world, and there's a good reason: zero configuration. No server process to install. No network to configure. No users to create. Your database is a single file on disk. Copy it, back it up, or version control it by copying one file. It runs inside your application process, which means reads are incredibly fast with no network round trip.

I reach for SQLite whenever I'm prototyping. Create a new project, import the SQLite driver, and you have a fully functional relational database in seconds. Tables, indexes, joins, transactions, all of standard SQL. For desktop applications, mobile apps, CLI tools, and low-to-medium traffic web applications, SQLite handles the workload without any infrastructure overhead.

The "SQLite can't handle production" narrative is outdated. With WAL mode enabled, SQLite handles concurrent reads efficiently. Litestream provides real-time replication to S3 for durability. Services like Turso distribute SQLite to the edge. For single-server deployments serving thousands of users, SQLite performs remarkably well.

Supabase Overview

Supabase is a complete backend platform built on PostgreSQL. Database, authentication, file storage, real-time subscriptions, edge functions, and auto-generated REST APIs. You define tables, and Supabase gives you a full API without writing a single endpoint. Row-level security policies control access at the database level, so your frontend can talk directly to your database safely.

The free tier covers 500MB of database storage, 50,000 monthly active auth users, 1GB file storage, and real-time subscriptions. For MVPs and side projects, that's enough runway to validate an idea without any spending. I've launched products on Supabase's free tier and only started paying when real revenue justified it.

Supabase's real power is how much backend work it eliminates. Authentication with email, OAuth, and magic links is built in. File uploads go directly to Supabase Storage. Real-time listeners update clients when data changes. For a solo developer, this means you can build a fully functional application by writing only frontend code.

Key Differences

Deployment model. SQLite runs embedded inside your application. No external service, no network calls, no credentials to manage. Supabase runs as a remote service. Your application connects to Supabase over the network. This fundamental difference shapes everything: performance, complexity, offline capability, and architecture.

Scope of service. SQLite gives you a database. That's it. Auth, file storage, real-time, and API generation are your responsibility. Supabase gives you all of that bundled together. For solo developers building quickly, Supabase eliminates entire categories of work. For developers who already have a backend framework, SQLite's focused simplicity is an advantage.

Concurrent writes. SQLite supports one writer at a time. WAL mode helps by allowing concurrent reads during writes, but write contention exists under heavy load. Supabase's PostgreSQL handles multiple concurrent writers without issue. For applications with heavy simultaneous write traffic (real-time collaboration, high-frequency inserts), Supabase scales better.

Horizontal scaling. SQLite lives on a single server. Your application scales vertically (bigger server) or through read replicas (Turso, Litestream). Supabase's PostgreSQL can handle significantly more concurrent connections and write throughput. If your application might need to scale beyond a single server, Supabase provides a smoother growth path.

Development speed. Supabase is faster to ship with because auth, storage, and APIs come included. SQLite is faster to set up as a database, but you build everything else yourself. For a weekend hackathon or rapid MVP, Supabase's bundled services save days of development time.

Offline support. SQLite works offline because it's a local file. Perfect for mobile apps, desktop apps, and tools that need to function without internet. Supabase requires network connectivity. If offline capability matters, SQLite is the only choice.

Cost. SQLite is free, always. Public domain, no licensing, no hosting fees (it runs inside your application). Supabase is free up to their tier limits, then $25/month. For solo developers on extremely tight budgets, SQLite's zero cost is hard to beat.

When to Choose SQLite

• You're building a prototype or MVP and want zero setup
• Desktop applications, mobile apps, or CLI tools need a local database
• Your application needs to work offline
• Single-server deployment handles your expected traffic
• You want the simplest, cheapest database possible
• Your backend framework (Django, Rails, etc.) handles auth and APIs

When to Choose Supabase

• You want auth, storage, and real-time without building a backend
• You're building a frontend-first app that talks directly to the database
• Concurrent write traffic will be heavy
• You need auto-generated REST APIs from table definitions
• Multiple users need real-time updates when data changes
• You plan to scale beyond a single server

The Verdict

Both are excellent choices, and the decision depends on your application architecture.

SQLite is the right choice when you're building a backend-driven application with Django, Rails, Express, or any similar framework. Your framework handles auth, routing, and business logic. SQLite handles data storage with zero configuration and zero cost. For single-server deployments, prototypes, desktop apps, and mobile apps, SQLite's simplicity is unmatched.

Supabase is the right choice when you want to skip building a backend entirely. If you're a frontend developer building with React, Vue, or SvelteKit and you want auth, storage, real-time, and a database without writing API endpoints, Supabase is the fastest path to a working product. The 10/10 rating reflects how much time it saves.

My honest recommendation: if you're learning or prototyping, start with SQLite. You'll understand databases better when there's no abstraction between you and the data. When you need auth, real-time, or horizontal scaling, Supabase is the upgrade path. Both tools respect solo developers by being accessible, affordable, and simple to get started with.