Supabase vs Neon for Solo Developers

Quick Comparison

Supabase Overview

Supabase is the open-source Firebase alternative that actually uses PostgreSQL under the hood. You get a Postgres database, but also auth, file storage, edge functions, real-time subscriptions, and auto-generated REST and GraphQL APIs. It's a complete backend-as-a-service that happens to be built on the most reliable database engine available.

The free tier is genuinely generous. 500MB database, 1GB file storage, 50,000 monthly active auth users, and 500MB bandwidth. For side projects and early-stage startups, that's enough to validate your idea without spending a dollar. I've launched MVPs on Supabase's free tier and only upgraded when paying customers showed up.

The auto-generated REST API is the feature that saves the most time. Define your tables in the Supabase dashboard or through migrations, and a full REST API appears automatically. Row-level security policies control access at the database level. No backend code needed for basic CRUD operations. For a solo developer, that's an entire backend layer you don't have to build.

Neon Overview

Neon is serverless PostgreSQL, pure and simple. It's a PostgreSQL database that scales to zero when inactive, branches like git for development workflows, and cold-starts in under a second. No backend services attached. No auth layer. No file storage. Just excellent PostgreSQL hosting.

The branching feature is Neon's standout capability. Create a branch of your production database for development, testing, or preview deployments. Each branch is a full copy of your data that you can query, modify, and delete without touching production. For solo developers who need to test migrations safely, branching is invaluable.

Neon's free tier includes 0.5 GB of storage, 190 hours of compute per month, and autoscaling. The database suspends after inactivity and resumes in milliseconds. For side projects that see occasional traffic, you're essentially paying nothing. The cold start is fast enough that most users won't notice.

Key Differences

Scope of service. Supabase is a platform. You get auth, storage, real-time, edge functions, and a database. Neon is a database. You get PostgreSQL. This is the fundamental difference. Supabase replaces your entire backend. Neon replaces only your database hosting.

When you already have a backend. If you're running Django, Rails, Laravel, or any other backend framework, you already have auth, file handling, and API logic. You just need a database. Neon gives you exactly that without paying for features you won't use. Supabase's extra features become redundant when you already have a backend.

Serverless behavior. Neon scales to zero and resumes on demand. Supabase's free tier pauses databases after one week of inactivity (you need to log in to unpause). Neon handles this more gracefully. For projects with sporadic traffic, Neon's auto-suspend and auto-resume is seamless.

Database branching. Neon's branching lets you create instant copies of your database for testing and development. Supabase doesn't have an equivalent feature. For solo developers who want to test migrations against production data safely, Neon's branching is a genuine workflow improvement.

Auth and storage. Supabase includes authentication (email, OAuth, magic links) and file storage out of the box. Neon has neither. If you're building a frontend-only application and need auth without writing a backend, Supabase handles it. With Neon, you need a separate auth solution.

Pricing. Neon Pro starts at $19/month. Supabase Pro starts at $25/month. Both have generous free tiers. Supabase's higher price includes more services. If you only need a database, Neon is cheaper. If you need auth, storage, and real-time, Supabase's price includes all of that.

Connection handling. Both use connection pooling (PgBouncer for Supabase, built-in for Neon). Both work well with serverless functions and edge runtimes. Neither gives you trouble with connection limits in typical solo developer workloads.

When to Choose Supabase

• You want a complete backend without writing backend code
• You need auth, file storage, and real-time subscriptions alongside your database
• You're building a frontend-heavy application (React, Vue, SvelteKit) that talks directly to the database
• You want auto-generated REST APIs from your table definitions
• You value the broader feature set and are okay with the slightly higher price

When to Choose Neon

• You already have a backend framework (Django, Rails, Express) and just need a database
• You want serverless PostgreSQL that scales to zero for side projects
• Database branching is important for your development workflow
• You want the cheapest possible managed PostgreSQL
• You prefer a focused database service without extra features you won't use

The Verdict

Both are excellent, and the right choice depends on whether you need a backend or just a database.

If you're building a frontend-first application without a traditional backend, Supabase is the clear winner. The 10/10 rating reflects how much time it saves. Auth, storage, real-time, and auto-generated APIs mean you can launch a functional application without writing a single API endpoint.

If you're running Django, Rails, or any backend framework, Neon is the smarter pick. You already have auth, file handling, and business logic in your framework. Paying for Supabase's features when you won't use them doesn't make sense. Neon gives you serverless PostgreSQL with branching at a lower price.

My recommendation for solo developers: if you're starting a new project and want to ship fast, try Supabase first. The combination of Postgres plus auth plus storage plus real-time is an insane amount of value for free. If you later outgrow Supabase or want more control, your data is standard PostgreSQL, and migrating to Neon or self-hosted Postgres is straightforward.