Supabase vs Turso for Solo Developers

Quick Comparison

Supabase Overview

Supabase is a complete backend-as-a-service built on PostgreSQL. You get a relational database, authentication, file storage, real-time subscriptions, edge functions, and auto-generated REST APIs. It replaces an entire backend for many applications, especially frontend-heavy projects built with React, Vue, or SvelteKit.

The free tier is where Supabase shines for solo developers. 500MB database, auth for 50,000 users, 1GB file storage. That's enough to build, launch, and validate most side projects. I've gone from idea to deployed MVP on Supabase's free tier more than once. The upgrade to Pro only happens when paying customers justify the $25/month.

Row-level security lets your frontend talk directly to the database with fine-grained access control. Define policies, and Supabase enforces them at the database level. No middleware, no API routes for basic CRUD. That's a lot of backend code you never have to write.

Turso Overview

Turso is SQLite at the edge. Built on libSQL (a fork of SQLite), Turso distributes your database across global edge locations. Your data lives close to your users. Read latency drops dramatically because the database replica is in the same region as the request.

The embedded replica feature is Turso's killer capability. You can embed a read replica of your Turso database directly inside your application. Reads hit the local embedded copy with zero network latency. Writes sync back to the primary. For read-heavy applications, this architecture delivers performance that no traditional client-server database can match.

Turso's free tier includes 9GB total storage across databases, 500 databases, and 25 million row reads per month. That's generous for experimentation and small projects. The Scaler plan at $29/month unlocks more storage and higher limits.

Key Differences

Database engine. Supabase runs PostgreSQL, a full-featured relational database with JSONB, full-text search, window functions, and a massive extension ecosystem. Turso runs libSQL (SQLite-compatible), which is simpler and faster for basic operations but lacks PostgreSQL's advanced features. If you need complex queries, Postgres wins. If simplicity and speed are priorities, libSQL delivers.

Scope of service. Supabase is a platform with auth, storage, real-time, and edge functions. Turso is a database service. If you need authentication alongside Turso, you're adding Clerk, Auth.js, or another auth service. Supabase bundles it all together. For solo developers who want fewer moving parts, Supabase's integrated approach saves time and money.

Edge distribution. Turso's core value proposition is global edge distribution. Your database exists in multiple locations simultaneously. Supabase databases run in a single region. For applications serving a global audience where read latency matters, Turso's architecture is genuinely better. For applications where your users are mostly in one region, the edge distribution is unnecessary.

Embedded replicas. Turso lets you embed a database replica in your application for zero-latency reads. Supabase doesn't offer anything comparable. If your application is extremely read-heavy and latency-sensitive, Turso's embedded replicas are a unique advantage.

Write model. Supabase (PostgreSQL) handles concurrent writes efficiently through MVCC. Turso inherits SQLite's single-writer limitation, though writes sync through the primary. For write-heavy applications with many concurrent users, Supabase is more robust. For read-heavy applications with moderate writes, Turso performs exceptionally well.

Ecosystem and tooling. PostgreSQL has decades of tooling, extensions, and community support. libSQL is newer with a smaller ecosystem. ORMs, migration tools, and monitoring solutions all have better PostgreSQL support. If you rely on specific PostgreSQL extensions or tools, Supabase is the safer choice.

When to Choose Supabase

• You want a complete backend without writing backend code
• You need auth, storage, and real-time alongside your database
• Your application has significant concurrent write operations
• You prefer PostgreSQL's feature set and ecosystem
• You want to start free and upgrade only when revenue justifies it

When to Choose Turso

• You're building an edge-first application and latency matters globally
• Your application is heavily read-oriented
• You want embedded replicas for zero-latency local reads
• You're already using SQLite and want to add global distribution
• You value SQLite's simplicity but need it in the cloud

The Verdict

For most solo developers, Supabase is the better choice. The 10/10 vs 8/10 rating reflects the breadth of value Supabase delivers. You get a database, auth, storage, real-time, and edge functions in one service with a generous free tier.

Turso is a specialized tool that excels at a specific use case: globally distributed, read-heavy applications where latency matters. The embedded replica feature is genuinely innovative, and for the right project, Turso's architecture delivers performance that Supabase can't match.

But most solo developer projects don't need global edge distribution. They need a database, auth, and maybe file storage. Supabase handles all of that in one place. Turso handles only the database, and you need to assemble the rest yourself.

My recommendation: start with Supabase unless you have a specific need for edge-distributed reads. If you're building a content platform, a globally-distributed API, or an application where every millisecond of read latency matters, evaluate Turso. For everything else, Supabase gives you more for less effort.