Firebase vs Supabase
Firebase vs Supabase compared for European indie developers and small startups. Pricing, EU jurisdiction, GDPR posture — and why Runsite (an EU-registered PaaS in Frankfurt) is worth a look.
// firebase problems → runsite solutions
Sound Familiar?
Every Firebase frustration, solved.
Firebase problem
"Firebase locks me into Google"
Firestore, Cloud Functions, Firebase Auth — proprietary services that don't work outside Google Cloud.
Runsite solution
Open standards everywhere
PostgreSQL, Docker, S3. Standard tools that work on any platform.
Firebase problem
"GDPR compliance is complicated"
Firebase requires a Google Cloud DPA, data residency configuration, and careful SDK setup for EU compliance.
Runsite solution
GDPR by default
EU entity. EU servers. No configuration needed. Compliant from day one.
Firebase problem
"Costs spike with traffic"
Firebase charges per document read/write. A viral moment can mean a massive surprise bill.
Runsite solution
Fixed pricing + spending caps
Predictable monthly bills with hard limits. Traffic spikes don't break the bank.
// comparison
Runsite vs Firebase
Side-by-side. No marketing fluff — just facts.
| Feature | Runsite | Firebase |
|---|---|---|
| Vendor Lock-in | ✓ Open standards, Docker | ✗ Proprietary SDKs |
| EU Data Centers | ✓ Frankfurt (eu-central) | ✓ europe-west regions |
| GDPR Compliance | ✓ EU entity, full compliance | Complex DPA required |
| Backend Hosting | ✓ Full containers | Cloud Functions only |
| Database | ✓ Standard PostgreSQL | Firestore (proprietary) |
| Pricing Transparency | ✓ Fixed plans | Pay-per-read/write |
// the other side
What about Supabase?
Supabase gives you a great PostgreSQL BaaS. But free projects pause after 7 days, and it's a US company. Runsite gives you always-on EU hosting.
// supabase problems → runsite solutions
Sound Familiar?
Every Supabase frustration, solved.
Supabase problem
"My free project got paused"
Supabase pauses free-tier projects after 7 days of inactivity. Your demo, side project, or staging environment goes offline.
Runsite solution
Always-on free tier
Runsite's free tier doesn't pause. Your app runs 24/7, even if nobody visits for a month.
Supabase problem
"$25/project for Pro is expensive"
Running 3 projects on Supabase Pro costs $75/mo. The jump from free (with pausing) to paid is steep.
Runsite solution
Managed PostgreSQL from €5/mo
Standard PostgreSQL with auto-backups for €5/mo. Add a web service for €5/mo. Total: €10/mo.
Supabase problem
"Edge Functions can't be pinned to EU"
Supabase Edge Functions run on Deno Deploy. You can't control which region processes your requests.
Runsite solution
EU-only compute
Your containers run in our Frankfurt (eu-central) region. Every request is processed in Europe under EU law.
// comparison
Runsite vs Supabase
Side-by-side. No marketing fluff — just facts.
| Feature | Runsite | Supabase |
|---|---|---|
| Free Tier Availability | ✓ Always on, never pauses | ✗ Pauses after 7 days inactivity |
| Deploy Custom Apps | ✓ Any Docker container | ✗ BaaS only (Edge Functions) |
| GDPR Compliance | ✓ EU entity | ✗ US company (San Francisco) |
| PostgreSQL | ✓ From €5/mo | ✓ From $25/mo (Pro) |
| Edge Functions Region | ✓ EU pinned | ✗ Deno Deploy, no EU pinning |
| Auth + Realtime | Bring your own | ✓ Built-in (GoTrue, Realtime) |
| Auto-Generated APIs | Bring your own | ✓ REST + GraphQL from schema |
| Open Source | Closed source | ✓ Open source (Apache 2.0) |
// why consider runsite
Beyond Firebase and Supabase
EU PaaS for indie developers and small European startups. One region: Frankfurt.
EU-First Infrastructure
While Firebase and Supabase default to US markets, Runsite is built exclusively for European developers. Frankfurt (eu-central) region, EU entity, EU jurisdiction — no transatlantic transfers.
Real GDPR Compliance
EU-registered entity. Your data is governed by European law. No US jurisdiction, no CLOUD Act.
Predictable Pricing
No per-invocation charges, no surprise bills. Fixed plans with hard spending caps and Telegram alerts.
Common Questions
FAQ
Which is better for EU hosting, Firebase or Supabase?
Neither Firebase nor Supabase is EU-native. Both are US-headquartered and route the majority of traffic through US data centers. For genuine EU data residency, an EU-registered platform like Runsite is the safer choice — a Frankfurt (eu-central) region under EU jurisdiction, no transatlantic transfers, no CLOUD Act exposure.
Which has the better free tier, Firebase or Supabase?
Free tiers on both Firebase and Supabase change frequently and often include compute or bandwidth caps that expire after a trial period. If a permanent free tier matters, evaluate the current terms on each provider before committing.
Is Firebase or Supabase GDPR-compliant?
Both can be configured to support GDPR-compliant workloads via Data Processing Agreements (DPAs), but as US entities they remain subject to the CLOUD Act. For workloads where US jurisdiction is a hard blocker, an EU-headquartered provider is required.
What is the cheapest way to deploy a side project — Firebase or Supabase?
Pricing on both Firebase and Supabase can scale unpredictably with traffic or build minutes. Hard spending caps are not available on either platform. Predictable monthly pricing with usage caps is a differentiator to look for elsewhere.
// explore alternatives
Try the European Alternative
Skip the Firebase vs Supabase debate. Deploy on Runsite.
Start Free on Runsite →