Skip to content
PromptToProd

Best Firebase alternatives (2026)

Firebase is easy to start on, but Firestore is a proprietary NoSQL database, Cloud Functions need the pay-as-you-go Blaze plan, and moving off Google later takes real work. These backends give you a database, sign-in, file storage and realtime in one place like Firebase does, most of them open source or self-hostable, and three publish official guides for moving a Firebase project over. Ranked by our evidence-based score.

Editorial picks for this use case. See each tool page for its score breakdown. Last updated 2026-10-25.

#1
S
Supabase open source
Open-source Postgres development platform
Verified
93
/ 100
 #2
C
Convex open source
Reactive backend platform
Verified
84
/ 100
 #3
A
Appwrite open source
Open-source backend platform
Verified
80
/ 100
 #4
P
PocketBase open source
Open-source backend in one file: SQLite, auth, files and realtime
Verified
77
/ 100
 #5
N
Nhost open source
Open-source Postgres backend with GraphQL, auth, storage and functions
Verified
76
/ 100
 #6
F
Firebase
Google's app development platform
Verified
77
/ 100

The short version

Supabase (93) is the alternative most people mean: Postgres, auth, file storage, realtime and edge functions in one open-source platform, plus official guides for moving Firebase Auth users and Firestore data. Convex (84) is the closest match to Firebase’s realtime feel, with a reactive database you query from TypeScript. Appwrite (80) is the open-source, self-hostable all-in-one with a Firebase migration wizard in its console. PocketBase (77) is a free single-file backend for one cheap server, and Nhost (76) is Postgres with a GraphQL API. Firebase itself scores 77: a strong free tier and mobile tooling, but the lowest ownership score in its category.

Why people look for a Firebase alternative

Firebase’s Spark plan needs no payment method and is generous: Firestore gives 1 GiB of stored data, 50K document reads, 20K writes and 20K deletes a day and 10 GiB of egress a month, and Authentication is free up to 50K monthly active users. The catches are elsewhere. Firebase’s pricing page lists Cloud Functions as not available on Spark, so any server code means moving to the pay-as-you-go Blaze plan (eligible new accounts get $300 of Google Cloud credit). Firestore is a proprietary document database, so your data model, security rules and queries are Firebase-specific, and there is no self-hosted version.

Supabase: Postgres instead of Firestore

Supabase gives you a real Postgres database with auth, storage, realtime and edge functions, and it is the backend Lovable, Bolt and v0 connect to by default. Free is $0 with 2 active projects, a 500 MB database, 50,000 monthly active users, 5 GB egress and 1 GB file storage; free projects pause after a week of inactivity. Pro starts at $25/mo with the first project included (more from $10/mo each), 100,000 MAU then $0.00325 per user, 8 GB disk and 250 GB egress. Supabase’s docs include scripts to export Firebase Auth users to JSON and import them, and to dump Firestore collections to JSON and load them into Postgres tables.

Convex: the realtime feel without Firestore

Convex is a reactive backend: queries are TypeScript functions, and every client subscribed to a query updates automatically when the data changes, which is what most people like about Firestore. Auth, file storage, text and vector search and crons are included on every plan. The Free and Starter plan is $0 plus pay as you go, with 1M function calls and 0.5 GB of database storage included ($2.20 per extra million calls, $0.22 per extra GB), for 1 to 6 developers. Professional is $25 per developer a month. Convex can also be self-hosted.

Appwrite: open-source, with a Firebase migration wizard

Appwrite bundles auth, databases, storage, functions, messaging and Sites hosting, and runs as Appwrite Cloud or on your own server. Its docs describe a migration from Firebase driven by a Google Cloud service account, run from the Appwrite Console wizard, and usage during the migration does not count toward Appwrite Cloud charges. OAuth sessions don’t carry over (users sign in again) and functions are not migrated automatically. On the Free plan a project freezes when it hits a limit; on Pro it keeps running with overage charges and an optional budget cap. Dedicated database compute, including PostgreSQL and MySQL, starts at $10/mo per database. On price, Appwrite Free covers 75,000 MAU across up to 2 projects (paused after a week idle), and Pro is from $25/mo per project with 200,000 MAU, 150 GB storage and 2 TB bandwidth, then $3 per 1,000 extra users. At 300,000 MAU that is about $325/mo, against about $1,195/mo for Firebase Authentication with Identity Platform at the same size (see Appwrite vs Firebase).

PocketBase: one file on one server

PocketBase is a single MIT-licensed Go binary with an embedded SQLite database, realtime subscriptions, auth with 15+ OAuth2 providers, file storage and an admin dashboard. It is free; you pay only for the server you run it on. The trade-offs: it is self-host only, scales on one server, has no cloud functions (you extend it in Go or JavaScript instead) and is still pre-1.0.

Nhost: Postgres with GraphQL

Nhost pairs a dedicated Postgres database with an instant Hasura GraphQL API, realtime subscriptions, auth, storage and serverless functions, and it is open source (MIT) with a self-host option. Starter is free with 1 project, a 1 GB database, 1 GB storage and 5 GB egress, and pauses after a week of inactivity. Pro is $25/mo with a 10 GB database included. Users are unlimited on every plan.

Moving off Firebase

Plan the move in three parts. Users: Firebase Auth exports users, including password hashes, with the Firebase CLI auth:export command, and Supabase and Appwrite both document how to import them. Data: Firestore documents have to be mapped to tables (Supabase, Nhost) or to Appwrite or Convex collections, which is the slowest part for nested data. Code: security rules, Cloud Functions and client SDK calls are rewritten by hand on every platform here, and that is the part an AI coding agent can speed up most.

Side-by-side comparison

ToolScoreFree tierPricingBest for
Supabase93Yes: 2 projects, 500 MB DB, 50K MAU, 1 GB storage (pauses after 1 week idle)Pro from $25/mo per org (includes $10 compute credit)Default backend for vibe-coded apps (Lovable, Bolt, v0 integrations)
Convex84Yes: Free plan with hard resource capsProfessional $25/developer/mo; Starter $0 base plus pay-as-you-goTypeScript apps that need realtime data with minimal backend code
Appwrite80Yes: 75K MAU, 2 GB storage, 5 GB bandwidth, 750K executions; 2 projects, paused after 1 week idlePro from $25/mo per project (+$15/extra project); 200K MAU included, then $3 per 1,000An open-source, self-hostable Firebase alternative
PocketBase77Yes: free to self-host (no hosted plan)Free and open source (MIT); you pay only for your own server. No official hosting.Small and mid-size apps that want a free, portable backend on one cheap VPS
Nhost76Yes: Starter is free with 1 project, 1 GB database, 1 GB storage and 5 GB egress (the project pauses after 1 week of inactivity)Starter free (1 project). Pro from $25/mo with $15 compute credits included: 10 GB database (then $0.20/GB), 50 GB storage, 50 GB egress, daily backups. Team from $599/mo. Enterprise customBuilders who want a Supabase-style all-in-one Postgres backend but prefer a GraphQL API
Firebase77Yes: Spark plan with no-cost quotas (e.g. Firestore 1 GiB, 50K reads/day)Blaze: pay as you go above free quotasMobile and realtime apps that want a Google-managed backend

FAQ

What is the best Firebase alternatives in 2026?
Our top pick is Supabase (score 93/100): Open-source Postgres development platform. Runners-up: Convex, Appwrite, PocketBase, Nhost, Firebase.
Is Supabase free?
Supabase free tier: Yes: 2 projects, 500 MB DB, 50K MAU, 1 GB storage (pauses after 1 week idle). Paid pricing: Pro from $25/mo per org (includes $10 compute credit).
Is Convex free?
Convex free tier: Yes: Free plan with hard resource caps. Paid pricing: Professional $25/developer/mo; Starter $0 base plus pay-as-you-go.
Is Appwrite free?
Appwrite free tier: Yes: 75K MAU, 2 GB storage, 5 GB bandwidth, 750K executions; 2 projects, paused after 1 week idle. Paid pricing: Pro from $25/mo per project (+$15/extra project); 200K MAU included, then $3 per 1,000.
How are these tools ranked?
Each tool is scored out of 100 on fit, vibe-coder friendliness, output quality, pricing, ecosystem, momentum and code ownership, using desk research of official docs and pricing pages. Affiliate status never affects scores.
What is the best alternative to Firebase?
Supabase, at 93 in our ranking. It replaces Firestore with Postgres and bundles auth, storage, realtime and functions, has a free plan, and publishes migration scripts for Firebase Auth users and Firestore data. Convex (84) is the pick if you mainly want Firebase-style realtime updates in a TypeScript app.
Is there an open-source Firebase alternative?
Yes. Supabase, Appwrite, PocketBase and Nhost are open source and can be self-hosted. Convex is self-hostable under the FSL license, which converts to Apache-2.0 later.
Is Firebase free?
The Spark plan is free and needs no card: Firestore gives 1 GiB stored, 50K reads and 20K writes a day, and Authentication is free up to 50K monthly active users. Cloud Functions need the pay-as-you-go Blaze plan.
Can I migrate Firebase Auth users without resetting passwords?
Firebase’s CLI exports users with their password hashes via its auth:export command. Supabase’s docs provide scripts to export Firebase users to JSON and import them into Supabase Auth, and Appwrite’s migration reads users along with their hash config. Users who signed in with an OAuth provider sign in again after an Appwrite migration.
Which Firebase alternative is cheapest?
PocketBase costs nothing beyond your own server. Among hosted options, Supabase, Convex, Appwrite and Nhost all have free plans; Supabase, Nhost and Appwrite free projects pause after a week of inactivity. Supabase Pro, Nhost Pro, Appwrite Pro (per project) and Convex Professional (per developer) each start at $25 a month. For apps with lots of users, Appwrite Pro includes the most: 200,000 MAU before $3 per extra 1,000.

Sources (checked Oct 17, 2026)

Related guides

Official sites

Related guides

See the full category ranking · How we score