Appwrite vs Supabase: Key Differences and Verdict

On this page

Quick verdict
Key differences
Specifications
What are Appwrite and Supabase?
How to evaluate
FAQ
Sources

Quick verdict

Choose Supabase if your team wants a full Postgres database at the centre, with SQL, Row Level Security and a REST API generated from the schema; choose Appwrite if you prefer a set of backend services behind one API, including auth, databases, storage, functions, messaging and frontend hosting. Both are open source and can run in the vendor cloud or on your own servers. The deciding factor is the data model: Supabase is Postgres-first, while Appwrite offers its own managed database APIs and, separately, managed PostgreSQL or MySQL.

Choose Appwrite if

Shortlist Appwrite when you want auth, databases, storage, functions, messaging and frontend hosting under one platform, with self-hosted instances that match the cloud feature set.

Choose Supabase if

Shortlist Supabase when your team works in SQL, wants Row Level Security in Postgres as the access model, and values direct access to a full Postgres database in the cloud or self-hosted.

Key differences

Key differences between Appwrite vs Supabase
Aspect	Appwrite	Supabase
Data model	Appwrite offers TablesDB, DocumentsDB and VectorsDB behind an Appwrite API, or managed PostgreSQL and MySQL with direct SQL access.	Every project comes with its own dedicated Postgres instance; Supabase chose Postgres deliberately over a NoSQL store and builds its tools around it.
API layer	Appwrite places its own API on top of its managed databases, handling permissions, indexes, queries and realtime for the project.	PostgREST turns the Postgres database directly into a RESTful API, and a WebSocket engine streams database changes for realtime features.
Authentication model	Appwrite Auth authenticates users with email, SMS, OAuth, anonymous sessions and magic URLs, inside the same project as data and storage.	A JWT-based auth API manages users and issues access tokens, and it integrates with Postgres Row Level Security for data access rules.
Licence model	The Appwrite repository is available under the BSD 3-Clause License, and Appwrite describes itself as an open-source, MCP and agent-first platform.	The Supabase repository is under the Apache License 2.0, and Supabase builds on existing tools with MIT, Apache 2 or equivalent open licences.
Self-hosting options	Appwrite installs on any system that runs a Docker CLI or on Kubernetes with an official Helm chart, and self-hosted instances get the same features as Appwrite Cloud.	Supabase can run on your own server or cloud, but a self-hosted instance is a single project without branching, managed backups and PITR, ETL or the Management API.
Scope beyond the backend	Appwrite also covers frontend hosting through Sites, which deploys static, SSR and CSR apps from Git, and Messaging for email, SMS and push notifications.	Supabase focuses on the backend: Postgres, authentication, auto-generated REST and GraphQL APIs, realtime, edge functions and file storage.
Billing model	Appwrite lets you pick serverless or dedicated compute for each database, paying for usage or a fixed monthly tier for reserved resources.	Compute instances are billed hourly per project, paid plans include $10 a month in compute credits, and free projects pause after one week of inactivity.

More specifications

From the iThub profiles. “Not recorded” means the profile does not confirm it. Confirm prices and editions with each vendor.

Appwrite vs Supabase specifications
Attribute	Appwrite	Supabase
Starting price	See vendor pricing ↗	See vendor pricing ↗
API	Yes ↗	Yes
Founded	2019	2020
Headquarters	San Francisco, USA	Singapore
GitHub stars	57.9K ↗	114.6K ↗
Documentation	Official docs ↗	Official docs ↗

What are Appwrite and Supabase?

Appwrite

Appwrite is an open-source backend platform for building and scaling apps. It describes itself as an MCP and agent-first platform: MCP support is included so coding agents can work on a live Appwrite project. The repository is licensed under BSD-3-Clause, and Appwrite runs as a managed cloud platform or can be self-hosted on infrastructure you control.

The platform is split into services. Auth covers email, SMS, OAuth, anonymous sessions and magic URLs. Databases can use Appwrite databases or managed PostgreSQL and MySQL. Storage handles files with compression, encryption, image transformations and access control. Functions run serverless code in isolated runtimes, Sites deploys frontends from Git, and Messaging sends email, SMS and push notifications.

Supabase

Supabase provides a managed Postgres database bundled with authentication, auto-generated REST and GraphQL APIs, file storage, realtime subscriptions and edge functions. Its README calls it the Postgres development platform and says it builds the features of Firebase using enterprise-grade open source tools. The site adds that every project is a full Postgres database.

The platform is a combination of open source tools. PostgREST turns the database directly into a RESTful API, GoTrue is a JWT-based authentication API, Realtime is an Elixir server that listens to Postgres inserts, updates and deletes using websockets, and Storage is a RESTful API for managing files in S3 with Postgres handling permissions. Projects run on Supabase's cloud, where you can sign up and start without installing anything, or can be self-hosted via Docker using the same open-source components.

How to evaluate Appwrite and Supabase

Supabase and Appwrite both bundle authentication, data, storage and functions as open source backends you can use in the cloud or self-host. The difference is the core: Supabase gives every project a dedicated Postgres database and generates its APIs from the schema, while Appwrite exposes its own database services through an Appwrite API and adds messaging and frontend hosting.

Start from the data: decide whether your team wants to model and secure it in SQL or through a platform API. Then list the services you need beyond the database, decide who will operate a self-hosted instance, and model monthly cost for your expected users, storage and compute with each vendor.

Criteria to verify

Data model and query language fit
Access control model for multi-tenant data
Feature parity when self-hosted
Client SDKs for your target platforms
Backup, restore and migration options
Cost at expected users and storage

Proof-of-concept plan

Build the same small app on both: user sign-up with OAuth, a table with per-user access rules, file upload with permissions, one serverless function and a realtime feed. Run it on the managed cloud and on a self-hosted instance, then compare setup time, access rule complexity, backup and restore, and the monthly cost estimate.

Frequently asked questions

What is the main difference between Supabase and Appwrite?

Supabase is built around Postgres: every project gets a dedicated Postgres instance, PostgREST generates a REST API from it, and auth integrates with Row Level Security. Appwrite is a set of backend services behind one platform, with its own database APIs (TablesDB, DocumentsDB, VectorsDB), plus managed PostgreSQL or MySQL, functions, messaging and frontend hosting.

Are Supabase and Appwrite open source?

Yes. The Supabase repository is licensed under the Apache License 2.0, and Supabase is assembled from open source tools such as Postgres and PostgREST. The Appwrite repository is available under the BSD 3-Clause License. Both licences are permissive, so the main differences between the two are architecture and hosting rather than licence terms.

Can Supabase and Appwrite be self-hosted?

Yes, both. Self-hosted Supabase runs on your own computer, server or cloud, but as a single project and without some managed features such as branching, managed backups and PITR, ETL and the Management API. Appwrite installs with Docker or a Helm chart on Kubernetes, and its docs say self-hosted instances have the same features as Appwrite Cloud.

Does Appwrite support PostgreSQL?

Yes. Besides its own TablesDB, DocumentsDB and VectorsDB, Appwrite can host managed PostgreSQL and MySQL with direct SQL access. Its managed PostgreSQL offers direct connections, backups, pgvector and full SQL. Appwrite's own databases instead sit behind an Appwrite API that handles permissions, indexes, queries and realtime.

How are Supabase and Appwrite priced?

Supabase has a Free plan and paid plans; the Pro plan is $25 per month, compute instances are billed hourly per project, and paid plans include $10 a month in compute credits. Appwrite lets you choose serverless or dedicated compute for each database, paying for usage or for a fixed monthly tier when you need reserved resources. Check current plan quotas on both pricing pages.

What happens on the free plans of Supabase and Appwrite?

On Supabase, free projects are paused after one week of inactivity, and an account is limited to two active free projects. On Appwrite, a Free plan project that reaches a resource limit freezes, and the console stays available in read-only mode until you upgrade, remove resources or the billing cycle resets. A Pro project keeps running with additional charges.

Sources

Facts on this page come from these official pages, checked on November 6, 2026, and from the iThub profiles. Vendors change plans and features: confirm with them before buying.