Comparison
Supabase vs Firebase for vibe-coded apps
Short answer. If Lovable, Bolt, Cursor, v0, or Replit already connected one of these, lock that product's access rules before you migrate. Both expect a public client config. Supabase protects Postgres with Row Level Security. Firebase protects Firestore, Realtime Database, and Storage with Security Rules.
A generated frontend is usually a browser app talking to a hosted database. The demo works as soon as the client has a URL and a key. The launch question is whether a second person, or a logged-out person, can read someone else's rows. This page is the longer version of our shorter Supabase vs Firebase note, aimed at that setup.
Updated 19 Oct 2026
| Question | Supabase | Firebase |
|---|---|---|
| Data model | Postgres. Tables, SQL, and joins you can read in the dashboard. | Cloud Firestore documents, or Realtime Database. Flexible records, with Security Rules instead of SQL policies. |
| What protects a record | Table grants, then Row Level Security policies. Supabase's docs say a new table in public on an existing project can already grant select, insert, update, and delete to the anon and authenticated roles. Adding a policy does not revoke those grants. | Firebase Security Rules. The console offers Locked mode, which denies client access, and Test mode, which grants access to all users. The docs say to configure the rules before you deploy the app. |
| Client key | The publishable key is meant for the browser when RLS and grants are in place. The secret key bypasses RLS and belongs on a server. Supabase says it is deprecating the older anon and service_role keys by the end of 2026. | A Firebase API key restricted to Firebase services identifies the project. Firebase's docs say that key is public by design. Security Rules and App Check are what limit data access. A key that also allows a non-Firebase API, such as the Gemini Developer API, is a separate secret. |
| Auth | Supabase Auth lives in the same project. A signed-in user is the authenticated Postgres role, and policies usually check auth.uid(). | Firebase Authentication. A rule that only checks that someone is signed in lets any account through. Firebase's rules guide says to confirm you actually want that. |
| Price checked 19 Oct 2026 | Free is $0, with 50,000 monthly active users, 500 MB of database, and a limit of two active projects. Free projects pause after a week of inactivity. Pro starts at $25/month, includes 100,000 monthly active users, then $0.00325 per MAU, and includes $10/month of compute credit. | Spark is the no-cost plan. Blaze is pay as you go: no-cost quotas, then charges for usage past them. Cloud Functions for Firebase require Blaze. We did not copy a per-read price onto this page. |
| Where a generated app meets it | Lovable's Cloud backend is configured with a Supabase URL and publishable key, and Lovable can also connect a Supabase project you already have. Bolt, Cursor, v0, and Replit can do the same with a URL and keys. | The web client config is generated into the frontend. That part matches Firebase's own guidance. The rules file is the part a prompt often skips. |
Lean toward Supabase when
The project already has Supabase tables, or you want SQL you can open and read. Budget time for grants and policies on every table the client can touch, including tables the model adds later.
Lean toward Firebase when
The project already uses Firestore or Realtime Database, or you want Google's document model and Firebase Authentication. Replace Test mode, and replace any rule that lets every signed-in user read the whole database.
Pick the one the app already uses, then test it with a second account and with no account. Moving from Firestore rules to Postgres policies is a rewrite, so do that only after the current rules are closed. The directory pages for both products are linked below. Auth0 is a different decision, covered in the auth comparison.
Related on ShipSafeStack
FAQ
Is the Supabase publishable key a secret?
No. Supabase's API key docs say the publishable key is safe to expose in a browser, mobile app, or source file because it only reaches what Row Level Security allows. The secret key bypasses Row Level Security and has to stay on a server.
Is a Firebase API key a secret?
Firebase's docs say an API key for Firebase services is public by design when it is restricted to Firebase APIs. It identifies the project. Security Rules and App Check authorize access. Do not put a key on the public client if its allowlist includes a non-Firebase API such as the Gemini Developer API.
Which one is safer for an app built with Lovable or Bolt?
Neither brand is safer. Lovable Cloud is wired with Supabase URL and publishable keys, and both builders can connect a project you create. Safety is the policies or rules on the data the client can request. A missing Supabase policy and a Firebase Test mode ruleset are the same class of mistake.
Can I switch later?
You can dump Postgres. Firestore documents and security rules do not become SQL unchanged, and Supabase client calls do not become Firestore calls unchanged. Fix the rules on the database you have before you plan a migration.
Sources
Checked 19 Oct 2026. Plan names and prices change. Open the current page before you buy.
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