Comprehensive side-by-side technical comparison between Supabase and PocketBase.
The Quick Verdict: Which One Should You Choose?
Choose Supabase if you need full relational PostgreSQL, Row-Level Security (RLS), edge functions, pgvector, and multi-tenant cloud scale.
Choose PocketBase if you want a single portable Go binary (<40MB RAM), embedded SQLite, built-in admin dashboard, and instant setup.
Technical Specification & Architecture Matrix
| Feature / Metric | Supabase | PocketBase |
|---|---|---|
| Software Category | databases | databases |
| Deployment Model | Self-Hosted / Private Cloud | Self-Hosted / Private Cloud |
| Licensing & IP Rights | Apache-2.0 | MIT |
| Pricing & Seat Model | $0 / Unlimited Users (FOSS) | $0 / Unlimited Users (FOSS) |
| GitHub Community Stars | ★ 111,414 | ★ 61,372 |
| Primary Tech Stack | TypeScript, Go, PostgreSQL | Go, SQLite, Svelte |
| Self-Hosting Difficulty | Medium | Easy |
| Hardware & RAM Footprint | 2 GB - 4 GB RAM (Hetzner CPX21 / $10/mo) | 1 GB - 2 GB RAM (Hetzner CX22 / $4/mo) |
| Detailed Inspect Page | Inspect Supabase Stack → | Inspect PocketBase Stack → |
Key Advantages & Trade-offs
Supabase Analysis
- ✓100% data sovereignty & on-premises privacy with no third-party data mining.
- ✓Zero per-seat licensing fees; scale unlimited team members on private VPS.
- ✓Full inspection and custom modification of source code (Apache-2.0 license).
- ✗Requires basic Linux or Docker server administration and automated backup scheduling.
- ✗Community support via GitHub issues and Discord rather than formal enterprise SLA.
PocketBase Analysis
- ✓100% data sovereignty & on-premises privacy with no third-party data mining.
- ✓Zero per-seat licensing fees; scale unlimited team members on private VPS.
- ✓Full inspection and custom modification of source code (MIT license).
- ✗Requires basic Linux or Docker server administration and automated backup scheduling.
- ✗Community support via GitHub issues and Discord rather than formal enterprise SLA.
Production Docker Compose Configurations
version: "3.8"
services:
studio:
image: supabase/studio:latest
restart: unless-stopped
ports:
- "${STUDIO_PORT:-3000}:3000"
environment:
STUDIO_PG_META_URL: http://meta:8080
POSTGRES_PASSWORD: ${POSTGRES_PASSWORD:-supabase_pwd}
db:
image: supabase/postgres:15.1.0.147
restart: unless-stopped
ports:
- "${DB_PORT:-5432}:5432"
environment:
POSTGRES_PASSWORD: ${POSTGRES_PASSWORD:-supabase_pwd}
volumes:
- db-data:/var/lib/postgresql/data
volumes:
db-data:version: "3.8"
services:
pocketbase:
image: ghcr.io/muchobien/pocketbase:latest
container_name: pocketbase
restart: unless-stopped
ports:
- "${PORT:-8090}:8090"
volumes:
- pb_data:/pb_data
volumes:
pb_data:Related Head-to-Head Software Battles
Supabase vs PocketBase: Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary difference between Supabase and PocketBase?
Supabase is a self-hosted open-source software (Apache-2.0 licensed) focused on The open source Firebase alternative with real-time PostgreSQL. In contrast, PocketBase is a self-hosted open-source solution (MIT licensed) focused on Open source backend in 1 single file with embedded SQLite.
How much money can a 25-person team save by choosing Supabase?
Commercial per-seat SaaS tools typically charge $10–$40/user/month ($3,000–$12,000/year for 25 seats). Self-hosting open-source software on a private VPS (typically $10–$25/month on Hetzner or DigitalOcean) reduces recurring software expenses by up to 95%.
What are the production server hardware requirements for self-hosting?
For Supabase, recommended baseline memory is 2 GB - 4 GB RAM (Hetzner CPX21 / $10/mo). For PocketBase, recommended memory is 1 GB - 2 GB RAM (Hetzner CX22 / $4/mo). Both can be provisioned using modern Docker Compose configurations.
Is data export and migration supported between Supabase and PocketBase?
Yes. Open-source solutions prioritize data portability with standard SQL database dumps, JSON/CSV exports, or native markdown files, ensuring zero vendor lock-in.