Supabase vs Firebase for UK Small Business Applications

Here's the thing - most UK small businesses building customer portals, booking systems, or inventory apps end up choosing Firebase because it's "Google's solution". Then six months later, they're staring at a £400/month bill for what started as a simple application.

We've moved three clients from Firebase to Supabase in the last year. Every single one cut their database costs by 60-80% whilst gaining features Firebase charges extra for. But there's more to this decision than just money.

Why This Choice Matters More Than You Think

Your backend database isn't just technical infrastructure - it's the foundation of your business data. Pick wrong and you'll either pay through the nose or hit walls when you need to grow.

Last month, a Bristol-based training company came to us after Firebase quoted them £2,400/year for their course booking system. The same functionality on Supabase? £240/year. That's not a typo.

The Real Cost Difference (With Actual Numbers)

Firebase's pricing makes sense until you actually use it. Here's what a typical UK small business application costs on each platform:

| Business Size | Firebase Monthly Cost | Supabase Monthly Cost | Annual Savings | |---------------|----------------------|----------------------|----------------| | Startup (5K users) | £180 | £20 | £1,920 | | Growing SME (20K users) | £640 | £75 | £6,780 | | Established business (50K users) | £1,200+ | £200 | £12,000+ |

But costs aren't everything. Firebase nickel-and-dimes you for features Supabase includes as standard.

What Firebase charges extra for:

• Real-time database subscriptions
• Advanced authentication providers
• File storage beyond 5GB
• Database backups
• SQL queries (seriously)

What Supabase includes free:

• Real-time subscriptions on any table
• OAuth with Google, GitHub, Discord, and more
• PostgreSQL with full SQL support
• Automatic backups
• Built-in file storage

Authentication: Where Supabase Shines

Most UK SMEs need customers to log in with Google or Microsoft accounts. Firebase makes this surprisingly painful.

With Firebase, you're writing authentication code like this:

// Firebase auth - verbose and error-prone
import { signInWithPopup, GoogleAuthProvider } from 'firebase/auth';
const provider = new GoogleAuthProvider();
provider.addScope('email');
provider.addScope('profile');
 
signInWithPopup(auth, provider)
  .then((result) => {
    const credential = GoogleAuthProvider.credentialFromResult(result);
    const token = credential.accessToken;
    const user = result.user;
    // More boilerplate code...
  })
  .catch((error) => {
    // Error handling...
  });

Supabase keeps it simple:

// Supabase auth - clean and straightforward
const { data, error } = await supabase.auth.signInWithOAuth({
  provider: 'google'
});

We've built dozens of authentication systems. The Supabase approach means fewer bugs and faster development.

Real-Time Features Without the Complexity

If your business needs live updates - order tracking, chat features, inventory changes - Firebase's real-time database feels like overkill. It's a NoSQL document store when most businesses need simple table relationships.

Supabase gives you real-time PostgreSQL. That means you can listen for changes on any table without restructuring your entire data model.

The SQL Advantage (Yes, It Matters)

Firebase forces you into NoSQL thinking. Everything becomes documents and collections, even when your data is clearly relational. Orders have customers. Invoices have line items. Products have categories.

With Firebase, querying across relationships means multiple database calls and complex client-side joins. With Supabase's PostgreSQL, you write one SQL query:

SELECT 
  orders.id,
  customers.name,
  customers.email,
  SUM(order_items.price * order_items.quantity) as total
FROM orders
JOIN customers ON orders.customer_id = customers.id
JOIN order_items ON orders.id = order_items.order_id
WHERE orders.created_at > '2026-01-01'
GROUP BY orders.id, customers.name, customers.email;

This query would require 3-4 separate Firebase calls plus client-side processing. It's faster, cleaner, and more reliable with SQL.

When Firebase Still Makes Sense

Look, Firebase isn't terrible. It makes sense for specific use cases:

Choose Firebase if:

• You're already deep in Google's ecosystem (Google Ads, Analytics, Workspace)
• You're building a mobile app that needs Google Play integration
• Your team has extensive Firebase experience
• You need Firebase's machine learning features

Choose Supabase if:

• You want SQL and proper relational data
• Cost control matters (it should)
• You value open source and data portability
• You're building web applications
• You want built-in real-time without complexity

Migration Reality Check

Moving from Firebase to Supabase isn't trivial, but it's not the nightmare vendors make it sound like. We've done this migration three times now.

Total migration time for a typical SME application: 2-3 weeks. Cost savings start immediately.

The Vendor Lock-In Problem

Here's what Firebase documentation doesn't tell you - once you're in, getting out is expensive. Your data lives in Google's proprietary format. Your authentication depends on Firebase's SDK. Your file storage uses Google Cloud Storage buckets configured specifically for Firebase.

Supabase gives you standard PostgreSQL and S3-compatible storage. If you ever want to move to AWS, Azure, or host your own servers, your data exports cleanly. You're never trapped.

Making the Right Choice for Your Business

For most UK SMEs building customer portals, booking systems, or inventory management applications, Supabase delivers better value and more control than Firebase.

The decision comes down to three factors:

1. Cost predictability - Supabase won't surprise you with usage spikes
2. Data control - PostgreSQL gives you flexibility Firebase's NoSQL can't match
3. Future-proofing - Open source means no vendor lock-in

If you're building something new, start with Supabase. If you're stuck on Firebase with rising costs, it's worth exploring a migration.

Need help choosing the right backend for your business application? Our web development team has worked with both platforms extensively. We can assess your requirements and recommend the best approach for your specific needs.

Ready to explore what's possible? Check out our case studies or get a quote for your project on our pricing page.