The short answer
- Choose the backend for the first real user flow: create an account, sign in, read and write permitted records, upload a file if needed, then recover access. Price the jobs in that flow rather than treating a database quota as a complete MVP backend. recipe
- Supabase Free covers database, auth and file storage up to 50,000 monthly active users and a 500 MB database, but free projects pause after a week of inactivity and get no automatic backups. supabase.com
- The Neon path in this guide is database-focused. Neon also offers Managed Better Auth, so compare that integration explicitly if sign-in is part of the MVP instead of assuming that database hosting includes a Supabase-compatible identity system. neon.com
- Render's free Postgres expires 30 days after creation and Railway's free option is a trial, so neither is a free tier for a live app. render.com
The economics
Costs from each vendor's pricing page, for one project, before compute add-ons and egress.
Supabase by monthly active users
| Monthly active users | 1,000 | 10,000 | 50,000 | 100,000 | 250,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Supabase (database, auth, storage) | $0Free | $0Free | $0Free | $25Pro | $512.50Pro, plus overage |
| Supabase (self-hosted)Apache-2.0; you run the server | $0+ your server | $0+ your server | $0+ your server | $0+ your server | $0+ your server |
By database size
| Database size, GB | 0.5 | 5 | 20 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Supabase | $0Free | $25Pro | $26.50Pro, plus overage |
| Neon | $0Free | usage-based: compute hours not modeled | usage-based: compute hours not modeled |
- Neon's Launch plan bills $0.106 per CU-hour and $0.35 per GB-month of storage, with no monthly minimum. neon.com
- These are dated catalog price calculations, not a total backend quote. Neon also lists additional backend services; check their scope and pricing separately before committing to a full replacement. neon.com
What the free tiers really are
Pick by situation
- Weekend project or demo: Supabase Free. Back it up yourself with the CLI, because free projects get no automatic backups. supabase.com
- Launched, with real users: Supabase Pro from $25/mo, for daily backups and no pausing. supabase.com
- Database-focused application: compare Neon’s Postgres path when the identity integration is already defined. If choosing Managed Better Auth too, review its framework and OAuth setup as another part of the stack. neon.com
- Infrastructure control matters: self-hosted Supabase is a candidate only with a named owner for database maintenance, security updates, monitoring and restores. Avoid making your first launch depend on learning all of those tasks at once. supabase.com
Compare before choosing
Considering a specific destination? Read its checked comparison before deciding what to move.
- Supabase vs Neon Checked comparison evidence, migration details, public switching accounts.
A real workflow: ask your agent
- Give your agent the jobs and the numbers you expect at launch. choose_stack compares vendors per job at that volume, links every price, and asks for the volumes you haven't given. stackcut.io
- Define access before the prototype grows: identify which records belong to each account or organization, then check both grants and row-level policies. Include signed-out and cross-account denial cases in the acceptance criteria. supabase.com
- Budget for account emails: Supabase’s default SMTP service is for restricted, non-production use. Configure a production email provider for verification and password-reset messages rather than discovering the restriction at launch. supabase.com
choose_stack({"project": "B2B SaaS MVP", "needs": [
{"job": "database", "features": ["Postgres database", "Auth"],
"volume": {"amount": 20000, "unit": "mau"}},
{"job": "hosting"}]})- A tier counts as a fit only when its published limit covers your number, and plans for non-commercial use are skipped unless you say the project is personal. stackcut.io
- Prove recovery: keep a database export, restore it into a disposable destination and check the data. Include custom auth/storage schema changes in the migration plan rather than assuming a default dump captures every customization. supabase.com
- Prove file access separately: Storage objects are not included in database backups. Check uploaded files and their permissions as a separate launch and recovery requirement. supabase.com
Fit
A good fit if
- You can name the database, identity, authorization and file-storage jobs your MVP needs and separate them from optional platform services. recipe
- You can estimate users, stored data and recovery needs, then evaluate the operating work behind a cheaper tier as well as the plan limits. supabase.com
Look elsewhere if
- You need a drop-in migration of an existing Supabase application. A Postgres import can cover database records while leaving identity, Storage and service integrations to separate work. neon.com
- You need SSO or compliance certifications from day one: Supabase puts SSO and SOC 2 on the Team plan. supabase.com
- You expect self-hosting to eliminate operations work. Server and database upkeep, hardening, availability and recovery become part of your job. supabase.com
Questions
Does Supabase Free pause my project?
Yes, after 1 week of inactivity, and you can have 2 active free projects. supabase.com
How do I back up a free Supabase project?
With the CLI: supabase db dump writes roles, schema and data as SQL files. Storage objects aren't included, so copy them separately. supabase.com
What does Supabase cost at 250,000 monthly active users?
$512.50/mo: Pro includes 100,000, and each user after that costs $0.00325. Compute add-ons and egress are extra. supabase.com
Is Render's free database a free tier?
What is the difference between sign-in and access control?
Sign-in identifies a user; database grants and row-level policies determine what that user can do. Supabase documents using Auth with row-level security. Check a user’s permitted records and the records they must never reach, including requests made outside your own interface. supabase.com
Can I build the application without building my own identity system?
Yes. You can build the product-specific workflow while retaining a managed identity service. Neon’s Managed Better Auth is an example of that boundary. Evaluate the supported framework and sign-in flow instead of equating a custom app with custom authentication infrastructure. neon.com
Do I need a separate email provider for a Supabase MVP?
For ordinary production email flows, yes: Supabase advises setting up custom SMTP. Its default service is restricted to authorized team addresses and is not a production delivery service. Include sending and delivery checks in the stack decision. supabase.com
What belongs in the build-versus-buy cost comparison?
Count initial integration, the monthly plan or server bill, monitoring, security maintenance and the time to test recovery. A self-hosted backend is more than the first setup; choose it when control or fit is worth carrying those responsibilities. supabase.com
Does importing Supabase tables prove the replacement is ready?
No. Neon’s database guide imports database schemas and records. Run your application against the destination and separately account for auth, files, permissions and services before switching the live backend. neon.com
Next steps
- Supabase alternatives in 2026: what to use instead, and what it really costs
- Transactional email for a startup: what it costs from 3,000 to 300,000 emails a month
- Vercel alternatives in 2026: what to use instead, and what it really costs
- Vercel vs Netlify
- Recipe: Backend as a service
- Recipe: Transactional email API
Check your own stack
Get your free stack audit
Stackcut finds every software subscription in your inbox and shows what to cancel, what to pay per use, and what AI can replace, with a spec and a cost for each. Your stack audit is free and takes about 2 minutes.
Or ask your agent
Connect the Stackcut MCP server (https://stackcut.io/mcp, no API key) and ask: “We're launching a B2B SaaS MVP and expect 20,000 monthly active users in year one. What's the cheapest database and auth that fits?”
choose_stack({"project": "B2B SaaS MVP", "needs": [
{"job": "database", "features": ["Postgres database", "Auth"],
"volume": {"amount": 20000, "unit": "mau"}},
{"job": "hosting"}]})