Prisma Postgres vs Supabase
Prisma Postgres: Serverless Postgres from the Prisma ORM team, on unikernels, billed per operation with no cold starts. Supabase: Open-source Postgres backend platform: database, auth, storage, realtime and edge functions in one project.
key differences
- Licensing: Prisma Postgres is proprietary (Proprietary (managed service)); Supabase is open source (permissive) (Apache License 2.0).
- Supabase is built for larger datasets (≤ 10 TB) than Prisma Postgres (≤ 100 GB).
- Only Supabase has geospatial, change data capture, pub/sub, branching.
- Prisma Postgres has a serverless option; Supabase does not.
choose prisma-postgres for
- +TypeScript apps built with Prisma ORM
- +Side projects and startups needing quick Postgres
- +Serverless functions on Vercel, Netlify or Cloudflare
- +Many small databases for templates or AI-generated apps
best at · OLTP, Content
choose supabase for
- +MVPs and startups needing a complete backend quickly
- +AI-generated apps from Lovable, Bolt and similar builders
- +Mobile and web apps with auth and file uploads
- +Realtime collaborative features via Postgres changes
best at · OLTP, Vector search, RAG
Prisma Postgres vs Supabase: FAQ
What is the difference between Prisma Postgres and Supabase?
Prisma Postgres: Serverless Postgres from the Prisma ORM team, on unikernels, billed per operation with no cold starts. Supabase: Open-source Postgres backend platform: database, auth, storage, realtime and edge functions in one project. Licensing: Prisma Postgres is proprietary (Proprietary (managed service)); Supabase is open source (permissive) (Apache License 2.0). Supabase is built for larger datasets (≤ 10 TB) than Prisma Postgres (≤ 100 GB). Only Supabase has geospatial, change data capture, pub/sub, branching.
When should I choose Prisma Postgres over Supabase?
Choose Prisma Postgres for TypeScript apps built with Prisma ORM; side projects and startups needing quick Postgres; and serverless functions on Vercel, Netlify or Cloudflare. Choose Supabase for MVPs and startups needing a complete backend quickly; AI-generated apps from Lovable, Bolt and similar builders; and mobile and web apps with auth and file uploads.
Is Prisma Postgres or Supabase more popular?
Supabase ranks #23 on the WhichDB Score (54.3/100) and Prisma Postgres ranks #228 (14.6/100). Popularity is not fit: check the requirements that matter for your project.
Are Prisma Postgres and Supabase open source?
No. Prisma Postgres is proprietary, closed-source software. Yes. Supabase is open source. License: Apache License 2.0.