Why We Dumped Firebase for Supabase and PocketBase (And How to Self-Host Them)

#docker #selfhosted #opensource #webdev

Originally published on SelfHostStack

For years, Firebase was the default backend-as-a-service (BaaS) for web and mobile startups. "Focus on your product, let Google manage the database."

Until you wake up to a surprise invoice because an unindexed Firestore query ran in an infinite useEffect loop.

In this breakdown, we examine why modern developers are fleeing Firebase in favor of Supabase (open-source PostgreSQL powerhouse) and PocketBase (single-binary SQLite speed), complete with Docker Compose templates and production hardware recommendations.

The 3 Inherent Flaws of Firebase

Vendor Lock-In: Firestore's proprietary NoSQL document format makes complex relational queries painful and migrations nearly impossible without writing custom ETL pipelines.
Per-Read/Write Pricing Anxiety: Every document read, write, and delete is metered. A simple dashboard refresh with nested collections can trigger thousands of billable operations.
No Native Vector AI Support: In the era of AI and LLM embeddings, Firestore lacks native vector indexing (like PostgreSQL's pgvector).

Option 1: Supabase — The Full PostgreSQL Powerhouse

If your app requires relational data integrity, complex SQL aggregations, foreign keys, row-level security (RLS), and vector search for AI embeddings, Supabase is the gold standard.

Supabase Highlights:

True PostgreSQL: Full access to standard SQL, extensions (pgvector, postgis, pg_trgm), and standard database dumps.
Instant APIs: Generates REST and GraphQL endpoints automatically based on table schemas.
Realtime WebSockets: Listen to database INSERT/UPDATE/DELETE events in real time.
S3 Object Storage: Built-in file upload buckets for images and documents.

Recommended Production Specs:

Hetzner CX32 (4 vCPU, 8GB RAM, 80GB NVMe) — €7.14/month.
Effortlessly serves thousands of concurrent API requests.

Option 2: PocketBase — The 1-File Wonder for Indie Devs

If Supabase feels too heavy for your lightweight MVP or side project, PocketBase is a revelation.

PocketBase is written in Go and packages an entire BaaS into a single standalone binary (<35MB):

Embedded SQLite with WAL mode (Write-Ahead Logging) handling 10,000+ reads/sec.
Real-time subscriptions over Server-Sent Events (SSE).
Built-in user authentication (OAuth2: Google, GitHub, Apple).
File storage and admin dashboard UI included out of the box.
RAM usage: < 40 MB at idle.

PocketBase Docker Compose:

version: '3.8'
services:
  pocketbase:
    image: ghcr.io/muchobien/pocketbase:latest
    container_name: pocketbase
    restart: unless-stopped
    ports:
      - "8090:8090"
    volumes:
      - ./pb_data:/pb_data
    healthcheck:
      test: ["CMD", "wget", "--no-verbose", "--tries=1", "--spider", "http://localhost:8090/api/health"]
      interval: 10s
      timeout: 5s
      retries: 3

Run docker compose up -d, navigate to http://your-server-ip:8090/_/, and your backend is live in under 60 seconds.

Cost Comparison: 1 Year Projection

Metric	Firebase Cloud	Self-Hosted Supabase (VPS)	Self-Hosted PocketBase (VPS)
Database Engine	Proprietary Firestore NoSQL	Pure PostgreSQL 15	Embedded SQLite WAL
10M DB Operations	~$18 - $45/mo	$0 (included)	$0 (included)
File Storage (100GB)	$2.60/mo + Egress	€3.81/mo (Hetzner Box)	€3.81/mo (Hetzner Box)
Fixed Server Cost	$0 base + variable	€7.14/mo	€3.79/mo
Total 1-Year Cost	$600 - $2,500+	~€85.68 ($92)	~€45.48 ($49)

Summary

You don't need to surrender your project's database to proprietary cloud silos. With Supabase and PocketBase, you get faster development speed, zero vendor lock-in, and a predictable monthly bill that never spikes.

Discover full deployment tutorials and 20+ other SaaS alternatives at SelfHostStack.

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