Supabase vs Firebase Auth: Honest 2025 Comparison
Why we chose Supabase over Firebase for authentication, and how it simplifies security for SaaS founders.
For years, Firebase was the default choice for "backend-as-a-service." If you needed auth and a database quickly, you picked Firebase.
But in 2025, the tide has turned - especially for Next.js SaaS applications.
After building dozens of products with both, we've gone all-in on Supabase. Here is why Supabase wins the Auth war, and why it matters for your SaaS.
1. It's a Real Database (SQL)
This is the biggest difference.
Firebase is a NoSQL store. It's great for simple apps, but messy for SaaS.
- Connecting users to subscriptions? Painful.
- Searching and filtering data? Limited.
Supabase gives you PostgreSQL. It's the industry standard database.
- Your users are just rows in a table.
- You can connect user data to payments, teams, and usage easily.
- It's structured, clean, and grows with your business.
2. Better Security (RLS)
In Firebase, security rules live in a separate file with a unique syntax. It's easy to make mistakes.
In Supabase, security is built into the database. It's called Row Level Security (RLS).
Put simply: You can say "Users can only see their own rows." The database enforces this rule everywhere. No matter how you ask for data, you can never accidentally leak another user's info. It's safer by default.
3. You Own It
Firebase belongs to Google. If they change the pricing or shut it down, you are stuck.
Supabase is Open Source. You can host it yourself if you want. You can move your data to Amazon or Azure easily. You have freedom and control over your tech stack.
The "Hard" Part of Supabase Auth
While Supabase is powerful, setting it up correctly with Next.js 16 takes work. You have to handle:
- Session refreshing
- Server-side checking
- Redirects for login/logout
It's not just copy-pasting one snippet anymore. It requires a proper setup to be secure and smooth.
The Sabo Solution: It's Already Done
This is exactly why we built Sabo.
We love Supabase, but we hate setting up the boilerplate. Sabo comes with a fully integrated Supabase Auth system out of the box.
- Login & Signup Pages: Beautifully designed and ready to use.
- Magic Links & Social Login: Pre-configured for you.
- Session Management: Handled automatically in the background.
- Type Safety: Your database types are auto-generated for you.
You don't need to read the Supabase docs to figure out how to make it work. It just works.
Verdict
If you're building a simple chat app, Firebase is fine. But if you're building a SaaS business, Supabase is the winner.
The combination of a real SQL database and better security makes it the solid foundation a real business needs.
Want to skip the setup and start building? Get Sabo and get a production-ready Supabase stack in minutes.