Bvs

Better Auth vs Supabase

Side-by-side comparison of Better Auth and Supabase.

By Bilal Almukhtar Edited by Sofia DraganovLast updated April 20, 2026

Quick summary

Better Auth — The most comprehensive authentication library. Better Auth is a framework-agnostic, open-source authentication library for TypeScript with built-in plugins.

Supabase — The open source Firebase alternative. Supabase is an open-source backend-as-a-service built on PostgreSQL. It provides authentication, realtime subscriptions, storage, edge functions, and a hosted database.

Feature comparison

Feature	Better Auth	Supabase
Pricing model	Free	Freemium
Starting price	Free	$25/mo
Free tier	Yes	Yes
Open source	Yes	Yes
MFA	Yes	—
SAML/SSO	Yes	—
Free Tier	Self-hosted	500MB DB + 1GB storage
Self-hosted	Yes	Yes
Pre-built UI	No	—
Social Login	Yes	—
Organizations	Yes	—
Auth	—	Yes
Storage	—	Yes
Database	—	PostgreSQL
Realtime	—	Yes
Edge Functions	—	Yes
Row Level Security	—	Yes

Better Auth

The most comprehensive authentication library

Pros

Fully open source
No vendor lock-in
TypeScript-first

Cons

You manage the infrastructure
No hosted option

Visit Better Auth →

Supabase

The open source Firebase alternative

Pros

Open source and self-hostable
Standard PostgreSQL — no vendor lock-in
Generous free tier
Great DX with auto-generated APIs

Cons

Cold starts on free tier
Edge function ecosystem still maturing

Visit Supabase →

Which should you choose?

Choose Better Auth if you value open source and want the option to self-host, and a free tier is important for your stage. Choose Supabase if you value open source and want the option to self-host, and a free tier is important for your stage.

Frequently asked questions

Which is better, Better Auth or Supabase?

There is no universal “better.” For most teams, Supabase is the safer default because Supabase has a larger community and more third-party integrations, which often translates to better long-term support. For edge cases, the comparison table above highlights where each tool wins.

Is Better Auth cheaper than Supabase?

Better Auth starts at Free, while Supabase starts at $25/mo. Exact costs depend on usage — check both vendors' calculators before committing.

Can I migrate from Better Auth to Supabase?

Migration difficulty depends on how deeply Better Auth-specific features (APIs, SDK conventions, data schemas) are baked into your app. Most authentication migrations take days to weeks. Both vendors typically publish migration guides — check their docs.

Is Better Auth or Supabase open source?

Yes, both Better Auth and Supabase are open source and can be self-hosted.

Does Better Auth or Supabase have a free tier?

Both Better Auth and Supabase offer a free tier.

Which is best for startups and indie hackers?

Startups usually optimize for the lowest friction to ship and the cheapest possible free tier. The one with the most generous free tier here is Supabase. For production workloads, revisit the trade-offs in the feature table above.

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