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Database software · 11 alternatives

Firebase alternatives: 11 compared

Sebastiaan Smits Editor Sebastiaan Smits · Published October 27, 2026 · Updated October 27, 2026

Teams look past Firebase when they want SQL instead of Firestore's own query API, when Blaze billing per read and write becomes hard to forecast, or when they want a data layer that can leave Google Cloud. Most go to Supabase or Neon for hosted Postgres, or to PostgreSQL itself.

Short answer: The closest replacements for Firebase in our database software ranking are Supabase, Neon and PostgreSQL. Choose Supabase if you want a Firebase-style backend on standard Postgres that you can also self-host. All 11 alternatives below are ranked products from Best Database Software in 2026, and each says where it differs from Firebase and when Firebase is still the better choice.

Visibility in our rankings can be paid for. Payment moves a vendor's position within the shortlist; it never adds a vendor, and it never changes a word of the review or of this page. The first three alternatives go to challengers, vendors outside the best-known brands in a category, wherever the category has them; the established names follow in their ranked order. How it works: placement disclosure · editorial process.

Firebase at a glance

  • Headquarters: United States
  • Pricing model: Usage-based
  • Pricing: Spark plan at no cost with daily quotas (Firestore: 1 GiB stored, 50,000 reads and 20,000 writes per day); Blaze pay-as-you-go beyond that, billed through Google Cloud.
  • Free option: Free plan
  • Built for: Mobile teams without a backend developer
  • Wrong for: Teams with relational data, complex reporting or a plan to avoid dependence on one cloud. Supabase gives a similar bundle on standard Postgres, and PostgreSQL keeps the data layer portable.
  • Place in our ranking: #5 of 12
  • Website: firebase.google.com

Facts from our database software ranking, last checked October 27, 2026.

Why buyers look past Firebase

  1. Billing follows every read and write

    Firestore's no-cost quota is 50K reads, 20K writes and 20K deletes per day. Beyond that, Blaze bills through Google Cloud pricing. Cost therefore tracks how often the app touches documents, and the Spark plan has no payment method to cap a spike.

  2. The data model is Firebase's own

    Firestore holds documents in collections and is queried through Firebase SDKs, with access governed by Security Rules. None of that is SQL. Reporting, joins and tools that expect a relational database usually mean exporting data first, for example to BigQuery.

  3. Services spread across Google Cloud

    App Hosting, Cloud Functions and SQL Connect all price partly through Google Cloud pages. SQL Connect, formerly Data Connect, runs on Cloud SQL for PostgreSQL. Teams that want one bill and one database engine often look at a single Postgres platform.

11 alternatives at a glance

Closest replacement first. The last column is our place in the full 12-product ranking.

#AlternativeHeadquartersPricingKey differenceSwitch ifOur rank
1SupabaseSingaporeFlat monthly + compute add-ons; free planPostgres with authentication, APIs and storage bundled inyou want a Firebase-style backend on standard Postgres that you can also self-host#1
2NeonUnited StatesUsage-based; free planServerless Postgres with scale to zero and branchesyou want serverless Postgres and are happy to assemble the other backend parts#3
3PostgreSQLCanadaOpen source (free); open sourceThe open source relational database behind half this listyou have backend engineers and want full control of the data layer#2
4MongoDBUnited StatesUsage-based + free tier; free planDocument database with a managed cloud serviceyour data is document-shaped and you want to keep that model on any major cloud#4
5PlanetScaleUnited StatesResource-based; noneManaged MySQL-compatible Vitess and Postgres with shardingyou outgrew Firestore and need a high-throughput relational store behind your own API#8
6Amazon DynamoDBUnited StatesUsage-based; free planServerless NoSQL key-value database from AWSyou want to stay on a pay-per-request NoSQL model but on AWS#12
7CockroachDBUnited StatesUsage-based (vCPU-hour); free trialDistributed SQL that survives regional failuresyour Firestore data now needs relational queries across several regions#9
8RedisUnited StatesUsage-based + free tier; free planIn-memory data store for caches, sessions and queuesyour Firebase use is mostly fast, ephemeral state such as sessions or live counters#10
9MariaDBUnited StatesOpen source + quote only; open sourceMySQL-compatible open source database with paid platformsyour team already knows the MySQL family and wants a plain relational server#6
10SQLiteUnited StatesFree (public domain); open sourcePublic domain database library in a single fileyour app is local-first or single-user and you no longer need a cloud backend#7
11ClickHouseUnited StatesUsage-based; free trialColumn store for real-time analytics at large scaleyour main pain is analytics and reporting on data that now lives in Firestore#11

What each alternative does differently

1. Supabase

Postgres with authentication, APIs and storage bundled in · Singapore

The closest bundle to Firebase: Postgres with a generated REST API, authentication, storage, Edge Functions and Realtime. Its docs include scripts that move Firestore collections and Firebase Auth users, including scrypt password hashes, into Postgres. Self-hosting through Docker is documented. Security uses Postgres policies, not Firebase rules.

Switch from Firebase if you want a Firebase-style backend on standard Postgres that you can also self-host.

Pricing: Free plan at $0 (500 MB database, 50,000 monthly active users); Pro from $25 per month, Team from $599 per month, plus compute add-ons from $10 per month. (free plan)

Full review: #1 of 12 in our ranking · Visit Supabase →

2. Neon

Serverless Postgres with scale to zero and branches · United States

Serverless Postgres with branching, not a full backend kit. Its docs describe a Firestore migration done with a custom Python script that converts documents to rows. Auth, realtime and object storage exist as separate products on the docs menu. Expect to write more glue code than on a bundled platform.

Switch from Firebase if you want serverless Postgres and are happy to assemble the other backend parts.

Pricing: Free at $0 (100 projects, 1 GB storage per project); Launch usage-based at $0.106 per CU-hour and $0.35 per GB-month; Scale at $0.222 per CU-hour. (free plan)

Full review: #3 of 12 in our ranking · Visit Neon →

3. PostgreSQL

The open source relational database behind half this list · Canada

The database engine alone, with no authentication, file storage, hosting or client SDKs attached. Open source under its own licence and runnable on any host. It removes lock-in entirely but makes your team responsible for backups, upgrades, sign-in and an API layer that Firebase supplied.

Switch from Firebase if you have backend engineers and want full control of the data layer.

Pricing: Free to download and use under the PostgreSQL License, with no vendor charge; hosting and operations are your own cost. (open source)

Full review: #2 of 12 in our ranking · Visit PostgreSQL →

4. MongoDB

Document database with a managed cloud service · United States

Also a document database, so the data shape is familiar to Firestore users, though the query API differs. Atlas runs on AWS, Azure and Google Cloud, which answers a single-cloud concern. It is a database, not a backend: sign-in, file storage and client-side security rules are yours to build or buy.

Switch from Firebase if your data is document-shaped and you want to keep that model on any major cloud.

Pricing: Atlas Free at $0 (512 MB); Flex up to $30 per month (5 GB); Dedicated from $0.08 per hour, starting at $56.94 per month; Community Edition is free to download. (free plan)

Full review: #4 of 12 in our ranking · Visit MongoDB →

5. PlanetScale

Managed MySQL-compatible Vitess and Postgres with sharding · United States

Managed relational databases on Vitess or Postgres, aimed at performance and scale rather than app-backend convenience. Offers branching and deploy requests for schema changes. There is no client SDK for mobile apps, no authentication and no realtime sync and no free tier on the category listing.

Switch from Firebase if you outgrew Firestore and need a high-throughput relational store behind your own API.

Pricing: Resource-based billing: PlanetScale Postgres single node from $5 per month, Metal with local NVMe from $50 per month, high availability as one primary plus two replicas; no free plan. (none)

Full review: #8 of 12 in our ranking · Visit PlanetScale →

6. Amazon DynamoDB

Serverless NoSQL key-value database from AWS · United States

A serverless NoSQL store with on-demand or provisioned capacity, plus DynamoDB Streams for change events. It keeps the pay-per-request feel of Firestore but moves you to AWS. Data modeling is access-pattern driven, and there is no built-in mobile sync or authentication; those come from other AWS services.

Switch from Firebase if you want to stay on a pay-per-request NoSQL model but on AWS.

Pricing: Billed per read and write request unit on demand, or per provisioned capacity unit per hour, plus storage; a free tier exists. The unit prices render client-side on the page we fetched. (free plan)

Full review: #12 of 12 in our ranking · Visit Amazon DynamoDB →

7. CockroachDB

Distributed SQL that survives regional failures · United States

A distributed SQL database with a PostgreSQL-compatible API, built to spread data across nodes and regions. It addresses availability and multi-region writes, which is a different job from a mobile backend. It supplies no authentication, storage or client SDKs, so it replaces only Firestore's data tier.

Switch from Firebase if your Firestore data now needs relational queries across several regions.

Pricing: Standard at $0.092 per vCPU-hour (about $203 per month for 2 vCPU and 100 GB); Mission Critical at $0.162 per vCPU-hour; 30-day trial with $400 credit. (free trial)

Full review: #9 of 12 in our ranking · Visit CockroachDB →

8. Redis

In-memory data store for caches, sessions and queues · United States

An in-memory data structure store, with search, JSON and vector features documented. It suits caches, queues, leaderboards and ephemeral state that Realtime Database often holds in Firebase apps. Treat it as a companion to a main database for most apps, since it is not a drop-in home for relational or document records.

Switch from Firebase if your Firebase use is mostly fast, ephemeral state such as sessions or live counters.

Pricing: Redis Cloud Free at $0 (30 MB); Essentials from $0.007 per hour (about $5 per month); Pro from $0.014 per hour with a $200 monthly minimum. (free plan)

Full review: #10 of 12 in our ranking · Visit Redis →

9. MariaDB

MySQL-compatible open source database with paid platforms · United States

A MySQL-family relational server with a free Community edition under GPL version 2, plus a cloud service and enterprise platform sold through sales. Familiar to many hosting providers and teams. Like Postgres, it has no app-backend layer, so sign-in, files and realtime updates would need separate components.

Switch from Firebase if your team already knows the MySQL family and wants a plain relational server.

Pricing: Community Server is free under GPL version 2; MariaDB Cloud and Enterprise Platform pricing is handled through sales on the pages we fetched. (open source)

Full review: #6 of 12 in our ranking · Visit MariaDB →

10. SQLite

Public domain database library in a single file · United States

An embedded, serverless engine that stores a whole database in one file inside your application. It fits local-first apps, desktop tools and small services with a single writer. It has no network server, user management or sync of its own, so it cannot stand in for Firebase's multi-device backend.

Switch from Firebase if your app is local-first or single-user and you no longer need a cloud backend.

Pricing: Free, dedicated to the public domain; optional paid support and SQLite Consortium membership are sold by Hwaci. (open source)

Full review: #7 of 12 in our ranking · Visit SQLite →

11. ClickHouse

Column store for real-time analytics at large scale · United States

A column-oriented database built for analytics over large datasets, available open source and as a cloud service. It is a fit for the reporting that Firestore handles poorly, usually fed by an export. It is not designed for the frequent single-record reads and writes that drive an app's screens.

Switch from Firebase if your main pain is analytics and reporting on data that now lives in Firestore.

Pricing: ClickHouse Cloud Basic and Scale bill storage at $25.30 per TB per month and compute from $0.2181 per unit-hour; 30-day trial with $300 in credits. (free trial)

Full review: #11 of 12 in our ranking · Visit ClickHouse →

When Firebase is still the right choice

Stay on Firebase when a mobile or web team has no backend engineer and the app fits documents, sync and sign-in. Firestore and Realtime Database push changes to clients, Authentication covers sign-in, and the Spark plan needs no payment method. Costs stay predictable when read and write patterns are known and the user base is modest.

What to expect when you switch from Firebase

  1. Data leaves as exports, not as SQL

    Firestore's managed export writes to a Cloud Storage bucket and needs billing, which moves the project to Blaze. The output can be imported into another Firestore database or loaded into BigQuery. Moving to Postgres means a script that flattens documents into tables, so plan time for schema design.

  2. Users move, but check the hash

    The Firebase CLI exports accounts to JSON or CSV, and the exporter only includes passwords hashed with Firebase's scrypt variant. Other algorithms export with empty hash fields. You also need your project's hash parameters, which the console shows under Authentication, Users.

  3. Rules and client code are rewritten

    Firestore Security Rules do not carry over. On Postgres platforms the same access control becomes policies or API-layer checks, and the Firebase SDK calls in your client change. Run both backends side by side until the new one passes your tests.

Questions and answers

Can I export all my data from Firestore?

Yes, through the managed export to a Cloud Storage bucket, which requires billing to be enabled. Exports can be imported into another Firestore database or loaded into BigQuery. Getting them into a relational database needs your own conversion script.

Can I take my Firebase users and passwords with me?

Yes for accounts hashed with scrypt, using the Firebase CLI auth:export command, which writes JSON or CSV. Accounts hashed with other algorithms export with empty passwordHash and salt fields. Copy your project's hash parameters from the console before you start.

Does Firebase have a contract notice period I need to watch?

We found no fixed term on the pricing page: Spark is no-cost and Blaze is pay as you go. Billing runs through Google Cloud, so check your Cloud billing account and any committed use discounts before you close the project.

What happens to my Firebase bill at higher volume?

Past the no-cost quotas, Blaze charges by usage, for example per document read and write in Firestore, and Realtime Database at $5 per GB stored and $1 per GB downloaded beyond its allowance. Estimate with your real read and write counts before switching.

What breaks first when I move off Firebase?

Security Rules, SDK calls and Cloud Functions triggers, because they are Firebase-specific. Data and users can be exported, but access control and realtime listeners have to be rebuilt on the new platform.

Can I keep Firebase Cloud Messaging and move only the database?

Yes. The pricing page lists Cloud Messaging as no-cost, and it is a separate product from Firestore. Many teams keep FCM for push notifications while the data layer moves elsewhere.

Sources

Prices, plan limits and product facts about Firebase on this page were checked against the vendors' own pages on October 27, 2026. Vendors change both without notice, so treat the figures as of that date.

Who wrote this

Sebastiaan Smits Sebastiaan Smits, Founder, wrote, edited and fact-checked this page. Founder of The Interregnum and of 2 Steps Ahead, an AI search visibility agency. Editorially responsible for every page here; research and drafting are AI-assisted. Last reviewed October 27, 2026. How we review.