Quick answer
Supabase - Supabase wins for most builders because its free tier covers a broader app stack and has no request limit on database API usage, while Neon is the better pick if you want a database-first workflow with more generous project limits and stronger branching-oriented Postgres tooling.
How the free tiers compare
These products overlap on managed Postgres, but the free tiers point at different builder needs. Neon is the more database-centric choice: it gives you many projects, branching, autoscaling, read replicas, and a very explicit Postgres workflow, with free usage measured in CU-hours and storage per project. That makes it a fit for teams running lots of isolated databases or development environments. Supabase is the broader backend platform: the free tier bundles Auth, APIs, Realtime, Storage, Functions, and Postgres in one place, which is useful when you want to prototype or ship an app backend without stitching services together. Its free plan is more constrained on database size, egress, file storage, and active projects, but the unlimited API requests line is a big practical advantage for app development. After the free tier, Neon stays usage-based, while Supabase starts at a flat Pro plan and then layers usage charges on top.
Neon Serverless Postgres vs Supabase free tier, side by side
| Neon Serverless PostgresFTV 60 | SupabaseFTV 50 | |
|---|---|---|
| ProjectsNeon is much looser on project count in free; Supabase is tightly capped. | 100 projects | 2 active projects |
| Database size / storageThese are similar on raw database size, but Supabase also adds separate file storage and egress caps. | 0.5 GB storage per project | 500 MB database size per project |
| Usage includedNeon meters compute directly; Supabase leaves database API requests uncapped in free. | 100 CU-hours per project monthly | Unlimited API requests for database access and operations |
| Auth usersNeon allows a slightly higher free auth ceiling. | Neon Auth up to 60K MAUs | Up to 50,000 monthly active users |
| Time travel / backupsDifferent recovery tools; Neon is shorter but includes restore/time travel, while Supabase emphasizes logs. | 6-hour time travel and restores | 1 day of API and database log retention |
| Team membersNo meaningful difference on free here. | Unlimited team members | Unlimited team members in the dashboard |
After you outgrow the free tier
Neon’s paid pricing is usage-based from CU-hours and storage, so cost rises with compute and data use rather than with a flat seat fee. Supabase starts with a flat Pro plan at $25/month, then adds usage over included allowances for MAUs, disk, egress, storage, and Edge Function invocations. For small teams with light usage, Supabase’s Pro plan is the simpler entry point, while Neon can stay cheaper if you use modest compute and storage. At higher usage, both can rise, but Supabase’s add-ons make overages more visible by category.
Cost at real usage
| Usage | Neon Serverless Postgres | Supabase |
|---|---|---|
| Low-traffic app backend with 1 project, 1 GB storage, 50 CU-hours/mo, under 50k MAUsNeon estimated from $0.106 per CU-hour plus $0.35 per GB-month; Supabase free includes up to 50k MAUs and 500 MB database size, but 1 GB storage may exceed the free file storage cap. | ~$5.30/mo est. | Free (within tier) |
| 1 project, 10 GB storage, 100k MAUs, 300 GB egress, 5 million Edge Function invocationsSupabase Pro includes 100k MAUs, 8 GB disk, 250 GB egress, 100 GB file storage, and 2M function invocations, then charges overages. Neon storage is $0.35 per GB-month and compute is $0.106 per CU-hour, but no compute usage was given. | No exact estimate from input | ~$53.50/mo est. |
| 5 projects, each using 200 CU-hours/mo and 0.5 GB storageNeon estimate uses 5 x 200 CU-hours at $0.106 plus 5 x 0.5 GB at $0.35. Supabase pricing cannot be estimated from the provided input without MAUs, egress, storage, and function usage. | ~$108.25/mo est. | Not enough data |
Estimates, not quotes. Usage-based rates change - verify with the vendor's pricing page before committing.
When to pick each one
Pick Neon Serverless Postgres when…
- You need many separate databases or preview environments, not just one app backend.
- You expect to use branching heavily for isolated development, testing, or AI workflow experiments.
- You want autoscaling, read replicas, and Postgres-specific controls without paying for a broader backend suite.
- You are comfortable thinking in CU-hours and storage usage instead of a bundled platform price.
Pick Supabase when…
- You want Postgres plus auth, APIs, storage, realtime, and functions in one free stack.
- You are prototyping an app and want the fewest moving parts to get to a working backend.
- You expect lots of database API traffic and want unlimited API requests on the free tier.
- You need built-in auth features like social OAuth, anonymous sign-ins, and basic MFA without adding other services.
Bottom line
For most builders, Supabase is the easier free-tier start because it bundles the backend pieces people actually need first: auth, APIs, storage, realtime, and functions, with unlimited database API requests. Neon is the better free-tier pick when the core problem is Postgres itself, especially if you want lots of projects, branching, and compute that scales with database usage. If you expect to outgrow the free tier quickly, Supabase’s Pro plan is simpler to forecast, while Neon stays closer to pay-for-what-you-use.
Read the full listings: Neon Serverless Postgres and Supabase. Scores use the FTV methodology at /ftv. Browse more head-to-heads on /compare, or see the top-ranked free tiers on /top.