Choose Supabase if you want a full backend around Postgres in one place: auth with Row Level Security, auto-generated APIs, storage, realtime and edge functions. Choose Neon if you want serverless Postgres that branches like Git and scales to zero, now with auth, storage and functions of its own as part of Databricks. Both run real Postgres, so the decision is about workflow: Supabase for an all-in-one app backend, Neon for branching and autoscaling.
I read Supabase's home and plans pages, then Neon's home page, its plans page and its branching docs. The two products have moved closer together: Neon now offers auth, storage and functions too.
Supabase and Neon at a glance
| Supabase | Neon | |
|---|---|---|
| Core | A full Postgres database per project | Serverless Postgres on Lakebase, part of Databricks |
| Built-in extras | Auth with Row Level Security, Data APIs, Edge Functions, Realtime, Storage, Vector | Managed Better Auth, object storage, Functions, AI Gateway, Realtime in beta |
| Standout feature | Everything for an app backend in one dashboard | Copy-on-write branches of your data, from now or the past |
| Idle behaviour | Free projects pause after 1 week of inactivity | Compute scales to zero after 5 minutes inactive on the Free plan |
| Free option (as of October 2026) | Free plan: 2 active projects, 500 MB database, 50,000 monthly active users | Free plan: 100 projects, 100 CU-hours per project, no time limit |
Where Supabase shines
Supabase starts every project with a full Postgres database, then adds what an app needs around it. Sign-ups and logins are secured with Row Level Security, files go into Storage, Realtime keeps clients in sync, Edge Functions run custom code without servers, and Vector stores embeddings for AI features. Supabase calls the whole thing 100% portable because it's standard Postgres.
The free plan suits side projects: unlimited API requests, 50,000 monthly active users, a 500 MB database and 1 GB of file storage. Two limits matter, though. You get 2 active projects, and free projects pause after a week with no activity.
Where Neon shines
Neon's docs describe a branch as a copy-on-write clone of your data. You can branch from the current state or from an earlier point in time, writes on the branch are stored as a delta, and creating one doesn't add load to the parent. That makes a database copy per pull request or per test run practical.
Neon also separates storage from compute. It checks database load ten times a second and resizes CPU and memory to match, and on the Free plan compute scales to zero after 5 minutes of inactivity. The Free plan has no time limit, needs no credit card and covers 100 projects.
What changed recently
Neon now says it's part of the Databricks platform and built on Lakebase Postgres. It has also grown from a database into a backend: managed Better Auth, S3-compatible storage that branches with your projects, Functions and an AI Gateway. So the old split of Supabase for features and Neon for just a database no longer holds.
Deciding in five steps
- Building a full app and want auth, storage and APIs ready on day one? Supabase gets you there fastest.
- Want a fresh copy of production data for every pull request? Neon's branching is built for it.
- Running lots of small or bursty projects? Neon's 100 free projects and scale to zero fit that pattern.
- Need realtime sync today, not in beta? Supabase Realtime is a core feature.
- Already using Databricks? Neon's place in that platform may tip it.
If you're new to the vocabulary, here's what a vector database is, and why choosing a good database matters for a business.
My advice on Supabase or Neon
For a founder or small team shipping an app, I'd start on Supabase, because auth, storage, realtime and APIs arrive together and you'll write far less glue code. For developers who care most about database workflow, branching per pull request, instant restore and compute that sleeps when idle, Neon is the stronger fit. Both are Postgres, so moving later is far easier than with a proprietary database.
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Frequently asked questions
Is Neon free?
Yes, as of October 2026, Neon's Free plan covers 100 projects and 100 CU-hours per project, with no time limit and no credit card.
Does Supabase pause free projects?
Yes. Supabase's plans page says free projects are paused after 1 week of inactivity, with a limit of 2 active projects.
What is database branching in Neon?
Neon describes a branch as a copy-on-write clone of your data, from now or an earlier time, isolated from its parent.
Is Neon part of Databricks?
Neon's site says it's part of the Databricks platform and built on Lakebase Postgres.
Do both use real Postgres?
Yes. Supabase gives every project a full Postgres database, and Neon is a serverless Postgres service.
