supabase vs graphql-engine
Two of the top backends and databases, side by side: score, setup, license, activity and what each review found.
supabase
Postgres backend with auth, storage, realtime and edge functions
graphql-engine
GraphQL API layer over Postgres, MongoDB, ClickHouse and SQL Server
| What we compare | supabase | graphql-engine |
|---|---|---|
| Score parts, out of 100 | ||
| Adoption | 96, widely used | 31, known |
| Freshness | 100, active | 100, active |
| Maintenance | 72, fair | 80, fair |
| Easy to run | 33, some setup | 33, some setup |
| Agent-ready | 85, ready | 30, minimal |
| Facts from GitHub and the README | ||
| Stars | 111.3k | 32.1k |
| License | Apache-2.0 (permissive) | Apache-2.0 (permissive) |
| Last commit | Oct 2026 | Oct 2026 |
| Last release | Aug 2026 | Sep 2026 |
| Language | TypeScript | TypeScript |
| Docker | Yes | Yes |
| GPU | Not needed | Not needed |
| arm64 or Apple Silicon | Not stated | Not stated |
supabase
Supabase bundles a Postgres database with generated REST and GraphQL APIs, JWT-based auth, S3-backed file storage, realtime change feeds over websockets, and edge functions. It also includes a vector and embeddings toolkit for AI workloads. It runs as a hosted platform, can be self-hosted, or run locally, and has official clients for JavaScript, Flutter, Swift and Python.
Who it is for: Developers needing a Postgres backend with auth, storage and vectors
Strengths
- Built on Postgres, PostgREST, GoTrue and Realtime, so the data layer is plain SQL
- Official clients for JavaScript/TypeScript, Flutter, Swift and Python
- Hosted, self-hosted and local development options
- Apache-2.0 license; vector and embeddings toolkit included
Weaknesses
- Many separate services to run when self-hosting; README gives no resource requirements
- Go, Java, Rust, Ruby and C# clients are community-maintained, some partial
- Repo has no Docker or compose files; self-hosting is documented elsewhere
- no GPU
- Compose
- Needs PostgreSQL, S3-compatible storage, Envoy
graphql-engine
Hasura GraphQL Engine exposes data from PostgreSQL and its flavors, MongoDB, ClickHouse and MS SQL Server through a single GraphQL endpoint. Custom business logic can be added with TypeScript, Python and Go connector SDKs. The repo is a mono-repo holding the V3 engine (which powers Hasura DDN) and the stable V2 engine, with all data connectors open source.
Who it is for: Teams exposing existing databases as a GraphQL API for apps
Strengths
- Supports PostgreSQL, MongoDB, ClickHouse and MS SQL Server as data sources
- Connector SDKs in TypeScript, Python and Go for custom logic
- Core engines and data connectors are Apache-2.0 licensed
- V2 remains available as the current stable version
Weaknesses
- Large mono-repo with long history; README recommends shallow or sparse clones
- V2 and V3 are separate codebases with separate docs
- V3 is documented around the hosted Hasura DDN workflow
- README lists no RAM, port or AI model details
- no GPU
- Compose
- Needs PostgreSQL, MongoDB, ClickHouse, MS SQL Server