Ledger / app backend
Self-hosted alternatives to Firebase
Read 2026-11-14 · 5 projects · 4 pass
We read the repository pages of 5 projects that people put forward as a replacement for Firebase (app backend). 4 pass all three checks: supabase/supabase, appwrite/appwrite, parse-community/parse-server, nhost/nhost. Left out of that list: pocketbase/pocketbase (archived and read-only).
| Project | License as read | License · Live · Active | Stars | Latest release / last push |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| supabase/supabaseTypeScript | Apache-2.0 | licliveactive | 115,001 | v1.26.08 2026-08-07 release is old; active counts the push pushed 2026-11-14 |
What it says it is The Postgres development platform. Supabase gives you a dedicated Postgres database to build your web, mobile, and AI applications. Install In the repository: Dockerfile, compose file README mentions Postgres, realtime, auth, storage, functions, Firebase, GraphQL Also Folders named apps/www/components/Enterprise exist; no separate license file was found inside them | ||||
| appwrite/appwriteTypeScript | BSD-3-Clause | licliveactive | 58,087 | 2.7.2 2026-11-12 pushed 2026-11-14 |
What it says it is The open-source cloud for agents & devs. Including Auth, Databases, Storage, Functions, Messaging, Hosting, Realtime, WAF and more Install In the repository: Dockerfile, compose file README mentions realtime, auth, storage, functions Also Folders named apps/console/src/components/pages/enterprise exist; no separate license file was found inside them | ||||
| parse-community/parse-serverJavaScript | Apache-2.0 | licliveactive | 21,397 | 8.6.123 2026-11-09 pushed 2026-11-11 |
What it says it is Parse Server for Node.js / Express Install In the repository: Dockerfile README mentions Postgres, GraphQL, MongoDB | ||||
| nhost/nhostGo | MIT | licliveactive | 9,387 | [email protected] 2026-11-13 pushed 2026-11-14 |
What it says it is The Open Source Firebase Alternative with GraphQL. Install In the repository: compose file README mentions auth, storage, functions, Firebase, GraphQL | ||||
| pocketbase/pocketbaseGo | MIT | licx liveactive | 61,594 | v0.40.6 2026-10-23 pushed 2026-10-26 |
What it says it is Open Source realtime backend in 1 file Install No Dockerfile, compose file or Helm chart found in the top levels of the repository README mentions realtime, SQLite | ||||
Checks per row: lic = one open-source license across the whole repository (a commercial option on request is allowed), live = not archived, active = a release or push within 90 days of 2026-11-14. A red x marks a failed check. Full definitions and limits: method.
Why 1 of 5 did not pass
- pocketbase/pocketbase · MIT
The repository page, opened in a browser on 2026-11-14, says: “This repository was archived by the owner on Oct 26, 2026. It is now read-only.” Repository
How they differ
Mentioned in some READMEs and not others
- Postgres: supabase/supabase, parse-community/parse-server
- realtime: supabase/supabase, appwrite/appwrite, pocketbase/pocketbase
- auth: supabase/supabase, appwrite/appwrite, nhost/nhost
- storage: supabase/supabase, appwrite/appwrite, nhost/nhost
- functions: supabase/supabase, appwrite/appwrite, nhost/nhost
- Firebase: supabase/supabase, nhost/nhost
- GraphQL: supabase/supabase, parse-community/parse-server, nhost/nhost
- SQLite: pocketbase/pocketbase
- MongoDB: parse-community/parse-server
Main language
- TypeScript: supabase/supabase, appwrite/appwrite
- Go: nhost/nhost, pocketbase/pocketbase
- JavaScript: parse-community/parse-server
Install files
- In the repository: Dockerfile, compose file: supabase/supabase, appwrite/appwrite
- In the repository: Dockerfile: parse-community/parse-server
- In the repository: compose file: nhost/nhost
- No Dockerfile, compose file or Helm chart found in the top levels of the repository: pocketbase/pocketbase
From each README (first part) and file tree as read; a missing mention only means the README does not use the word.
Where people asked for this
- Ask HN: FOSS Firebase/Supabase alternatives to try? 2 points, 5 comments
Thread titles and counts as collected 2026-11-09. The original product: Firebase.