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Most buyers should pick Supabase.
Choose Supabase if you want a portable Postgres backend with Auth, storage, REST APIs and a lower published paid entry: Pro is $25/month, versus Xano Essential at $99/month month-to-month or $85/month billed annually. Choose Xano if you need its workflow testing, versioned deployments, observability, or API/MCP building controls. Both offer free plans, but their caps differ sharply. Supabase’s free tier pauses after one inactive week; Xano’s lists 100,000 records and 10 API requests per 20 seconds.
01Side by side
| Xano | Supabase | |
|---|---|---|
| Starting paid price | $85/month annually; $99 monthly | $25/month for Pro |
| Free plan | 100,000 records; 10 API requests per 20 seconds | Two active projects; pauses after one inactive week |
| Best for | Apps and agents with governed backend workflows | Apps needing a Postgres-based backend |
| Core strength | Workflow testing, versioned releases, observability | Portable Postgres, Auth, storage, realtime |
| Learning curve | Not published | Not published |
| Data and APIs | Build APIs and MCP servers | Postgres database and ready-to-use REST APIs |
| Team and seat costs | Essential: 5 seats; Pro: 10 seats | Seat pricing not published; Team is $599/month |
| Support | Custom includes 24/7 monitoring | Enterprise includes 24×7×365 premium support |
Xano Choose Xano if
- Choose Xano if you need workflow testing and deployment controls.
- Choose Xano if you want to build APIs and MCP servers.
- Choose Xano if its included seat counts fit your team.
Supabase Choose Supabase if
- Choose Supabase if you want a portable Postgres database.
- Choose Supabase if $25/month for Pro fits your budget.
- Choose Supabase if you need built-in Auth, storage, and REST APIs.
02Pricing compared
Supabase has the lower published paid entry price: Pro is $25/month, compared with Xano Essential at $99/month month-to-month or $85/month with annual billing, according to the pricing pages. Supabase does not publish annual prices. Its Pro plan includes 100,000 monthly active users, 8 GB disk per project, 250 GB egress and 100 GB file storage. Xano Essential includes unlimited database records, 100 GB image and file storage, three workspaces and five team seats.
Both have free plans, but the limits differ: Supabase Free includes 500 MB database per project and pauses after one week inactive; Xano Free lists 100,000 database records and 10 API requests per 20 seconds. Supabase overages and compute can add to the bill. Xano lists optional add-ons, including a $180/month CPU and Autoscale boost.
03Features and depth
These platforms solve backend problems differently. Xano centers on building and governing apps, APIs and MCP servers, using AI agents, XanoScript or its editor. It adds workflow testing through the UI or CLI, workspace rules for tests, authentication, environments and data residency, and versioned deployments with rollback. Its observability tools include request history, tracing and performance insights.
Supabase centers on a portable Postgres database, with Auth, Row Level Security, file storage, ready-to-use REST APIs, Realtime and Edge Functions. It also lists tools for vectors, scheduled jobs and message queues. Its Postgres foundation may suit teams that want a database they can move; Xano’s listed differentiators are its build, deployment and governance controls. The choice is less about which has more backend features and more about whether you want Postgres-centered services or Xano’s integrated workflow and release controls. Check plan limits: for example, Supabase Free includes 500 MB database per project, while Xano Free caps records at 100,000.
04Ease of use and learning curve
Supabase gives teams a familiar starting point if they already work with Postgres: the platform provides a full Postgres database, Auth and Row Level Security, plus ready-to-use REST APIs. That does not remove the need to understand database access rules or manage usage limits.
Xano offers three ways to build—AI agents, XanoScript or its editor—and adds controls for testing and deploying workflows. That may appeal to teams that want those processes inside the backend platform, but it also means learning Xano’s building and deployment model. Neither pricing page establishes which is easier for a particular team. Compare the tools against your existing skills and requirements, then account for each free plan’s caps before committing.
Questions people ask
Is Xano better than Supabase?
It depends on what you need. Xano lists workflow testing, versioned deployments, observability and API/MCP building controls. Supabase provides a portable Postgres database with Auth, storage, REST APIs, Realtime and Edge Functions. Choose based on whether Xano’s workflow controls or Supabase’s Postgres-centered stack better fits your app.
Is Supabase cheaper than Xano?
At the published paid entry level, yes: Supabase Pro is $25/month. Xano Essential is $99/month month-to-month or $85/month with annual billing. Actual spend can differ with usage and add-ons; Supabase lists overage rates and compute options, while Xano lists add-ons such as a $180/month CPU and Autoscale boost.
Can Supabase replace Xano?
Supabase may fit if your app needs its Postgres database, Auth, storage, APIs, Realtime and Edge Functions. Xano lists workflow testing, versioned deployments, observability and API/MCP building controls. The published feature lists do not establish a one-for-one replacement, so compare your required workflows and deployment controls before switching.
Which has a better free plan?
They have different caps. Supabase Free includes 500 MB database per project, 5 GB egress and 1 GB file storage, and pauses after one week inactive. Xano Free lists 100,000 database records, 1 GB watermarked image storage and 10 API requests per 20 seconds. The better fit depends on your workload.