Comparison
tinbase vs Firebase
Firebase is a mature, proprietary, cloud-only NoSQL platform. tinbase is an open-source, relational, self-hostable one. They rarely swap in place: choosing between them is really choosing a data model and an ownership model.
At a glance
tinbase
Open-source SQL you own and can self-host or embed.
Firebase
A mature, managed, mobile-first NoSQL cloud at global scale.
Feature by feature
tinbase vs Firebase, compared
Colour is a hint, not a verdict: green marks a tinbase strength, amber an area where it is still catching up. Footprint figures come from the reproducible benchmarks.
| tinbase | Firebase | |
|---|---|---|
| License | MIT, open source | Proprietary (Google) |
| Database | Real Postgres 17 | Firestore / Realtime DB (NoSQL) |
| Data model | Relational: joins, FKs, constraints | Document / key-value NoSQL |
| Query language | Full SQL + PostgREST | SDK query API, limited joins |
| Client SDK | supabase-js | Firebase SDK |
| Self-hosting | Yes, single binary | No, Google-hosted only |
| Vendor lock-in | None — standard Postgres, export freely | High — proprietary APIs & hosting |
| Runs in the browser / embedded | Yes, in-process | Offline cache only, no self-host |
| Managed cloud hosting | Not yet (on the roadmap) | Yes, mature global infra |
| Production maturity | Alpha | Battle-tested at scale |
| Realtime | postgres_changes, broadcast, presence | Firestore / RTDB listeners |
| Auth | Email, OAuth, magic link, MFA/TOTP | Many providers, phone, anonymous |
| Storage | S3-style with RLS, signed URLs | Cloud Storage |
| Access control | Postgres RLS (SQL policies) | Security Rules (custom DSL) |
| Push notifications | Not built-in | FCM, mature |
| Pricing | Free, open source | Pay-as-you-go, can scale costly |
Which should you choose?
Choose tinbase if
- You want relational SQL, joins, and transactions rather than NoSQL documents
- You need to own your data and self-host, with no vendor lock-in
- You want the backend to run offline, in the browser, or embedded on-device
- You prefer authorization as versioned SQL policies (RLS)
Choose Firebase if
- You want a fully managed, planet-scale service with no infrastructure to run
- You depend on Google’s ecosystem: FCM push, Analytics, Crashlytics, mobile SDKs
- You are shipping to production now and need a battle-tested platform
- A document / NoSQL model fits your data better than relational tables
Keep exploring
Firebase alternativeWhy tinbase works as a Firebase alternative, and the migration path.tinbase vs SupabaseThe full managed production platform, cloud-hosted and battle-tested.tinbase vs PocketBaseThe lightest single-binary backend, on SQLite, production-ready.tinbase vs AppwriteA mature multi-SDK platform, self-hosted via Docker.
Frequently asked questions
- Is tinbase a good Firebase alternative?
- It is a strong fit if what pulls you away from Firebase is the lack of SQL, self-hosting, or data ownership. tinbase gives you relational Postgres, open-source MIT licensing, and self-hosting in a single binary. It is not a fit if you need Firebase’s managed global scale or its mobile ecosystem today, since tinbase is alpha.
- Can I migrate a Firebase app to tinbase without changes?
- No. Firebase and tinbase use different SDKs and different data models. Moving over means switching to the supabase-js client and remodelling Firestore documents as relational Postgres tables. The upside is standard SQL and no lock-in afterwards.
- Does tinbase support realtime like Firebase?
- Yes. tinbase provides realtime through postgres_changes, broadcast, and presence, with Row Level Security applied so subscribers only receive events for rows they can see. The API is the Supabase Realtime protocol rather than Firestore listeners.
- Is tinbase free?
- Yes, tinbase is free and open source under the MIT license. You run it yourself, so there are no usage-based bills the way Firebase can accrue at scale.
Try it in one command
No Docker, no sign-up. Point the supabase-js SDK you already know at a real Postgres backend running in a single process.
npx tinbase start