CockroachDB vs Supabase

The cockroach of databases: hard to kill, spreads everywhere, and surprisingly good at SQL meets postgres + auth + storage + realtime. Here's our take.

CockroachDB

The cockroach of databases: hard to kill, spreads everywhere, and surprisingly good at SQL.

Pros

• Strong consistency across distributed nodes without manual sharding
• PostgreSQL wire protocol compatibility for easy migration
• Automatic data replication and rebalancing for high availability

Cons

• Higher latency compared to single-node databases due to distributed overhead
• Complex licensing and pricing can be a headache for scaling

Supabase

Nice Pick

Postgres + auth + storage + realtime. The Firebase that doesn't lock you in.

Pros

• Open source
• Generous free tier
• Full Postgres
• Auth built-in
• Realtime

Cons

• Newer ecosystem
• Less documentation
• Some rough edges

The Verdict

Use Supabase if: You want open source and can live with newer ecosystem.

Use CockroachDB if: You prioritize strong consistency across distributed nodes without manual sharding over what Supabase offers.

The Bottom Line

Supabase wins

Postgres + auth + storage + realtime. The Firebase that doesn't lock you in.

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