Supabase vs. Self Hosted Postgresql

PostgreSQL is one of the most beloved open-source databases in the world—powerful, battle-tested, and perfect for modern web applications. When developers want to use it without managing infrastructure, services like Supabase make it incredibly easy to get started.

But there's another path: hosting PostgreSQL on your own VPS. It's not just about saving money—it’s about gaining control, performance tuning, and cost predictability. In this article, we’ll compare Supabase vs your own VPS, with a strong focus on PostgreSQL hosting.

We’ll cover:

• Cost comparisons
• Performance
• Control and customization
• Backups and observability
• Real developer experiences

Let’s dive in.

What Is Supabase?

Supabase is an open-source backend-as-a-service built on top of PostgreSQL. It offers database hosting, authentication, storage, edge functions, and auto-generated APIs. Think of it as an open-source alternative to Firebase—with PostgreSQL as the foundation.

It’s simple, fast, and extremely attractive for indie devs and startups looking to get their MVP off the ground.

What Is VPS-Based PostgreSQL Hosting?

A VPS (Virtual Private Server) gives you your own virtual machine on which you can install and configure PostgreSQL directly. Services like CloudToVPS help developers provision a hardened, production-ready PostgreSQL server that they can fully manage and control.

On a VPS, you choose:

• The version of PostgreSQL
• How it’s tuned
• Where backups go
• Who has access
• What else runs on the machine

Let’s compare.

Supabase: Pros

1. Instant Setup

Supabase spins up a PostgreSQL database in minutes. You don’t need to touch a terminal. This is a huge win for developers who don’t want to manage infrastructure.

2. Auto-Generated API

Supabase generates REST and GraphQL APIs from your tables. For frontend devs, this is a huge productivity boost.

3. Realtime Features

Out of the box, Supabase enables row-level change subscriptions via websockets. This is hard to replicate manually.

4. Integrated Auth and Storage

You get more than just a database. Supabase provides built-in auth, file storage, and edge functions.

5. Easy Dashboard

Their hosted dashboard gives you visibility into tables, usage, logs, and backups. Even non-tech teammates can use it.

Supabase: Cons

1. Price Escalation

Supabase starts cheap, but production apps can quickly exceed the free tier. Paid plans begin at $25/mo, and advanced features or higher storage/connection limits cost more.

Many developers on Reddit and GitHub report costs climbing fast as they scale reads, writes, or store large amounts of data.

2. Performance Limits

You’re on a shared database server (multi-tenant), with limited tuning options. Heavy queries or concurrent usage may hit throttling.

3. Opaque Backups and Restores

While Supabase takes daily backups, restore functionality isn’t instant, and customization is limited.

4. Vendor Lock-In

You become dependent on Supabase tooling, roles, schemas, and functions. Moving off Supabase can be complex.

5. Limited Extensions and Superuser Access

You can’t install all PostgreSQL extensions or run as postgres. If you want PostGIS, TimescaleDB, or logical replication, you’re out of luck.

VPS PostgreSQL Hosting: Pros

1. Cost Control

A VPS with 2 CPUs and 4GB RAM runs $6–$12/mo depending on the provider. You can host PostgreSQL and even your app on the same box. No per-user, per-connection, or bandwidth-based pricing.

2. Full Control

You can:

• Choose your PostgreSQL version
• Enable extensions (PostGIS, pg_cron, pg_partman, etc.)
• Set custom roles and permissions
• Change WAL settings, memory tuning, connection pooling, etc.

3. Advanced Backups

You decide how often backups happen, where they’re stored, and how to restore. Use pg_basebackup, logical dumps, PITR, or WAL archiving.

4. Performance Tuning

You can tune PostgreSQL to your workload: optimize reads, reduce bloat, or maximize concurrency. Supabase can’t offer that level of tuning.

5. Security Control

You manage firewall, TLS certs, and SSH access. With CloudToVPS, you get a pre-hardened server with secure defaults and encrypted backups.

VPS PostgreSQL Hosting: Cons

1. You Must Set It Up (or Hire Help)

Raw VPS provisioning means installing PostgreSQL, configuring backups, tuning, and monitoring. With CloudToVPS, much of this is automated and managed for you.

2. Maintenance Is On You

You (or your team) must handle security updates, replication, and performance monitoring.

3. No Built-in API or UI

You don’t get a web dashboard or auto-generated API. But you can add tools like pgAdmin, PostgREST, Hasura, or Graphile.

4. Scaling Requires Planning

Adding replicas, load balancing, or regional redundancy is a manual process.

Real-World Experience and Community Feedback

Supabase Reviews

• Users love the ease of use, especially when paired with Next.js or React Native.
• Criticism often comes from apps that outgrow the shared nature of Supabase: slow queries, database connection limits, or inability to tune.
• Reddit and GitHub are full of posts where users hit the free tier limits faster than expected.

VPS Experience (with CloudToVPS)

• Developers switching to self-hosted PostgreSQL report major improvements in query performance and cost savings.
• With CloudToVPS, they still get daily backups, git-based deployment, and a secure setup, minus the cloud bill.
• The ability to host multiple apps + DBs on one box creates a streamlined dev environment.

Use Case Comparison

Use Supabase If:

• You’re building an MVP or prototype
• You’re frontend-focused and want zero ops
• You need auth, storage, and database in one package
• You can live with some performance and control limitations

Use Your Own VPS If:

• You want cost predictability and savings
• You need performance tuning or high concurrency
• You require specific PostgreSQL extensions
• You want full control over backups, roles, and security
• You’re scaling beyond MVP or handling sensitive data

Final Thoughts

Supabase is amazing for getting started fast. It lowers the barrier to entry for powerful apps using PostgreSQL, auth, and storage. But as your app matures, it can become restrictive—and expensive.

Hosting PostgreSQL on your own VPS gives you deep control, better performance, and predictable costs. When managed properly (or provisioned by CloudToVPS), it’s secure, scalable, and production-grade.

If you’re building long-term, need advanced tuning, or want to avoid vendor lock-in, the VPS route gives you freedom.

Need help setting up PostgreSQL on your own server? Get started for $99 with CloudToVPS