Self-Hosting Supabase Alternatives: PocketBase & Appwrite
Love Supabase but want full control? Explore self-hosting PocketBase or Appwrite on Teploy for a complete Backend-as-a-Service experience on your own terms.
Supabase is an incredible open-source Firebase alternative. However, managing the full self-hosted Supabase stack (which involves ~15 Docker containers including Kong, GoTrue, PostgREST, Realtime, etc.) is notoriously heavy. It requires a large server.
If you want the "Backend-as-a-Service" (BaaS) experience—auth, database, file storage, realtime—on a budget, there are lighter alternatives that run beautifully on Teploy.
Option 1: PocketBase
PocketBase is a single-file backend built in Go. It includes:
- Realtime database (SQLite embedded)
- Authentication
- File storage
- Admin dashboard
Why run it on Teploy?
Because it's a single binary/container, it runs incredibly fast on even the smallest $4 VPS.
Deployment: Just use the official pocketbase/pocketbase Docker image in your Teploy config. You get a production-ready backend in 30 seconds.
Cost: ~$5/mo total vs Supabase Pro ($25/mo).
Option 2: Appwrite
Appwrite is a robust, full-featured enterprise alternative to Firebase. It's heavier than PocketBase but scales further. It includes:
- Cloud Functions
- Complex permissions
- Multiple databases support
Deploying Appwrite on Teploy involves a simple Docker Compose file. Since you own the VPS, you don't hit "Function Execution Limits" or "Monthly Active User" limits. You are limited only by CPU/RAM.
Option 3: Direct Postgres + Hasura
If you just want "Instant GraphQL on Postgres", deploying Hasura alongside a Teploy-managed Postgres database gives you that instant API feel.
When to stick with Managed Supabase?
- You need specifically Postgres extensions (pgvector) fully managed.
- You don't want to handle any update maintenance.
When to Self-Host on Teploy?
- Data Sovereignty: You need data to stay in a specific region (e.g., Germany) on a specific provider (Hetzner).
- Cost: You have high bandwidth/storage needs that would trigger overages on managed plans.
- Offline Dev: You want your production stack to look exactly like your local Docker stack.
Teploy gives you the freedom to choose. You aren't locked into one BaaS provider's pricing tier.