Comprehensive comparison of two modern PostgreSQL platforms: Neon's serverless database architecture vs Supabase's full-stack backend platform. Find the right fit for your AI workloads, development workflows, and scaling needs.
Updated September 2, 2025: Following Databricks' $1B acquisition of Neon and the explosion of AI agents creating databases, this comparison covers the latest capabilities of both platforms. For enterprise teams needing BYOC deployment with the benefits of both platforms, consider exploring dedicated enterprise PostgreSQL solutions.
Quick decision framework for busy developers
How the platforms compare across critical capabilities
Detailed breakdown across all major capabilities
Which platform excels for different application types
| Use Case | Neon | Supabase | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| AI/ML Applications | Excellent - Built for AI agents with instant provisioning | Good - Growing ecosystem, real-time features beneficial | Neon |
| Full-Stack Web Applications | Good - Pure database focus, requires additional services | Excellent - Complete backend with auth, real-time, storage | Supabase |
| Variable/Unpredictable Workloads | Excellent - Scale-to-zero saves costs during inactive periods | Good - Instance-based pricing may be less cost-effective | Neon |
| Development Teams with Heavy Testing | Excellent - Instant database branching for every PR | Good - Git integration but requires migration overhead | Neon |
| Real-Time Applications | Limited - Database focus, needs additional real-time layer | Excellent - Built-in real-time subscriptions | Supabase |
| Rapid Prototyping | Good - Quick database setup but needs additional services | Excellent - Complete backend ready out-of-the-box | Supabase |
How costs compare across different scenarios
Key Advantage: Scale-to-zero means you only pay for active compute time, ideal for variable workloads.
Key Advantage: Predictable pricing includes full backend services (auth, real-time, storage).
| Scenario | Neon | Supabase | Advantage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small App (1 developer) | Free tier covers most needs | Free tier sufficient for prototyping | Similar |
| Development Team (5-10 devs) | $19-69/month + instant branches for testing | $25/month + project-based costs | Neon |
| Production App (Variable Traffic) | Scale-to-zero during low usage | Always-on instance costs | Neon |
| Enterprise with Multiple Services | Database cost + additional service costs | Comprehensive platform pricing | Supabase |
| Enterprise BYOC + Instant Cloning | Good database features, but SaaS-only | Great platform, but managed hosting only |
How both platforms are adapting to the age of AI agents
Databricks' $1B acquisition of Neon in May 2025 signals strong validation of Neon's AI-first architecture. This backing from a $62 billion company focused on AI and analytics suggests continued innovation in the agentic workloads space.
Clear answers to help you make the right choice
Neon offers standard PostgreSQL compatibility with minimal modifications, while Supabase uses vanilla PostgreSQL with additional middleware. Both maintain excellent PostgreSQL compatibility, but Neon's approach minimizes vendor lock-in.
Neon offers instant copy-on-write cloning that's truly instantaneous and cost-effective, similar to Git semantics. Supabase's branching requires provisioning new databases and running migrations, which takes more time but integrates well with Git workflows.
Neon is purpose-built for AI workloads with 80% of its databases created by AI agents. Its instant provisioning and scale-to-zero capabilities make it ideal for agentic applications. Supabase is also gaining traction in AI but focuses more on comprehensive full-stack development.
Neon's scale-to-zero model can be significantly more cost-effective for variable workloads since you only pay for active compute time. Supabase's instance-based model provides predictable costs but may be less efficient for applications with high variability.
Supabase excels for full-stack applications with its integrated authentication, real-time features, storage, and edge functions. Neon focuses purely on the database layer, so you'd need to integrate additional services for a complete backend.
Yes, since both use PostgreSQL, data migration is straightforward using standard PostgreSQL dump/restore tools. However, if you're using Supabase's additional services (auth, real-time, storage), you'll need to replace those when moving to Neon.
Both platforms achieve SOC 2 Type 2 compliance. Supabase additionally offers HIPAA compliance for healthcare applications and has more comprehensive enterprise security features like JWT-based authentication and OAuth support.
Supabase offers more comprehensive enterprise features including HIPAA compliance, advanced authentication, and organizational controls. Neon, now backed by Databricks, focuses more on database-specific enterprise features and AI-native capabilities. For teams needing both enterprise features and BYOC deployment, dedicated enterprise PostgreSQL platforms may offer the best of both worlds.
Key questions to guide your platform choice
While Neon and Supabase excel in their respective domains, enterprise teams often need the benefits of both: instant cloning, Git-style workflows, and full control with BYOC deployment.
Compare enterprise PostgreSQL options with instant cloning, BYOC deployment, and organization-wide RBAC.