Gel vs Supabase
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted apps from related categories — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
Not the right match-up?
Gel
Graph-relational database with a modern query language
VS
Supabase
Open-source Firebase alternative
| Feature | Gel | Supabase |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Developer Tools & Git | Self-Hosting Platforms (PaaS) |
| License | Apache-2.0 | Apache-2.0 |
| Language | Python | TypeScript |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Hard |
| Min. RAM | 1,024 MB | 4,096 MB |
| Deployment | docker, binary | docker, kubernetes |
| GitHub stars | ★ 14,168 | ★ 107,678 |
| First released | 2019 | 2020 |
| Replaces | Firebase, Supabase | Firebase |
Why pick each one
Choose Gel if…
- Released under the Apache-2.0 license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Mature project with 14.2k GitHub stars
- Written in Python
Frequently asked questions
Is Gel or Supabase better?
Neither is universally better. Supabase has the larger community, while Gel is simpler to set up (medium difficulty). Choose based on the comparison table above and your own setup.
Are Gel and Supabase free and open-source?
Yes. Gel is licensed under Apache-2.0 and Supabase under Apache-2.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Gel and Supabase with Docker?
Gel: yes. Supabase: yes.