Firebase gives app developers a database, authentication, file storage, serverless functions and realtime sync as a managed service. Open-source backends cover the same building blocks and can run on your own infrastructure, which avoids lock-in to a single cloud.
Every tool below is under an OSI-approved licence (Apache-2.0, BSD-3-Clause or MIT), checked against its repository. Convex, a reactive backend whose code is public, is listed separately because its licence is not OSI-approved.
Licences checked against each repository on November 7, 2026.
Describes itself as the Postgres development platform, built to offer Firebase-style features on open-source tools. Includes a Postgres database, authentication, auto-generated REST, GraphQL and Realtime APIs, edge functions, file storage and a dashboard. Self-hosting is documented in the hosting guide.
Strengths
+ Full Postgres underneath
+ Auth, storage, realtime and functions in one platform
+ Self-hosting guide and local development tooling
Trade-offs
− Self-hosting means running several services
− SQL and relational modelling replace Firebase's document model
An open-source development platform for web, mobile and AI apps that combines backend infrastructure and web hosting. Offers authentication, databases, storage, functions, messaging and realtime, with install via Docker or container orchestrators such as Kubernetes.
Strengths
+ Auth, databases, storage, functions and messaging
Best for: Mature Node.js backend you can run anywhere
An open-source backend that can be deployed to any infrastructure that can run Node.js. Provides a REST and GraphQL API, Live Query, Cloud Code for server-side logic, pluggable file storage and email verification. Needs MongoDB or PostgreSQL.
Strengths
+ Cloud Code for server-side functions and triggers
An open-source Firebase alternative with GraphQL. Bundles PostgreSQL, Hasura, authentication, file storage and serverless functions, and the whole stack can be self-hosted using an example Docker Compose setup.
Strengths
+ Instant GraphQL API from Hasura
+ Auth, storage and functions included
+ CLI for local development
Trade-offs
− GraphQL-first, so REST-only teams may find it less natural
Best for: Realtime, multiplayer apps with relational queries
A backend for apps with auth, permissions, storage, presence and streams. Queries are relational (InstaQL), updates are optimistic with rollback, and data is stored as triples in Postgres behind a Clojure sync server.
Strengths
+ Realtime sync and optimistic updates by default
+ Presence and ephemeral updates for multiplayer features
+ SDKs for JavaScript, React and React Native
Trade-offs
− Self-hosting steps aren't described on the repo page; check the self-hosting folder and docs
Delivers realtime GraphQL APIs on your data with fine-grained access control, plus webhooks on database events. V2 is the current stable version and V3 powers Hasura DDN. Licensing is split by component, with the core engine under Apache-2.0.
Strengths
+ Realtime GraphQL on existing databases
+ Fine-grained access control
+ Event webhooks
Trade-offs
− An API layer rather than a full backend: bring your own auth and storage
One email a week with the open-source projects, launches and releases added to TechLogHub. Unsubscribe in one click.
Get the TechLogHub digest
One email a week: new and trending developer tools, fresh comparisons, and what shipped. Unsubscribe in one click.
How to choose
If you need…
Start with
The closest overall Firebase replacement on SQL
Supabase
A self-hosted backend with web hosting and messaging
Appwrite
An established Node.js backend with Cloud Code
Parse Server
A GraphQL-first backend
Nhost
Realtime collaborative or multiplayer features
Instant
GraphQL APIs over a database you already have
Hasura
Often called open source, but aren't
Public source code, but under licences the Open Source Initiative doesn't approve. Fine to use; read the terms first.
Convex(FSL-1.1-Apache-2.0)
The convex-backend repository is described as open-source, but its LICENSE.md is the Functional Source License 1.1, which bars competing use. Each release converts to Apache-2.0 on its second anniversary, so it isn't OSI-approved today.
Open-source Firebase alternatives: FAQ
Quick answers to common questions
Is there an open-source version of Firebase?
Firebase itself is proprietary. Supabase explicitly offers Firebase-style features on open-source tools, and Nhost calls itself an open source Firebase alternative with GraphQL. Appwrite and Parse Server are other full backends.
Which Firebase alternative is easiest to self-host?
Appwrite documents a Docker install command and Docker Compose, Parse Server runs on any Node.js host, and Nhost provides an example Docker Compose stack. Supabase documents self-hosting too, but runs several services.
Is Convex open source?
Convex's code is public, but its LICENSE.md is the Functional Source License 1.1 (FSL-1.1-Apache-2.0), which isn't OSI-approved. Each release converts to Apache-2.0 on its second anniversary.
Can I move my Firestore data to Supabase or Appwrite?
You'll need to export your documents and reshape them for the target database: Supabase uses Postgres tables, while Appwrite has its own database collections. Test with a small dataset first.
Do these replace Firebase Authentication and Cloud Functions?
Supabase, Appwrite, Parse Server and Nhost all include authentication and server-side functions (edge functions, functions or Cloud Code). Hasura is mainly an API layer, so pair it with a separate auth service.
Maintain an open-source Firebase alternative?
List it on TechLogHub and we'll review it for this page.
