Compare Fusio to Supabase

This page compares Fusio, an open-source API management platform focused on building and managing APIs, with Supabase, an open-source Backend-as-a-Service (BaaS) platform that provides a managed PostgreSQL backend, real-time features, authentication, storage, and auto-generated APIs.

🔍 Feature Comparison

Feature	Fusio	Supabase
Type	API management platform	Backend-as-a-Service (BaaS)
Primary Focus	Build, expose, and secure REST APIs	Full backend: DB, auth, real-time, storage, functions
Open Source	✅ Yes (Apache 2.0)	✅ Yes (MIT)
Hosting	Self-hosted (Docker, Composer)	Supabase Cloud or self-hosted (Docker)
Database	Connects to SQL DBs	Built-in PostgreSQL
API Generation	Manual or CRUD actions	Auto-generated REST; GraphQL is supported via the pg_graphql extension
Authentication	Built-in OAuth2	Built-in Supabase Auth (JWT, OAuth)
Real-time	⚠️ Possible via custom logic	✅ Built-in real-time via Postgres events
Custom Logic	PHP/JS/SQL actions	Edge Functions (TypeScript)
Storage	⚠️ External via filesystem or connectors	✅ Object storage (S3-compatible)
Preferred Use Case	API first & backend logic	Full backend for web/mobile apps

🎯 Key Differences

The main difference between Fusio and Supabase lies in their architectural focus and backend responsibilities.

Fusio is an API management platform designed to give developers direct control over creating, managing, and securing APIs:

Create structured REST APIs with custom logic
Connect to external SQL databases (MySQL, PostgreSQL, etc.)
Secure endpoints with a built-in OAuth2 server and scopes
Automatically generate OpenAPI documentation
Implement backend workflows using PHP, JavaScript, or SQL

Fusio is focused on API design, backend logic, and lifecycle workflows, making it suitable for structured API systems.

Supabase is a full-stack backend platform that provides a ready-to-use PostgreSQL database with auto-generated APIs and integrated backend services:

Managed PostgreSQL database with REST and GraphQL APIs
Built-in user authentication and access control
Real-time database subscriptions and events
Object storage for files
Edge Functions for serverless logic

Supabase is focused on providing a complete backend stack that handles database, auth, real-time updates, storage, and serverless functions out-of-the-box.

📌 When to Choose Which

Choose Fusio if:

You need full control over API design, security, and logic
You want to self-host or integrate existing databases
You prefer structured API management with OAuth2 and OpenAPI workflows
Your project is API-first or backend developer-centric
You want a provider-independent stack (no hosted BaaS required)

Fusio is ideal for building custom, secure, production APIs with fine-grained access controls.

Choose Supabase if:

You want a complete backend platform for web or mobile apps
You prefer instant API generation from your database schema
You need built-in authentication, real-time features, and storage
You’re comfortable with PostgreSQL and JavaScript/TypeScript workflows
You want the option of managed hosting with minimal setup

Supabase is excellent for rapidly building full-stack applications with less backend overhead.