Comparison
How AllYourBase compares to PocketBase and Supabase (self-hosted).
Feature matrix
| Feature | PocketBase | Supabase (self-hosted) | AllYourBase |
|---|---|---|---|
| Database | SQLite | PostgreSQL | PostgreSQL |
| Deployment | Single binary | 10+ Docker containers | Single binary |
| Configuration | One file | Dozens of env vars | One file (ayb.toml) |
| Docker required | No | Yes | No |
| Auto-generated API | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Filtering | Custom syntax | PostgREST | SQL-like, parameterized |
| Sorting | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Pagination | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| FK expansion | Yes | Select embedding | Yes (?expand=) |
| Row-Level Security | No | Yes | Yes |
| Auth | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| OAuth | Many providers | Many providers | Google, GitHub |
| File storage | Yes | Yes | Yes (local + S3) |
| Realtime | SSE | WebSocket (complex) | SSE |
| Admin dashboard | Yes | Yes (complex) | Yes |
| Database RPC | No | Yes (PostgREST) | Yes |
| Horizontal scaling | No (SQLite) | Yes | Yes (PostgreSQL) |
| Bulk operations | No | Yes | Coming soon |
When to use AllYourBase
Choose AllYourBase if you:
- Want PostgreSQL without the operational complexity of Supabase
- Need a single binary you can deploy anywhere
- Want RLS support that PocketBase doesn't offer
- Need horizontal scaling that SQLite can't provide
- Want an opinionated, batteries-included setup with minimal configuration
When to use PocketBase
Choose PocketBase if you:
- Want the simplest possible setup and SQLite is sufficient
- Don't need Row-Level Security
- Need many OAuth providers out of the box
- Want a mature, battle-tested product
When to use Supabase
Choose Supabase if you:
- Want a managed cloud service (Supabase Cloud)
- Need the full ecosystem (edge functions, branching, SQL editor, API explorer)
- Need advanced PostgREST features (select embedding, computed columns)
- Want a large community and extensive documentation
Key advantages of AllYourBase
PostgreSQL without complexity
Supabase self-hosted requires 10+ containers (PostgREST, GoTrue, Realtime, Storage, Kong, etc.). AYB gives you the same PostgreSQL foundation in a single binary.
Single binary + embedded PostgreSQL
For development and prototyping, ayb start downloads and manages its own PostgreSQL — no database setup needed. For production, point it at any PostgreSQL instance.
SQL-safe filtering
AYB's filter syntax is familiar and parameterized:
?filter=status='active' AND age>21No custom DSL to learn. Values are parameterized to prevent SQL injection.