Supabase

How to Self-Host Supabase (Without Losing Your Mind)

Jul 14, 2025

Self-hosting Supabase can be surprisingly straightforward — and seriously worth it if you want more control, better performance, or to avoid overages. In this post, we’ll break down how to self-host Supabase in under 30 minutes, along with the pros, pitfalls, and tools that make it easy.

💡 Why Self-Host Supabase?

Supabase Cloud is awesome, but there are some good reasons to go self-hosted:

  • Better hardware for less – You can get a Hetzner VPS with 8 vCPU / 32 GB RAM for ~$50/month. Compare that to ~$410/month on Supabase Cloud for similar specs.

  • No project limits or auto-pausing – Free tier projects on Supabase Cloud pause after 1 week of inactivity. Self-hosting means you’re in full control.

  • Own your data – Everything runs on your own infrastructure: no vendor lock-in, no surprise changes.

  • Customizability – Deploy with your own CI/CD, tweak internals, or experiment freely.

“I run a self-hosted Supabase instance on a Hetzner box — works beautifully and saves me hundreds a month.”
— user @badperiphery on Reddit


🛠️ How to Self-Host Supabase (the Easy Way)

There are two main ways to self-host:

Option 1: Docker + CLI (official method)

Supabase offers an official self-hosted stack via Docker.

🔧 Quick Start (Local Dev)
git clone https://github.com/supabase/supabase
cd supabase/docker
supabase init
supabase start

This spins up the full stack: Postgres, Realtime, Auth, Storage, Edge Functions, and Studio — all in Docker containers.

But for production, you’ll want more control...

Option 2: Use a Hosting Panel (Coolify, EasyPanel, Dokploy)

Many users prefer to use low-code DevOps tools like:

  • Coolify – Think of it like self-hosted Heroku. Free and easy to set up.

  • EasyPanel – Simpler UI, great for deploying Supabase with Docker.

  • Dokploy – Lightweight and focused on quick app deployments.

“I deployed Supabase on Coolify in 20 minutes. Just imported a gist with the Docker Compose file and added my domain.”
— Reddit user @heftyzebra

🪜 General Steps with Coolify:

  1. Set up a VPS (Hetzner, DigitalOcean, etc.) with Docker installed.

  2. Install Coolify (1-line install script).

  3. Import Supabase stack (using a shared Docker Compose gist).

  4. Point your domain and configure SSL.

  5. Done. You’ve got a working Supabase instance!

You’ll also want to configure:

  • Persistent volumes for your Postgres data

  • Backups (automated or cron jobs)

  • Monitoring (Uptime Kuma, Grafana, etc.)


⚙️ What’s Included in Self-Hosted Supabase?

🧠 PostgreSQL (with extensions)

  • 🔐 Supabase Auth

  • 🌐 Edge Functions

  • 📂 Storage with S3-compatible API

  • ⚡ Realtime engine

  • 📊 Supabase Studio (admin UI)

Basically, all the key features from the hosted version — just running on your own server.


📉 Downsides?

Let’s keep it real — self-hosting isn’t for everyone:

  • You maintain everything: uptime, scaling, updates, backups — all on you.

  • No auto-scaling: Unlike the hosted version, scaling requires manual work.

  • Some features lag behind: For example, analytics dashboards or observability features may be behind or require separate tools.

But if you’re comfortable with Docker and basic DevOps, it’s totally doable.


🧪 Final Thoughts

Self-hosting Supabase is an underrated option, especially for developers or startups who:

  • Need more power for less cost

  • Want full control over their stack

  • Like tweaking and experimenting

Whether you spin it up locally or deploy with Coolify in the cloud, it’s easier than ever to host your own Supabase and scale on your terms.


📱 Manage Your Supabase Projects on the Go with Supadex

If you’re already using Supabase—or planning to—there’s an easier way to manage your projects on the go. Introducing Supadex, a mobile app designed to streamline the management of your Supabase backend. With Supadex, you can:

  • View and manage your databases from your mobile device.

  • Execute SQL queries on the go.

  • Monitor real-time updates and database changes.

  • Access key project information, including user authentication stats and file storage.

Supadex helps you stay in control of your Supabase projects no matter where you are. Don’t wait—take your backend management to the next level today!

👉 Learn more about Supadex here