Looking for a Firebase alternative?
Own your backend.
Database, Auth, Realtime, Functions, Storage -- all self-hosted in a single binary. Flat pricing, SQL and NoSQL databases, plus full app deployment.
The honest take: Firebase offers client SDKs and Google products such as Analytics, Crashlytics, and ML Kit. If you want flat monthly pricing, need your data on your own server, or want several database engines on one machine, sh0 provides database, auth, realtime, functions, and storage on your own infrastructure.
Feature Comparison
sh0 vs Firebase: backend services, deployment, data ownership, and pricing side by side.
| Feature | sh0 | Firebase |
|---|---|---|
| Database | PostgreSQL, MySQL, MariaDB, MongoDB, Redis | Firestore (NoSQL) + Realtime Database |
| Auth service | Managed Logto (OIDC, social, MFA) | Firebase Auth (email, phone, social) |
| Realtime subscriptions | Centrifugo (WebSocket + SSE) | Firestore realtime listeners |
| Serverless functions | Managed Deno runtime | Cloud Functions for Firebase |
| File storage | MinIO (S3-compatible) | Cloud Storage for Firebase |
| REST API | PostgREST (auto-generated from tables) | Firestore REST API |
| SQL database support | PostgreSQL, MySQL, MariaDB (full SQL) | SQL Connect (Cloud SQL for PostgreSQL) |
| App deployment (PaaS) | Full Docker-based deployment | App Hosting (full-stack web apps, Next.js and Angular) |
| Built-in AI assistant | 105 MCP tools + 6 specialist agents | Gemini in Firebase (console assistant) |
| Predictable pricing | Flat monthly fee ($0-$99) | Blaze: pay as you go (usage-based) |
Sources (checked on 13 October 2026): Firebase pricing· Firebase docs: SQL Connect· Firebase docs: App Hosting· Firebase docs: Authentication
Why Developers Switch from Firebase
Common frustrations that drive developers to self-hosted alternatives.
"On the Blaze plan, Firestore reads beyond 50K a day and Cloud Functions invocations beyond 2M a month are billed per use. A traffic spike shows up on the bill."
sh0 charges a flat monthly fee. No per-read, per-write, or per-function-invocation billing. Your costs are predictable regardless of traffic spikes.
What Makes sh0 Different
SQL + NoSQL, Your Choice
sh0 offers PostgreSQL, MySQL, MariaDB (relational) and MongoDB (NoSQL), with Redis for caching, all on your own server. Pick the right database for each use case.
No Google Lock-In
sh0 uses standard protocols: PostgreSQL, S3, OIDC, WebSocket. Migrate anywhere, anytime.
Full PaaS, Not Just Backend
Firebase App Hosting builds full-stack web apps (Next.js, Angular) from source with buildpacks. sh0 deploys any Docker container -- Node.js, Python, Go, Rust, PHP, Ruby, .NET -- with managed databases, email, and more.
Every Firebase Feature, Self-Hosted
sh0 maps each Firebase service to a best-in-class open-source engine.
Firestore / RTDB --> PostgreSQL + MongoDB
SQL or NoSQL. 5 managed engines with admin UIs.
REST API --> PostgREST
Auto-generated REST API from PostgreSQL tables.
Firebase Auth --> Logto
OIDC-compliant with social login, MFA, and admin console.
Realtime DB --> Centrifugo
WebSocket + SSE with channels, presence, and history.
Cloud Functions --> Deno
TypeScript/JavaScript runtime, HTTP-invokable functions.
Cloud Storage --> MinIO
S3-compatible object storage with web console.
Pricing Comparison
Firebase's pay-per-use model vs. sh0's flat monthly pricing. No surprises, no scaling anxiety.
| Scenario | sh0 | Firebase |
|---|---|---|
| Getting started | $0/mo (Free tier, 1 stack, unlimited apps) | $0/mo (Spark, no-cost usage limits) |
| Production app | $19/mo (Pro -- all services) | Blaze: pay as you go, Spark no-cost usage included |
| Cloud Functions (1M invocations) | Unlimited (your server) | 2M/mo free, then $0.40 per million + compute time |
Migrate from Firebase in 5 Steps
Replace Firebase services one by one with standard, portable alternatives.
Install sh0
curl -fsSL https://get.sh0.dev | bashSet up your database
Create a PostgreSQL or MongoDB server with one click. If migrating from Firestore, MongoDB preserves your document structure; PostgreSQL with PostgREST gives you a REST API.
Enable Auth and Realtime
Activate Logto (Auth) and Centrifugo (Realtime) from the dashboard. Both follow standard protocols -- OIDC for auth, WebSocket for realtime.
Deploy your application
Connect your Git repository or use sh0 push. Your frontend and backend deploy together on the same server.
Update your client code
Replace Firebase SDK calls with standard HTTP/WebSocket calls. PostgREST, Logto, and Centrifugo all have client libraries for major frameworks.
Who Should Choose What
Choose Firebase if...
- You need Analytics, Crashlytics, and ML Kit integration
- Your app is mobile-first and benefits from Firebase SDKs
- You want zero infrastructure management
- Your usage is low enough that pay-per-use is cheaper
Choose sh0 if...
- You need SQL databases (PostgreSQL, MySQL)
- You want predictable pricing at any scale
- Data sovereignty and vendor independence matter
- You need full app deployment, not just backend services
Your Backend Without Google Lock-In
Install sh0 and get database, auth, realtime, functions, and storage on your own server. One binary, flat pricing, zero vendor dependency.