𝗛𝗼w do you ensure your pricing is an extension of your product? That it’s as considered as your product and your customer experience?

Last week we launched another special episode of Monetizing SaaS, where we did a teardown of Supabase’s pricing page. This is a 2-parter. In part 1, we cover their pricing page. In part 2, which we’ll release next week, we’ll cover their entire purchasing experience from onboarding to expansion.

In part 1, one theme stood out above all else: predictability.

Supabase goes to incredible lengths to ensure developers never face a surprise bill. They don’t just say they care about predictable pricing—they show it.

In 2021, they published a blog post that set the tone for their entire approach: “Supabase Beta Pricing.” The post outlined their commitment to transparent, predictable pricing.

Fast forward to today, and this pricing philosophy is woven into every corner of their business.

Visit their pricing page, and you’ll find:

- Billing breakdowns tied directly to instance size and usage metrics.

- Detailed FAQs that answer even the most niche pricing questions.

- Linked documentation explaining how billing works in-depth.

- Exceptional customer portals to ensure customers always have intuitive understanding of usage, cost control, billing and more.

And here’s what really sets them apart: cost control is on by default for all customers.

Unless you choose to opt out, you’re protected from runaway bills. That level of thoughtfulness is rare—and it’s part of why developers trust Supabase as they scale their projects.

Key takeaways

➡️ Predictability is everything – From instance-based pricing to default cost controls, Supabase has redefined usage-based billing with a focus on trust and clarity.

➡️ They counter-position on price extremely effectively – As an open-source Firebase alternative, Supabase leverages predictable pricing, Postgres, and SQL to stand out while offering far more active users/mo than competitors like Auth0.

➡️ Their pricing page is an extension of the product – With linked docs, transparent overage policies, and an exceptional FAQ, Supabase’s pricing page feels like part of the product experience. ➡️ Transparency builds long-term loyalty – Supabase wins the confidence & trust of developers for the long haul, by demystifying pricing and making it approachable for hobbyists to enterprises.

In our opinion, Supabase’s pricing page is a masterclass, especially their FAQ section. Highly recommend it as a reference point for other founders.

Chapters:

[00:00] Introduction: Supabase Pricing Teardown: Overview of the episode and Supabase’s position in the developer tool ecosystem.

[00:32] What is Supabase? A discussion of Supabase as an open-source Firebase alternative built on Postgres.

[01:03] Supabase’s Value Proposition: Why Supabase resonates with developers: speed, ease, and focus on application-building.

[02:04] How Supabase Prices its Product: Analyzing Supabase’s tiered pricing model, generous free and pro plans, and enterprise features.

[03:40] Cost Control and Predictable Billing: Supabase’s focus on predictable billing and its unique approach to countering usage-based pricing fears.

[06:19] Counter-Positioning Against Firebase: How Supabase differentiates itself as a SQL-based, predictable-cost alternative.

[08:21] Supabase vs. Auth0: Authentication Pricing: Offering 100,000 monthly active users at $25 and how that compares to Auth0.

[09:50] Anatomy of the Pricing Page: The thoughtful design and exceptional transparency of Supabase’s pricing page.

[11:45] FAQ and Documentation as a Selling Tool: Highlighting the seamless integration of FAQs and docs to guide users through pricing decisions.

[14:05] Grading Supabase’s Pricing Page: Panel discussion: Why Supabase’s pricing page earns top marks and where there’s room for improvement.

[15:33] Closing Thoughts and Preview of Part 2: Wrap-up and teaser for the next episode focusing on Supabase’s purchasing experience.