Quick verdict
Supabase is the 2026 default for most AI-built mobile apps. Firebase for Google-ecosystem teams. Convex when you want a deeply-typed end-to-end TypeScript stack. Others are valid for specific use cases but rarely the right first choice.
The 2026 BaaS landscape
| Provider | Data model | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Supabase | Postgres (SQL) | Most apps — default pick |
| Firebase | Firestore / RTDB (doc) | Google-ecosystem, massive auth free tier |
| Convex | Document + TypeScript-first | End-to-end typed TS apps |
| Appwrite | NoSQL + self-hostable | Self-hosted, open source |
| PowerSync | Postgres + offline sync | Offline-first apps at scale |
| Xano | No-code / visual DB | Non-technical founders, drag-and-drop |
| PocketBase | SQLite, self-hostable | Solo devs, simple projects |
| AWS Amplify | DynamoDB / AppSync | AWS-committed teams |
What AI-generated apps need from a BaaS
Picking for an AI-built app changes the criteria. What matters most:
- AI knowledge density. How much training data exists for this BaaS + React Native? More data → better AI-generated code.
- Expo compatibility. Works in managed workflow without native module complexity.
- Row-level security (or equivalent). AI builders generate client-side queries; you need server-side authorization.
- Realtime + auth + storage in one. Fewer vendors = fewer things for AI to wire.
- Predictable pricing. AI-generated apps scale fast when they work; unpredictable bills are risky.
Top picks by use case
- First-time indie founder: Supabase. Best Expo DX, generous free tier, SQL + RLS are easy to reason about.
- Auth-heavy consumer app: Firebase. 50k MAUs free is hard to beat.
- End-to-end TypeScript team: Convex. Server functions are TypeScript with full type inference across the wire.
- Self-hosting / compliance requirement: Supabase self-hosted or Appwrite. Full control, open source.
- Offline-first at scale: PowerSync on top of Postgres. Built for sync complexity beyond what Supabase Realtime handles.
- Non-technical founder: Xano. Visual schema, REST/GraphQL generated — more accessible than SQL at MVP stage.
Why Supabase is the 2026 default
- Widest AI training-data footprint for mobile apps.
- Postgres — portable if you ever want to leave.
- Row-level security that AI builders know how to scaffold.
- Works in Expo managed workflow with zero native module setup.
- Pricing that scales predictably with usage.
- Realtime, storage, edge functions, and auth in one.
Apps generated via ShipNative default to Supabase because the AI-to-backend wiring is cleanest there. See Connecting an AI-Generated App to a Real Backend for the walkthrough.
When to pick each alternative
- Firebase — Google-ecosystem lock-in is acceptable, auth free tier matters, document data model fits.
- Convex — your team ships TypeScript end-to-end and wants strong types across the boundary.
- Appwrite — you need self-hosting for compliance or budget predictability past scale.
- PowerSync — offline-first is your product’s defining feature and you’ll hit scale.
- Xano — you’re genuinely non-technical and prefer visual schema management.
- PocketBase — you want the absolute simplest self-hosted option for a small side project.
Common pitfalls
- Picking an obscure BaaS the AI builder doesn’t know well. You fight generated code.
- Not enabling row-level security. Default-open tables leak data.
- Firestore reads at scale without thinking. Costs can balloon.
- Building on PowerSync before you’ve confirmed offline-first is the product. Added complexity without payoff.
- Switching BaaS at month 12. Migration is painful — pick carefully.