Tacobase vs Firebase

The Open Source Firebase Alternative

Open source. Predictable pricing. No vendor lock-in.

Firebase gives you a lot of features tied to Google Cloud. tacobase gives you the essentials — database, auth, realtime, storage — without the complexity, the lock-in, or the surprise bills.

What is Firebase?

Firebase is Google's Backend-as-a-Service platform. It offers a NoSQL document database (Firestore), authentication, cloud functions, hosting, and file storage. While feature-rich and well-integrated with Google Cloud, it uses proprietary formats, has a complex pricing model based on reads/writes, and creates significant vendor lock-in.

See the Difference in Code

Compare how common tasks look in Tacobase vs Firebase

Initialize the Client

Tacobase
import { createClient } from '@tacobase/client'

// Zero config — reads from env
const db = createClient()
Firebase
import { initializeApp } from 'firebase/app'
import { getFirestore } from 'firebase/firestore'

const app = initializeApp({
  apiKey: "AIza...",
  authDomain: "myapp.firebaseapp.com",
  projectId: "myapp-12345",
  storageBucket: "myapp-12345.appspot.com",
  messagingSenderId: "123456789",
  appId: "1:123456789:web:abc123"
})

const db = getFirestore(app)

Create a Record

Tacobase
// Collection auto-creates on first write
const post = await db
  .collection('posts')
  .create({ title: 'Hello', published: true })
Firebase
import { collection, addDoc } from 'firebase/firestore'

const docRef = await addDoc(
  collection(db, 'posts'),
  { title: 'Hello', published: true }
)

Query with Filters

Tacobase
const posts = await db
  .collection('posts')
  .getList(1, 20, {
    filter: 'published = true',
    sort: '-created',
  })
Firebase
import {
  collection, query, where,
  orderBy, limit, getDocs
} from 'firebase/firestore'

const q = query(
  collection(db, 'posts'),
  where('published', '==', true),
  orderBy('created', 'desc'),
  limit(20)
)
const snapshot = await getDocs(q)
const posts = snapshot.docs.map(
  doc => ({ id: doc.id, ...doc.data() })
)

Authentication

Tacobase
await db.auth.signUp({
  email: 'user@example.com',
  password: 'secure123',
})

await db.auth.signIn({
  email: 'user@example.com',
  password: 'secure123',
})
Firebase
import {
  getAuth,
  createUserWithEmailAndPassword,
  signInWithEmailAndPassword,
} from 'firebase/auth'

const auth = getAuth()

await createUserWithEmailAndPassword(
  auth, 'user@example.com', 'secure123'
)

await signInWithEmailAndPassword(
  auth, 'user@example.com', 'secure123'
)

Realtime Subscriptions

Tacobase
const unsub = await db
  .collection('messages')
  .subscribe((e) => {
    console.log(e.action, e.record)
  })
Firebase
import { collection, onSnapshot } from 'firebase/firestore'

const unsub = onSnapshot(
  collection(db, 'messages'),
  (snapshot) => {
    snapshot.docChanges().forEach((change) => {
      console.log(change.type, change.doc.data())
    })
  }
)

Feature Comparison

How Tacobase stacks up against Firebase

FeatureTacobaseFirebase

Setup & DX

Zero-config start
Auto-creating collections
CLI scaffolding
TypeScript SDK
Works with AI coding tools
No Google account required

Database

Relational database
NoSQL / document store
Realtime subscriptions
Auto-generated REST API
SQL-like filtering
Offline support

Auth

Email/password
OAuth providers
Drop-in auth UI component
Anonymous auth
Phone auth

Infrastructure

Managed hosting
File storage
Cloud functions
Open source
Self-hostable
No vendor lock-in
Per-tenant isolation

Pricing

Soft tier
Predictable pricing
Paid from
$7/mo
Pay-as-you-go
No surprise bills

Why Developers Choose Tacobase

Open Source, No Lock-In

tacobase is fully open source and self-hostable. Your data lives in standard SQLite databases you can export anytime. No proprietary formats, no Google dependency.

Predictable Pricing

Firebase's pay-per-read/write model leads to surprise bills. tacobase has flat, predictable pricing starting at $7/mo. Know what you'll pay before you ship.

Relational Data Model

tacobase uses a relational database with proper filtering, sorting, and pagination. No need to denormalize your data or restructure for every new query pattern.

Simpler SDK Surface

Firebase requires importing dozens of functions from different modules. tacobase has a single client with a chainable, intuitive API. Less imports, less boilerplate.

Zero-Config Setup

Firebase needs a config object with 7 fields. tacobase reads from your environment automatically. One install, zero configuration.

AI-Native Development

tacobase's small, predictable API surface is designed for AI coding tools. Cursor, Claude, and v0 can use tacobase correctly without hallucinating complex configurations.

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about Tacobase vs Firebase

Is tacobase a drop-in replacement for Firebase?

tacobase covers the core Firebase features — database, auth, realtime, and file storage. However, tacobase uses a relational data model instead of Firebase's NoSQL document model. For most apps, this is an upgrade, but if you heavily depend on Firestore's nested document structure or offline-first sync, the migration requires some data restructuring.

Will I get surprise bills with tacobase like Firebase?

No. tacobase uses flat, predictable monthly pricing starting at $7/mo. There are no per-read or per-write charges. You know exactly what you'll pay before you ship, unlike Firebase's pay-per-operation model.

Can I use tacobase without a Google account?

Yes. tacobase is completely independent of Google. You can sign up with any email, self-host on any infrastructure, and export your data at any time. No Google Cloud dependency.

Does tacobase support offline-first like Firebase?

tacobase currently focuses on online-first with realtime subscriptions. If your app requires extensive offline support with automatic sync (like Firebase's Firestore offline persistence), Firebase may be a better fit for that specific use case.

Why choose tacobase over Firebase for a new project?

tacobase offers open-source transparency, a relational data model that scales without denormalization, predictable pricing, zero vendor lock-in, and a simpler SDK surface that works perfectly with AI coding tools. If you're starting fresh, tacobase gets you to production faster with less complexity.

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