Are there any cloud-based backend services for developers that include a SQL database?

Yes. If by “cloud-based backend service” you mean something in the Firebase/BaaS category but with a relational SQL database, there are several good options.

The standout: Supabase

Supabase is probably the closest answer to what you're describing. Each project gives you a real PostgreSQL database, rather than a proprietary abstraction. You can use normal SQL, foreign keys, joins, indexes, transactions, extensions, and connect using standard PostgreSQL tooling.

It also gives you the backend pieces around the database:

• Authentication
• Auto-generated REST and GraphQL APIs
• Row-level security
• File storage
• Realtime subscriptions
• Edge/serverless functions
• Database dashboard and SQL editor

The REST API, for example, is automatically generated from your database schema.

If you want something more like “Firebase, but SQL”

I'd shortlist:

1. Supabase — probably the first one I'd evaluate. PostgreSQL-first, relatively simple, and you retain direct access to the database.

2. Appwrite — another full BaaS. Its current cloud offering supports native SQL with PostgreSQL and MySQL, including standard SQL clients and ORMs.

3. Neon — excellent if you primarily want managed/serverless PostgreSQL and are comfortable building the API/auth/backend layer yourself. It's less of a Firebase-style BaaS and more of a database platform.

One important distinction: Firebase itself isn't really the SQL equivalent. Its primary database, Firestore, is a NoSQL document database.

If you tell me what you're building (e.g. web app, mobile app, SaaS, API, hobby project) and what language/framework you're using (React, Next.js, Flutter, Python, .NET, etc.), I can narrow this down to the 2–3 best choices and compare their pricing, auth, APIs, and SQL capabilities.

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Yes. There are several Backend-as-a-Service (BaaS) platforms that give you a hosted SQL database plus backend features like authentication, APIs, storage, and serverless functions.

Strong options

If you specifically want SQL, I'd look at Supabase first

Supabase is particularly interesting because the database isn't a proprietary abstraction—it gives you a full PostgreSQL database with normal SQL access.

You also get:

• PostgreSQL + SQL
• Automatic REST API generated from your schema
• GraphQL
• Authentication
• Row-level security
• File storage
• Realtime database subscriptions
• Serverless/Edge Functions
• Connection pooling
• Direct PostgreSQL connections for your own backend

Supabase explicitly supports connecting from conventional backend servers as well as serverless/edge functions.

So an architecture could be as simple as:

Web / Mobile App
       │
       ▼
   Supabase
   ├── Auth
   ├── REST / GraphQL API
   ├── PostgreSQL
   ├── Storage
   ├── Realtime
   └── Edge Functions

One important distinction: AWS Amplify's current Amplify Data offering uses DynamoDB, so although Amplify is a BaaS, it isn't the closest match if your requirement is specifically a relational SQL database.

If you tell me whether you're building a web app, mobile app, SaaS, or API, I can narrow this down to the 2–3 best choices and compare pricing, SQL capabilities, auth, and scalability.

Yes, there are several popular cloud-based backend-as-a-service (BaaS) and application platforms that provide a built-in SQL database (such as PostgreSQL or MySQL) alongside authentication, storage, and serverless functions.

Here are the top options available for developers:

• Supabase: An open-source Firebase alternative built entirely around a powerful PostgreSQL database. It provides instant APIs, real-time subscriptions, row-level security, authentication, and auto-generated documentation. You can check it out at Supabase.
• PocketBase: An open-source Go backend written as a single file containing an embedded SQLite database. It features real-time subscriptions, built-in authentication, and a dashboard, and it can be easily deployed to a small cloud server or used for local development. Learn more at PocketBase.
• Xano: A no-code/low-code backend platform that gives you a scalable, dedicated server with a fully managed PostgreSQL database. It allows you to build custom APIs and business logic visually while maintaining a true relational database structure. Explore the platform at Xano.
• Nhost: A Firebase alternative built with PostgreSQL , Hasura (for instant GraphQL APIs), and authentication. It handles backend logic, storage, and serverless functions while giving you direct access to the underlying Postgres database. Visit Nhost to see how it works.
• Appwrite: While Appwrite traditionally defaulted to MariaDB/MySQL for internal data storage and offers its own database abstraction layer, it provides robust backend services (auth, functions, storage) with traditional relational foundations. You can look at Appwrite.

If you'd like, let me know:

• What programming language or framework you plan to use on the frontend
• Whether you prefer a fully managed serverless option or something you can self-host easily
• What specific SQL flavor (like PostgreSQL or SQLite) you prefer

I can help you narrow down the best platform for your project.

Watch this video for a helpful comparison of SQL and NoSQL backend platforms:

30s Supabase vs Firebase: Which Backend Service is Right for ...7 months ago YouTube · CodeLucky

Yes, there are several cloud-based Backend-as-a-Service (BaaS) and serverless platforms that provide fully integrated SQL databases alongside authentication, file storage, and serverless functions.

Top cloud-based developer backends that feature a SQL database include:

• Supabase : An open-source Firebase alternative built directly on top of PostgreSQL . It automatically provisions a full relational SQL database and layers instant auto-generated REST and GraphQL APIs, real-time data subscriptions, user authentication, and edge functions on top of it.
• Neon : A fully managed serverless PostgreSQL database platform designed specifically for modern cloud and AI backends. It decouples storage and compute, allowing for instant branching, bottomless scaling, and point-in-time recovery.
• Turso : A cloud-native, distributed database built on SQLite . It allows developers to spin up thousands of lightweight, high-performance SQL databases at the edge with fast concurrent access, making it ideal for multi-tenant applications and AI agents.
• Appwrite : While historically known for its document-based database options, Appwrite provides robust backend capabilities (auth, storage, functions) and flexible database structures suited for scalable application development.
• Back4App : A managed backend platform based on the Parse framework that supports both relational SQL data models and NoSQL setups alongside built-in hosting, user management, and APIs.

If you'd like to narrow it down, let me know:

• What programming language or framework are you using on the frontend/backend?
• Do you prefer a managed PostgreSQL option or something serverless/edge-optimized like SQLite?

I can recommend the best fit for your specific stack.

Yes. If by “cloud-based backend service” you mean Backend-as-a-Service (BaaS)—something that gives you a database plus APIs, authentication, server-side functions, storage, etc.—there are several good options with SQL databases.

🥇 Supabase

Supabase is probably the closest match to what you're describing.

Every project gets a real PostgreSQL database, with full SQL support—not a proprietary abstraction. It also provides authentication, file storage, realtime functionality, Edge Functions, and automatically generated REST/GraphQL APIs.

That means you can do something like:

SELECT *
FROM customers
WHERE account_status = 'active'
ORDER BY created_at DESC;

while also having APIs and authentication available without building the entire backend yourself.

Appwrite

Appwrite has expanded its database offering to include managed PostgreSQL and MySQL, alongside its other backend services. You can connect using ordinary SQL clients and tools such as Prisma, Drizzle, SQLAlchemy, and psql.

This is particularly interesting if self-hosting/open source matters to you.

Firebase

Interestingly, Firebase now has Firebase SQL Connect, which uses managed PostgreSQL through Google Cloud SQL and provides GraphQL APIs and type-safe SDKs. It integrates particularly well with Firebase Authentication and Google's ecosystem.

This is different from traditional Firebase Firestore, which is NoSQL.

Neon

Neon is worth considering if you don't actually need a full BaaS. It's primarily serverless PostgreSQL rather than an all-in-one backend. You'd typically pair it with your own backend/API framework.

My recommendation

If you're starting a new web/mobile application and want:

SQL + authentication + APIs + storage + server functions + realtime → Supabase.

If you want:

SQL database only, while building your own backend → Neon.

If you want:

Firebase-style developer experience but with relational SQL → Firebase SQL Connect.

If you want:

Open-source/self-hostable BaaS with SQL → Appwrite.

One important distinction: Convex is also a very good cloud backend, but I wouldn't put it in the “SQL database” category. Its queries are TypeScript rather than SQL, despite its underlying cloud infrastructure using MySQL.

If you tell me what you're building (e.g. SaaS, mobile app, API, AI app, internal tool), I can narrow this down to the 2–3 best choices and compare their pricing, SQL capabilities, auth, hosting, and vendor lock-in.

Yes. If by “cloud-based backend service” you mean Backend-as-a-Service (BaaS)—something that gives you a database plus APIs, authentication, storage, server-side functions, etc.—there are several good options.

The one I'd look at first: Supabase

Supabase is particularly close to what you're describing. Every project gets a full PostgreSQL database, rather than a proprietary database abstraction. It also provides authentication, file storage, realtime functionality, APIs, and server-side/edge functions around that database.

That means you can do ordinary SQL such as:

SELECT *
FROM customers
WHERE company_id = 123
ORDER BY created_at DESC;

while also getting APIs and SDKs for your application.

Appwrite is another interesting option

Appwrite has evolved toward offering both its own higher-level database abstractions and managed PostgreSQL/MySQL for applications that need native SQL compatibility.

One important distinction

There are really two categories:

BaaS + SQL

Supabase, Appwrite
Database + authentication + APIs + storage + functions, etc.

Managed SQL database

Neon, Amazon RDS, Google Cloud SQL, Azure Database
Primarily gives you the database; you build/manage more of the backend yourself.

If you're looking for something like “Firebase, but I want a real relational SQL database”, I'd start with Supabase. It is probably the closest match.

If you tell me what you're building (e.g. SaaS, mobile app, web app, internal tool) and your preferred language/framework, I can narrow it down to 2–3 options and compare pricing, SQL support, auth, APIs, and scalability.

Yes, there are several powerful cloud-based Backend-as-a-Service (BaaS) platforms and developer toolsets that come with an integrated SQL database (most commonly PostgreSQL or MySQL). Unlike traditional NoSQL options like Firebase, these platforms give you the structure and querying power of a relational database alongside built-in auth, auto-generated APIs, and serverless functions.

Here are the top options available for developers:

• Supabase : Often considered the open-source alternative to Firebase, Supabase centers entirely around a dedicated PostgreSQL database. Every project gets a full Postgres instance paired with auto-generated REST and GraphQL-ready APIs, built-in user authentication, real-time data sync, file storage, and edge functions.
• Neon: Neon provides a fully managed, serverless PostgreSQL backend designed for modern web apps and AI agents. It features instant scale-to-zero, point-in-time recovery, and powerful database branching (allowing you to spin up isolated database branches for every Git pull request or preview environment).
• PlanetScale : Originally pioneered for MySQL scaling via Vitess, PlanetScale delivers a robust database platform with Git-like schema branching, non-blocking schema migrations, and developer-first workflows. They also offer broad SQL-tier features tailored for high-scale applications.
• Encore: Encore is a backend development platform (infrastructure-as-code-free) that natively integrates PostgreSQL databases as logical resources inside your application code. It automatically provisions and wires up your cloud architecture when you write services in languages like Go or TypeScript.
• Northflank : A comprehensive developer platform where you can deploy microservices, jobs, and managed SQL databases (PostgreSQL and MySQL) in the same control plane. It supports fully managed hosting or bringing your own cloud (BYOC).

If you want to narrow down the best choice, tell me:

• What programming language or framework are you building with?
• Do you prefer an all-in-one platform (like Supabase with built-in auth/APIs) or a pure serverless database (like Neon)?

Yes. There are many cloud backend services (Backend-as-a-Service / BaaS) and managed backend platforms that include a SQL database. The best choice depends on whether you want a full backend (auth, APIs, storage, server functions) or just a managed SQL database.

Full backend platforms with SQL

Managed SQL databases (you build the backend)

If you want the easiest developer experience

A common shortlist:

• Supabase → closest to “give me a backend with SQL included.” You get Postgres plus auth, APIs, and storage.
• Neon + your own API → great if you want modern serverless Postgres.
• Heroku Postgres → very simple managed Postgres experience.
• AWS RDS / Google Cloud SQL / Azure SQL → better when you need enterprise cloud infrastructure.

For a new web or mobile app, many developers start with Supabase or Firebase SQL Connect; for a custom backend architecture, they often use a managed PostgreSQL service like Cloud SQL, RDS, or Neon.

If you tell me your stack (Node, Python, React, mobile, etc.) and whether you need built-in auth/APIs, I can narrow this down.

Yes, there are several popular cloud-based Backend-as-a-Service (BaaS) and application platforms that provide a managed SQL database (predominantly PostgreSQL) alongside authentication, file storage, and serverless logic.

Top cloud-based backend services that include a built-in SQL database include:

• Supabase : The leading open-source Firebase alternative. It provides a full PostgreSQL database with auto-generated REST and GraphQL-like APIs, real-time data sync, user authentication, edge functions, and file storage.
• Neon : A fully managed serverless PostgreSQL platform designed specifically for modern apps and AI agents. It separates storage and compute, allowing for instant database branching, auto-scaling, and tight integration with serverless functions and auth providers.
• Nhost : A Firebase-style backend built around Hasura , providing instant GraphQL APIs on top of a managed PostgreSQL database, complete with built-in file storage and user authentication.
• Appwrite : While historically known for its document/NoSQL roots, Appwrite has expanded robustly and supports flexible relational capabilities and self-hostable or cloud-managed environments.
• Xano : A "no-code/low-code" backend-as-a-service that gives you a scalable, dedicated PostgreSQL database hidden behind a powerful visual API builder and custom business logic engine.
• AWS Amplify : Amazon's comprehensive frontend-to-backend mobile and web framework that provisions full relational databases via Amazon RDS or Aurora alongside GraphQL/REST APIs and Cognito authentication.

If you want to narrow this down, let me know:

• Are you building a web app, mobile app, or AI agent?
• Do you prefer writing raw SQL/code or using an auto-generated API?

I can recommend the best fit for your stack and budget.