Choosing the Right Backend Solution for Your College Event Website: Supabase vs. MongoDB with Render and Hono
Deciding on the optimal backend infrastructure for a college event website can be challenging, especially when aiming to deliver a seamless experience to around 2,000 users without exceeding a limited budget. Recently, I found myself at this crossroads and wanted to share my thought process, hoping it will resonate with others facing similar dilemmas or provide some guidance.
The Two Contenders: Pros and Cons
Option 1: Supabase – An All-In-One Backend Platform
- Ease of Use: Incorporates built-in Google Authentication, making user login simple and swift to implement.
- Database: Utilizes a relational PostgreSQL database, automatically generating APIs and supporting Realtime features if needed.
- Free Tier Benefits: Includes up to 50,000 monthly users, 500MB database storage, 5GB outbound bandwidth, and 1GB media storage.
- Developer Experience: Offers a comprehensive environment, reducing the need for backend management—letting you focus on UI and user experience.
Option 2: MongoDB Atlas with Render Hosting and Hono Framework
- Proven Reliability: Last year’s implementation proved stable, providing familiarity and confidence.
- Bandwidth & Scalability: Offers up to 40GB outbound bandwidth monthly, minimizing the risk of hitting quotas.
- Flexible Data Modeling: NoSQL structure allows nesting data easily, accommodating complex or evolving data needs.
- Backend Customization: With Hono, you have the freedom to design specific API endpoints and manage authentication mechanisms (like NextAuth or JWT).
- Additional Setup: Requires mechanisms like keep-alive pulses or scheduled cron jobs to prevent cold starts on Render’s free tier.
Where My Dilemma Lies
Favoring Supabase:
– Its plug-and-play nature and streamlined developer experience make it attractive for fast deployment—perfect for dynamic college festivals.
– The integrated Google login simplifies user management, and minimal backend tweaking is needed—ideal when time is limited.
– For mainly text-based data and URL-shared images, the bandwidth constraint might not be an immediate concern; however, unexpected traffic spikes could pose risks.
Leaning Toward MongoDB + Render + Hono:
– The familiarity and proven stability from last year’s project inspire confidence.
– Larger bandwidth allocations provide a safety net against surges.
– Greater control over backend logic and data structures ensure flexibility for future
