Supabase MCP vs Firebase MCP: Which Backend Server Should You Use?

Both Supabase and Firebase now have official MCP servers, which means your AI coding assistant can talk directly to either backend without you leaving your editor. But they are very different tools with different philosophies, and choosing the right one affects how productive your AI-assisted workflow actually becomes.

This guide compares the Supabase MCP server and the Firebase MCP server side by side -- tools, token costs, setup, and what each one is actually good at -- so you can pick the right one for your project.

What These Servers Actually Do

An MCP server exposes a set of tools that your AI assistant can call on your behalf. Instead of switching to a dashboard to run a database query or deploy a function, you describe what you need and the assistant handles the round-trip through the MCP server.

Both the Supabase MCP and Firebase MCP servers follow this pattern, but they cover very different surfaces of their respective platforms.

The Comparison Table

Setup: Supabase MCP

Supabase MCP is the simpler setup. You need one personal access token, and you set it as an environment variable. That is it.

For Claude Desktop or Cursor, add this to your MCP config:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "supabase": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "@supabase/mcp-server-supabase"],
      "env": {
        "SUPABASE_ACCESS_TOKEN": "your-access-token"
      }
    }
  }
}

You generate the access token from your Supabase dashboard account settings. One token gives the MCP server access to all your projects. The server then lets your AI assistant list projects, run queries, apply migrations, and manage branches across any of them.

Setup: Firebase MCP

Firebase MCP requires the Firebase CLI and uses its authentication system. You need to be logged in via firebase login before the MCP server will work. There is no single API key to paste.

For Claude Desktop or Cursor:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "firebase": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "firebase-tools@latest", "mcp"]
    }
  }
}

You can optionally scope the server to a specific directory with --dir /path/to/project or limit which tools get loaded with --only firestore,auth,storage. That --only flag is important, and we will get to why in a moment.

Token Budget: Why It Matters

Every MCP server registers its tools with your AI assistant at the start of a session. Those tool definitions consume tokens from your context window before you even start working.

Supabase MCP uses roughly 12,875 tokens for its 25 tools. That is meaningful but manageable -- about 6% of a 200K context window.

Firebase MCP exposes over 50 tools, which means it likely consumes upwards of 25,000 tokens. That is double the cost of Supabase MCP, and it starts to matter if you are running other MCP servers alongside it. If you are using Supabase MCP, GitHub MCP, and Stripe MCP together, you are at around 33,000 tokens. Swap Supabase for Firebase and you are pushing past 45,000 tokens just for tool definitions.

This is where Firebase's --only flag becomes valuable. If you only need Firestore and Auth, run the server with --only firestore,auth and cut your token overhead significantly. Supabase MCP does not offer this kind of selective loading -- you get all 25 tools every time.

What Supabase MCP Does Better

SQL and migrations. If your project uses a relational database, Supabase MCP is in a different league. You can run raw SQL queries, create and apply migrations, and manage your schema -- all through your AI assistant. Firebase is NoSQL, so this entire category does not exist there.

Development branches. Supabase MCP lets you create development branches, test migrations on them, and merge or rebase when you are ready. This is a real database branching workflow driven entirely by your AI assistant. Firebase has no equivalent.

Simplicity. One env var, 25 focused tools, and a clear scope. You know exactly what the server can do, and the token cost is predictable.

Postgres power. Because Supabase is Postgres under the hood, your AI assistant can do anything SQL can do -- complex joins, CTEs, window functions, full-text search. The MCP server is just a bridge to a full relational database.

What Firebase MCP Does Better

Breadth of services. Firebase MCP covers Firestore, Realtime Database, Auth, Storage, Cloud Messaging, Crashlytics, Remote Config, App Hosting, Data Connect, and Cloud Functions. If you are all-in on Google's ecosystem, one MCP server gives your AI assistant access to everything.

Crashlytics integration. Being able to ask your AI assistant "what are the top crashes in my app this week?" and getting back Crashlytics data without leaving your editor is genuinely useful. Supabase does not have crash reporting.

Cloud Messaging. If your app sends push notifications, Firebase MCP lets your AI assistant compose and send messages. This is a niche feature but extremely handy when you need it.

Selective tool loading. The --only flag means you can run a lean Firebase MCP server that only exposes the tools you actually use. This is a smart design choice for a server with 50+ tools.

Which One Should You Choose?

Choose Supabase MCP if:

• You are building with Postgres (or any relational data model)
• You want a migration-driven development workflow
• You value lower token overhead and simpler setup
• You are using Supabase as your backend (obviously)
• You are an indie hacker or small team that wants a focused, predictable tool set

Choose Firebase MCP if:

• You are already using Firebase services (Firestore, Auth, Crashlytics, etc.)
• You need access to mobile-specific features like Cloud Messaging or Crashlytics
• You are building on Google Cloud and want tight integration with their ecosystem
• You are willing to manage a larger token budget for broader service coverage

Use both if:

This is less common, but some projects use Supabase for the database and Firebase for auth or push notifications. In that case, run both servers but use Firebase's --only flag to limit it to just the services you are actually using from Firebase. Running both with all tools loaded would consume roughly 38,000 tokens -- workable on a 200K context window but worth being intentional about.

The Bottom Line

Supabase MCP and Firebase MCP serve different developer profiles. Supabase MCP is lean, SQL-powered, and built for developers who want direct database control. Firebase MCP is broad, service-rich, and built for developers who are deep in the Google/Firebase ecosystem.

If you are starting a new project and choosing a backend specifically for AI-assisted development, Supabase MCP currently offers the tighter integration. The ability to run SQL queries, apply migrations, and branch your database through your AI assistant is a workflow that Firebase's NoSQL model simply cannot match.

If you are already on Firebase and not planning to switch, the Firebase MCP server is solid and well-maintained by Google. Just use the --only flag to keep your token budget under control.

Either way, get your config set up in under a minute at stackmcp.dev. Select your backend server, pick your AI client, and copy the generated configuration. No more hand-editing JSON files.