Best Hasura Alternatives 2026
Discover the best Hasura alternatives for 2026. Compare PostGraphile, Directus, Supabase, WunderGraph and StepZen on GraphQL, flexibility and cost.
At MG Software, we recommend Supabase with PostgREST for teams preferring REST over GraphQL. For pure GraphQL projects on PostgreSQL, PostGraphile is the most powerful open-source alternative.
Why do people look for alternatives to Hasura is an open-source GraphQL engine that automatically generates a realtime GraphQL API on top of PostgreSQL (and other databases) with built-in authorization, event triggers and remote schemas for federation.?
Developers seek Hasura alternatives due to the complexity of the permission system in large projects, rising Hasura Cloud costs, the desire to use REST alongside GraphQL, and limited flexibility for custom business logic.
Best alternatives
PostGraphile
Open-source tool that automatically generates a high-performance GraphQL API from a PostgreSQL schema with an extensive plugin architecture and full SQL feature support.
Pros
- +Automatically generates GraphQL from PostgreSQL — including mutations and subscriptions
- +Extremely performant thanks to translating GraphQL into optimized SQL
- +Extensive plugin architecture for custom functionality
Cons
- -PostgreSQL only — no support for other databases
- -Steeper learning curve for the plugin API and advanced configuration
Directus
Open-source headless CMS and data platform with automatic REST and GraphQL APIs, a visual admin interface and support for any SQL database.
Pros
- +Visual admin dashboard for non-technical users
- +Automatic REST and GraphQL APIs for any SQL database
- +Flexible role-based access control with granular permissions
Cons
- -GraphQL layer is less optimized than Hasura for complex queries
- -More focused on content management than pure API generation
Supabase
Open-source Backend-as-a-Service with auto-generated REST API (PostgREST) and experimental GraphQL support, combined with auth, storage and realtime.
Pros
- +Complete backend platform — not just API but also auth, storage and realtime
- +PostgREST generates a performant REST API automatically from PostgreSQL
- +Row Level Security for fine-grained authorization at database level
Cons
- -GraphQL support is experimental via the pg_graphql extension
- -Less flexible API federation than Hasura remote schemas
WunderGraph
Open-source API gateway that combines multiple data sources (GraphQL, REST, databases) into one type-safe API with server-side rendering of API calls and built-in caching.
Pros
- +Combines multiple API sources (GraphQL, REST, databases) into one gateway
- +Server-side API calls with type-safe TypeScript client generation
- +Built-in caching, authentication and realtime subscriptions
Cons
- -More complex setup than Hasura for single database scenarios
- -Smaller ecosystem and community than Hasura
StepZen
GraphQL-as-a-service platform (now part of IBM) that automatically generates GraphQL schemas from databases, REST APIs and other GraphQL endpoints with declarative configuration.
Pros
- +Declarative @dbquery and @rest directives for rapid schema composition
- +Fully managed service — no infrastructure to manage
- +Automatic query optimization and caching at platform level
Cons
- -Vendor lock-in with IBM/StepZen using proprietary directives
- -Less control over generated queries and performance tuning
What to consider when switching?
- Determine whether you need pure GraphQL or also want to support REST APIs
- Compare authorization models: Hasura permissions vs RLS vs RBAC
- Evaluate federation capabilities if you combine multiple data sources
- Assess self-hosting options versus managed cloud costs
Which alternative does MG Software recommend?
At MG Software, we recommend Supabase with PostgREST for teams preferring REST over GraphQL. For pure GraphQL projects on PostgreSQL, PostGraphile is the most powerful open-source alternative.
Frequently asked questions
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