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How to Back Up a Supabase Free Database and Restore It

Supabase Free projects lack downloadable managed database backups, but the CLI can create a logical export. Learn what it includes, how to store it, and what a manual restore requires.
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Supabase Free projects do not have downloadable managed database backups. You can still create your own logical export with the Supabase CLI, but it is a manual file-based backup—not Supabase-managed daily backups or point-in-time recovery (PITR). The steps below show how to export the database and what you need to protect and restore separately.

What “no backups” means on Supabase Free

Supabase’s production checklist says that “Database backups are not available for download for Free Plan projects.” That refers to Supabase-managed downloadable backups; it does not prevent you from creating your own export. The official checklist is at Supabase’s production checklist.

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A CLI dump is a logical export that you create and store yourself. It does not provide a managed backup schedule, retention policy, or PITR. Supabase’s paid plans have managed daily backups: the current feature page lists seven days of retention for Pro, 14 days for Team, and up to 30 days for Enterprise. PITR is a separate add-on; its recovery-point wording varies across official pages, so check the current plan details in your dashboard rather than treating a stated interval as a universal guarantee. See Supabase’s database backup documentation and PITR documentation.

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Export the database with the Supabase CLI

The documented workflow writes three SQL files—roles, schema, and data—to your current local environment. You need the Supabase CLI and Docker Desktop. Before starting, make sure the computer has enough space for the exports and that you have a secure place to keep them.

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  1. Install the Supabase CLI and Docker Desktop. The CLI guide lists both as prerequisites for this workflow. Follow the installation steps in Supabase’s backup and restore guide.

  2. Get your database connection string. In the Supabase dashboard, open the project’s Connect panel and copy a connection string. The guide recommends the Session pooler string by default. It says to use the direct connection string only when your network supports IPv6 or an IPv4 add-on is enabled. You also need the database password.

  3. Run the three dump commands. Replace [CONNECTION_STRING] with the connection string from the dashboard. Keep the connection string private: it contains credentials.

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    supabase db dump --db-url [CONNECTION_STRING] -f roles.sql --role-only
    supabase db dump --db-url [CONNECTION_STRING] -f schema.sql
    supabase db dump --db-url [CONNECTION_STRING] -f data.sql --use-copy --data-only -x "storage.buckets_vectors" -x "storage.vector_indexes"

    The commands follow Supabase’s documented export example. The data command uses COPY and excludes the two named storage-related vector tables.

  4. Protect the resulting files. The files are created in the local environment where you ran the commands. Restrict access to them and keep a separate copy if losing that computer is a risk. An external drive is one possible local copy; an off-site copy addresses a different failure mode. The CLI does not require a particular storage device or provider.

What the export does—and does not—cover

The export is for the database, not a complete copy of your Supabase project. Supabase states that database backups do not include objects stored through the Storage API. If you rely on uploaded files, back them up separately. See Supabase’s database backup overview.

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A database dump also does not recreate every project setting or service. A new-project restore may require you to configure items such as Edge Functions, Auth settings and API keys, Realtime settings, Storage objects and settings, and some extensions. The managed restore-to-new-project workflow covers some items, but these manual configuration points still matter when planning recovery. Consult Supabase’s restore-to-new-project documentation.

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Be especially careful with custom changes to the managed auth and storage schemas, Vault secrets, and encrypted columns. Supabase’s manual restore guidance notes that custom schema changes may need separate diff or migration handling; unlike its new-project and branching flows, the manual route does not copy the encryption root key automatically.

Restore the dump into a new project

Restoration is a separate, manual operation—not a one-click undo. Supabase’s guide describes creating a new project, enabling required extensions and Database Webhooks, then restoring the role, schema, and data files with psql. The commands use ON_ERROR_STOP so the restore halts when an SQL error occurs. Follow the current sequence in the official backup and restore guide, adapting its connection details to the destination project.

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  • Set passwords manually for custom roles with login attributes.

  • Re-enable Realtime publications if your application uses them.

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  • Review customizations to managed schemas and handle migrations or diffs separately where needed.

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  • Reconfigure project services and settings that the dump does not restore, and restore Storage objects from their separate backup.

Do not assume a successful SQL import means the whole application is ready. Check application connectivity, authentication, uploads, database functions, and any integrations that depend on project settings before directing users to the restored project.

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Choose the right recovery approach

Supabase Free projects have a 500 MB database-size quota, and a Free project can enter read-only mode after exceeding that limit. This is a separate operational issue from backup availability. See the database size guide and billing guide.

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