Since automated backups aren't available on the Supabase Free Tier, I wanted a simple workflow I could run before every migration.

There Are 3 Ways to Backup a Supabase Database

If you're on the Supabase Free Tier, these are the three most practical approaches:

1️⃣ Supabase CLI

The official Supabase method.

supabase db dump

Good for:

• Official workflow

• Exporting schema and data

• CI/CD integrations

⚠️ Requires Docker.

2️⃣ pg_dump (My Preferred Method)

The standard PostgreSQL backup tool.

pg_dump

Good for:

• Quick backups before migrations

• No Docker required

• Fast restores

• Works directly with Supabase

This is the method I personally use.

3️⃣ GitHub Actions (Automated Backups)

Want backups without remembering to create them?

Use GitHub Actions.

Benefits:

✅ Daily automated backups

✅ Backup history stored in Git

✅ No manual work

✅ Easy disaster recovery

I wrote a complete guide here:

👉 https://blog.akashy.com.np/automate-supabase-database-backups-using-github-actions

⚠️ Never store database backups in a public repository.

Option 1: Backup Using Supabase CLI

Install the Supabase CLI:

npm install supabase --save-dev

or

npm install -g supabase

Docker Requirement

Supabase CLI backup commands require Docker.

Download Docker Desktop:

👉 https://www.docker.com/products/docker-desktop/

Install and start Docker.

Verify:

docker --version

and

docker ps

Create Backup

Full dump:

supabase db dump \
--db-url "YOUR_DB_URL" \
-f backup.sql

Separate dumps:

supabase db dump \
--db-url "YOUR_DB_URL" \
--role-only \
-f roles.sql

supabase db dump \
--db-url "YOUR_DB_URL" \
-f schema.sql

supabase db dump \
--db-url "YOUR_DB_URL" \
--data-only \
--use-copy \
-f data.sql

Option 2: Backup Using pg_dump

This is my preferred approach.

No Docker.

No extra setup beyond PostgreSQL tools.

Install PostgreSQL Tools

Verify installation:

pg_dump --version

Expected:

pg_dump (PostgreSQL) 17.x

Get Your Database Connection String

Inside Supabase:

Settings
→ Database
→ Connection String

Use the Direct Connection endpoint:

postgresql://postgres:PASSWORD@db.xxxxx.supabase.co:5432/postgres

Create Backup

Basic backup:

pg_dump \
"postgresql://USER:PASSWORD@HOST:5432/postgres" \
> backup.sql

Recommended Backup

I prefer PostgreSQL's custom format:

pg_dump \
"postgresql://USER:PASSWORD@HOST:5432/postgres" \
--schema=public \
-F c \
-f backup.backup

Why?

--schema=public

Backs up only application tables.

Excludes Supabase-managed schemas like:

auth
storage
realtime
supabase_functions

-F c

Creates a compressed PostgreSQL backup.

Benefits:

• Smaller file size

• Faster restore

• More reliable

• Supports partial restores

My Backup Strategy

Before every migration:

$timestamp = Get-Date -Format "yyyy-MM-dd_HH-mm-ss"

pg_dump `
"postgresql://USER:PASSWORD@HOST:5432/postgres" `
--schema=public `
-F c `
-f "backups\backup_$timestamp.backup"

Result:

backups/
├── backup_2026-06-23_10-15-20.backup
├── backup_2026-06-25_08-32-10.backup
├── backup_2026-06-27_14-41-55.backup

Now every migration has a rollback point.

Verify the Backup

Check contents:

pg_restore -l backup.backup

You should see your tables listed.

Example:

profiles
friends
notifications
movie_recommendations

If they're there, the backup is likely healthy.

Restore a Backup

Restore using:

pg_restore \
-d "postgresql://USER:PASSWORD@HOST:5432/postgres" \
backup.backup

⚠️ Always test restores on a development database first.

Never test your first restore on production.

More detailed guide onmy blog here - https://blog.akashy.com.np/restore-a-supabase-database-from-sql-backups-step-by-step-guide

My Backup Checklist

Before running:

npx prisma migrate deploy

or

ALTER TABLE ...

I always:

✅ Create a backup

✅ Use timestamped filenames

✅ Verify using pg_restore -l

✅ Store backups outside my laptop

✅ Test restores occasionally

Which Method Should You Choose?

My recommendation:

• Before migrations → pg_dump

• Daily protection → GitHub Actions

• Restore testing → Local .backup files

That's the setup I currently use.

Final Thoughts

Backups feel unnecessary right up until the moment you need one.

If you're using the Supabase Free Tier:

1. Create backups before every migration.

2. Use timestamped backup files.

3. Store backups outside your machine.

4. Test your restores occasionally.

5. Automate backups when your project grows.

The entire process takes less than a minute and can save hours—or days—of recovery work later.

Happy building 🚀

Useful Links

Supabase Backup Documentation

https://supabase.com/docs/guides/platform/backups

Official CI/CD Backup Workflow

https://supabase.com/docs/guides/deployment/ci/backups

Related Articles

Automate Daily Supabase Backups Using GitHub Actions

👉 https://blog.akashy.com.np/automate-supabase-database-backups-using-github-actions

Restore Supabase Database Backup

👉 https://blog.akashy.com.np/restore-a-supabase-database-from-sql-backups-step-by-step-guide