Google Firebase pros and cons

4.2 out of 5

47 reviews
93% willing to recommend

753 followers

Pros & Cons summary

Google Firebase allows developers to create functions without infrastructure, offering security rules for real-time database operations. It provides extensive backend functions, identity management, and integrates with storage, analytics, and hosting to streamline app development. It also supports scalability and efficient mobile application management. However, Firebase's high pricing, challenging SQL migrations, limited traffic spike predictions, and need for improved technical support are drawbacks for tech buyers. Cold start optimization and support features need enhancement.

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Prominent pros & cons

PROS

Google Firebase provides a comprehensive backend environment with minimal administrative requirements, offering features like security, authentication, and identity management right out of the box.

The platform excels in real-time database capabilities, allowing for live updates and feedback without continuous polling, thus enhancing data handling efficiency.

Firebase's integration with development tools, especially with Android Studio, makes it a time-saving option for app development, offering seamless access to databases like Firestore.

Developers appreciate the easy deployment process of Google Firebase, which supports scalability and reliable performance, along with providing functionalities like crash insights and push notifications.

The platform's flexibility and cost-effectiveness make it a preferred choice for building and deploying mobile applications, with a straightforward setup and robust analytics features like Google Analytics for Firebase.

CONS

Google Cloud Functions needs more options for controlling functions and speeding up cold start-up times.

Firebase's pricing is relatively high compared to competitors, impacting cost-effectiveness for growing businesses.

The use of JSON in Firebase complicates data migration from SQL-based systems, limiting ease of transition.

Support and customer service require enhancement to better assist users, especially with technical issues.

Firebase's capabilities for offline work and integration with other platforms and tools are limited, needing improvement.

Google Firebase Pros review quotes

Yehuda Parnes

Founder at Simplify IT

Sep 5, 2022

The most beautiful feature of Google Firebase is that it gives you a lot of functionalities out of the box, without you having to develop or having to complete a solution. For example, identity management is integrated, and security is out of the box, particularly security for the user and the ability of each user to see his data. I also like that Google Firebase has a really good performance and is comparable to MongoDB. It's on the same level, and sometimes, it's on an even higher level than MongoDB. Other functions that Google Firebase has that I find valuable include information dissemination, mail automation, and SMS, available out of the box. Another valuable feature of the solution is that it allows you to develop some functionalities on the server side, so you can write JavaScript functions on the server side and use those functions quite easily. Google Firebase gives you almost a full backend environment out of the box without you having to do any deployments or a lot of administration because all administration is given out of the box.