What should I use for a startup app with a database?

For a startup app with a database, a solid default stack is:

• Frontend: React / Next.js
• Backend: Node.js with Next.js API routes, or NestJS/Express if you want a separate backend
• Database: PostgreSQL
• ORM: Prisma or Drizzle
• Hosting: Vercel for frontend, Render/Fly.io/Railway for backend/database, or all-in-one on one platform
• Auth: Clerk, Auth.js, or Supabase Auth
• Storage: S3-compatible storage like AWS S3, Cloudflare R2, or Supabase Storage

Why this is a good startup choice

• PostgreSQL is reliable, scalable, and works for most products
• Next.js lets you build fast with one codebase
• Prisma makes database work easier and safer
• The stack is common, so hiring later is easier

If you want the simplest possible setup

Use Supabase:

• PostgreSQL database
• Auth
• Storage
• APIs
• Easy deployment

This is great if you want to move fast and avoid infrastructure complexity.

If you expect heavy growth

Still start with PostgreSQL, but consider:

• Proper indexing early
• Background jobs/queue if needed
• Read replicas later
• Caching with Redis if performance becomes important

My practical recommendation

If you’re starting from scratch: Next.js + PostgreSQL + Prisma + Vercel + Supabase Auth

It’s a very common, startup-friendly combo.

If you want, I can also suggest:

1. a minimal MVP stack
2. a low-cost stack
3. a high-scale stack
4. a stack based on your preferred language (Python, JavaScript, Go, etc.)