Base44 migration without losing your data model.
Base44's own export copies your entity schemas, not your rows — and the exported code fails on its first data call, because Base44's SDK only authenticates against Base44's own platform. We rebuild what the export leaves out, on a stack you fully own.
What is Base44 migration?
Base44 migration moves your app off Base44's managed backend onto infrastructure you own, typically Supabase with a Next.js or React frontend. Base44's export tool copies your entity schemas as JSON Schema files, but the actual rows are not included, in Base44's own words; data comes out separately through the dashboard's data export.
The exported code also installs and renders, then fails on its first data call, because the SDK only authenticates against Base44's own platform. A real migration replaces every one of those SDK calls with your own API.
- Schemas, not rows
- The data export is its own separate, required step.
- Relations rebuilt
- Base44 documents no relation type between entities.
- Rules translated
- JSON conditions and Postgres RLS are different languages.
- Data pulled early
- A late-2025 export cap never blocks the timeline.
Three routes off Base44, three very different timelines.
Teams leave the platform through one of these, and the difference in effort is real.
| Route | What it delivers | Where it falls short |
|---|---|---|
| DIY export & rebuild | Entity schemas and frontend code, on the Builder plan or higher. | An estimated 80 to 200 engineer-hours of your own team's time to finish the backend. |
| Open-source bridging tool | A drop-in SDK layer that proxies Base44 calls to your own Supabase project. | Free code, but placeholder integrations and security rules still need finishing by hand. |
| Professional migration | Schemas converted, data imported, rules translated, and every flow verified before cutover. | Costs more upfront than the free routes. |
What comes out of Base44, and what gets rebuilt.
Four pieces make up every Base44 app. Each needs a different kind of work to leave the platform.
| Piece | Comes out? | What it takes |
|---|---|---|
| Entity schemas | Yes, as JSON Schema files. | Converted into real Postgres tables and relationships, since Base44 documents no relation type. |
| Your data rows | Yes, through a separate dashboard export. | An import script, careful field mapping, and a row-count check against the source. |
| Backend functions | Frontend code exports on the Builder plan or higher. | Rehomed as API routes or edge functions on your new backend. |
| Security rules | Not portable as written. | Every rule translated by hand into a row-level security policy and tested. |
The data model is the real job.
Where the hours actually go, and how far your own migration needs to reach.
Base44 documents no relation type between entities
The rows copy across cleanly, while the relationships between them have to be rebuilt by hand into a proper relational schema. This single piece accounts for most of the effort in any Base44 migration.
Lightweight migration, or full backend rebuild?
Choose a lightweight migration if your app already runs on your own Supabase project behind Base44's editor. Choose a full backend rebuild if your app uses Base44's native, platform-managed entities and authentication.
Turning Base44 rules into database policies.
Base44 writes access control as JSON conditions on each entity; Supabase enforces it as SQL row-level security policies on each table. Neither format converts automatically.
Open read rules
A rule that lets any signed-in user read a table becomes a policy that checks for a valid authenticated session.
Ownership rules
A rule tied to the record's creator becomes a policy comparing the row's owner field to the signed-in user's ID.
Role-based rules
A rule restricted to a specific role becomes a policy that checks a role claim inside the user's authentication token.
Why teams move off Base44.
The platform that got you to a working app is rarely the platform that should run it at scale.
You own all of it
Database, authentication and backend logic — not just the frontend.
Rate limits removed
Per-endpoint throttling that had no configuration option.
Compliance becomes possible
Self-hosting or a specific data region Base44 cannot offer.
Cost under your control
Infrastructure directly, instead of Base44's plan tiers.
Slow reads fixed
The wall many AI-built apps hit past a few hundred users.
A clear answer for buyers
Where your data actually lives, in a sentence.
Migration work founders bring us.
We scope the migration around your actual entity count and custom logic.
Migration assessment & fixed quote
A paid review of your entities, custom logic, and integrations, ending in a written plan.
Schema & data model rebuild
Entity schemas converted into real Postgres tables, with relationships rebuilt by hand.
Data export & import
Rows exported through the dashboard, mapped, imported, and checked against the source.
Security rule translation
Every Base44 access rule rewritten as a tested row-level security policy.
Backend function & SDK replacement
base44.entities calls replaced with your own API routes or edge functions.
Verified cutover
Every flow tested in staging, then a planned switch with a rollback path ready.
Signs you should migrate off Base44.
Four situations send most founders to us.
- 01
Growth is hitting the rate limits
Base44's platform-wide, per-endpoint rate limiting has no configuration option on your side.
- 02
Compliance needs infrastructure Base44 can't give
Self-hosting, a specific data region, or a control your auditor requires sits outside Base44's model.
- 03
Costs scale faster than revenue
Plan tiers and per-app limits grow ahead of what your product actually earns.
- 04
You want the platform question closed for good
Lock-in stops being a talking point once your backend runs on infrastructure you control.
Common migration mistakes we help you avoid.
These five mistakes account for most Base44 migrations that stall or lose data.
Assuming the code export includes your data
CriticalEntity schemas export; rows do not. We treat the dashboard's data export as its own required step.
Expecting the exported app to just work
CriticalBase44's SDK only talks to Base44's platform. We replace every call before testing anything else.
Copying security rules instead of translating them
CriticalBase44's JSON conditions and Postgres RLS are different languages. We rewrite and test each rule.
Waiting on data-export limits
HighBase44 introduced a cap on data-export requests in late 2025. We pull data early in the timeline.
Skipping relationship rebuilding
HighBase44 documents no relation type between entities. We design the relational structure deliberately.
How we run your migration.
Six stages, from assessment to a verified cutover. We keep you informed with full visibility throughout.
Migration assessment
We review your entities, custom logic, and integrations, then quote a fixed price.
3–5 days · AssessmentSchema & relationship rebuild
We convert entity schemas into Postgres tables and design the relationships between them.
1–2 weeks · SchemaData export & import
We export your rows early, map fields, and import into your new database.
1–2 weeks · DataRule translation & SDK replacement
We rewrite every security rule and replace all Base44 SDK calls with your own API.
2–4 weeks · RebuildStaging verification
We test authentication, every core flow, and every access rule before touching production.
3–7 days · VerificationCutover & handover
We switch over on a written plan, keep a rollback ready, and hand over full documentation.
1–2 days · Go-liveBase44 migration cost and timeline.
Three factors drive the price: entity and relationship count, how much business logic needs rebuilding, and integration complexity. Supabase, hosting and third-party integration costs are billed separately by those providers.
- Investment
- $4,000–$8,000
- Timeline
- 1–2 weeks
- Backend
- Already your own Supabase
- Work
- SDK calls replaced, rules verified
- Schema
- Minimal data-model rework
- Investment
- $10,000–$25,000
- Timeline
- 4–10 weeks
- Backend
- Native Base44 entities & auth
- Work
- Full schema, rule & SDK rebuild
- Data
- Migrated & verified
- Investment
- $25,000–$45,000+
- Timeline
- 10–16 weeks
- Scope
- High entity count & deep logic
- Integrations
- Multiple third-party systems
- Team
- Dedicated migration team
The tools behind your migration.
Base44's own export tools, open-source bridging code where it fits, and hand-built work everywhere else.
Supabase
Next.js
PostgreSQL
VercelWays to work with us.
Every migration starts with a paid assessment, so you know your tier before committing to anything.
Migration Assessment
A written plan and fixed quote based on your actual entities and logic.
Always the first stepFixed-Scope Migration
A defined project matched to your lightweight, standard, or complex tier.
Best for a planned moveMigration + Audit
A migration paired with our AI App Audit, fixing security gaps during the rebuild.
Best value on securityPost-Migration Retainer
Ongoing development on your new Supabase-backed stack.
Best after cutoverEvery migration comes complete.
No hidden gaps. Each migration includes everything you need to run independently afterward.
- Written plan
- An entity and logic review with a fixed quote before any build begins.
- Schema rebuild
- Entities converted into a proper relational database structure.
- Verified data
- Row counts and sample records checked against the source.
- Translated rules
- Every access rule rewritten as a tested database policy.
- SDK replacement
- Every Base44 call replaced with your own API, end to end.
- Staging tests
- Authentication and every core flow verified before cutover.
- Rollback path
- The old app stays ready until the new one passes.
- Full ownership
- Database, backend, and hosting under your own accounts, documented.
Base44 migration across every product stage.
The assessment stays the same. The tier changes with how much custom logic your app carries.
Growth-Stage SaaS
Products outgrowing Base44's rate limits and plan tiers.
Compliance-Bound Products
Apps needing self-hosting or a specific data region.
Pre-Funding Startups
Teams preparing for technical diligence on infrastructure ownership.
Internal Tools Teams
Employee-data apps needing infrastructure they fully control.
Agencies Handing Off Client Apps
Client-owned infrastructure delivered cleanly at project close.
Marketplaces & Multi-Sided Apps
Products where custom relational logic outgrew Base44's entity model.
Non-Technical Founders
Teams who need a partner to explain and manage the whole move.
Acquired Products
Newly acquired Base44 apps moving under the buyer's infrastructure.
Explore more Software Development services.
Base44 Migration pairs naturally with these services from Hoop Interactive.
Base44 Development
Building and extending on the Base44 platform.
ExploreBase44 App Rescue
Fixing the app while it stays on Base44.
ExploreBase44 to Production
Launching correctly configured, without leaving the platform.
ExploreLovable Migration
The same move, off Lovable Cloud.
ExploreVibe Coded App Migration
Platform-agnostic migration across every AI builder.
ExploreAI App Production Readiness Audit
The security review worth folding into the rebuild.
ExploreCloud Infrastructure Setup
The infrastructure a rebuild lands on.
ExploreCloud Migration
Migration work beyond AI-built apps.
ExploreBase44 migration questions
The questions founders ask us most before starting a migration.
No. Base44's own export copies your entity schemas as JSON Schema files, but the actual rows are not included, in Base44's own words. Your data comes out separately through the dashboard's data export tool.
The exported code installs and renders, then fails on the first data call, because Base44's SDK only authenticates against Base44's own platform. Without a backend behind it, the exported frontend has nothing to talk to.
You take your entity schemas as JSON Schema, your actual data rows through a separate export, and your React frontend code on the Builder plan or higher. Backend functions, SDK calls, and security rules all need rebuilding on the platform you move to.
Each Base44 rule maps to a Postgres row-level security policy: a simple read-access rule becomes a policy checking the signed-in user, an ownership rule becomes a policy comparing the row's owner to the authenticated user's ID, and a role-based rule becomes a policy checking a role claim in the user's token. We translate every rule by hand and test each one.
Base44 introduced a cap on data-export requests in late November 2025. We plan the data export early in the migration timeline, so a limit on how often you can request an export never blocks the project.
A Base44 migration costs $4,000 to $45,000 or more, depending on how much custom logic and how many entities your app has. A lightweight migration for an app already backed by your own Supabase project costs $4,000 to $8,000, a standard backend rebuild costs $10,000 to $25,000, and a complex, high-entity migration costs $25,000 to $45,000 or more.
A lightweight migration takes 1 to 2 weeks, a standard backend rebuild takes 4 to 10 weeks, and a complex migration takes 10 to 16 weeks, depending on entity count, custom logic, and integration complexity.
Yes. Supabase is our default target because Base44's entity model maps to it cleanly, but we also migrate to Firestore, a custom Node.js and Postgres backend, or another platform when your compliance, cost, or team's skills call for it.
It depends on your setup. Apps already backed by your own Supabase project can often preserve passwords during migration. Apps using Base44’s native, platform-managed authentication typically move to passwordless email sign-in instead, which we plan and communicate before cutover.
We evaluate them case by case. Open-source bridging tools can speed up simple projects, but most real apps still need custom work to finish placeholder integrations, translate security rules correctly, and verify data integrity before cutover.
Base44 App Rescue fixes bugs, security gaps, and credit burn while your app stays on Base44. Base44 Migration moves your entire backend, data, and logic off Base44's infrastructure onto a stack you own, which is the permanent fix for platform lock-in.
Yes. Your database, authentication, backend functions, and repository all sit under your own accounts, and we hand over documentation of your entity schemas, security rules, and how the new environment is configured.