Choosing a cost-effective backend service for a location-based mobile music app

Backend
1

I’m working on a mobile app for my senior project that combines music listening with location data. The app will track what songs users listen to and where they’re listening from. It’ll use this info to create regional playlists and charts.

Here’s what I’m struggling with:

  1. Backend service selection: I’m not sure which backend service would be best for this kind of app. I need something that can handle lots of data and location info.

  2. Cloud requirements: I’m trying to figure out what exactly I need to run in the cloud. Do I need storage? A SQL database? Something for predictions?

  3. Service provider options: I’ve heard of Google Cloud Platform, Kumulos, and Parse, but I’m not sure which one (if any) would be right for this project.

  4. Cost concerns: As a student, I’m really trying to keep costs down. What’s the most budget-friendly option that can still handle what I need?

Has anyone built something similar or have experience with these backend services? Any advice would be super helpful!

2

yo, firebase is cool but don’t sleep on AWS! their free tier is solid too. for location data, DynamoDB could work great. it scales well & is cheap. plus, you can use Lambda for serverless stuff. might save u some cash in the long run. what’s ur data volume lookin like?

3

hey there! have u considered firebase? it’s pretty sweet for mobile apps & has a generous free tier. plus, it handles real-time data sync which could be cool for ur location stuff. what kinda features are u most excited about for ur app? i’m curious how u’ll use the location data to make playlists!

4

I’d recommend considering Supabase for your project. It’s an open-source alternative to Firebase that offers a PostgreSQL database, authentication, and real-time subscriptions. The free tier is quite generous, which aligns with your budget constraints as a student. Supabase also provides geospatial support out of the box, which could be particularly useful for your location-based features. Additionally, their auto-generated APIs can significantly speed up your development process. For handling predictions or more complex data processing, you could pair Supabase with a serverless function service like Vercel’s serverless functions or Cloudflare Workers, both of which offer free tiers suitable for smaller projects.