Convex
Convex is a full-stack TypeScript development platform that replaces your traditional database, server-side functions, and caching layers with a unified, real-time backend-as-a-service to accelerate application building.
Supabase
Supabase is an open-source Firebase alternative that provides a full suite of backend tools including a Postgres database, authentication, instant APIs, edge functions, and real-time subscriptions.
Quick Comparison
| Feature | Convex | Supabase |
|---|---|---|
| Website | convex.dev | supabase.com |
| Pricing Model | Freemium | Freemium |
| Starting Price | Free | Free |
| FREE Trial | ✘ No free trial | ✘ No free trial |
| Free Plan | ✓ Has free plan | ✓ Has free plan |
| Product Demo | ✓ Request demo here | ✘ No product demo |
| Deployment | ||
| Integrations | ||
| Target Users | ||
| Target Industries | ||
| Customer Count | 0 | 0 |
| Founded Year | 2021 | 2020 |
| Headquarters | San Francisco, USA | Singapore, Singapore |
Overview
Convex
Convex provides you with a complete backend for your web applications, eliminating the need to manage separate databases, middleware, or complex state management. You can write your entire backend in TypeScript, using familiar syntax to define schemas, functions, and data mutations. It automatically handles data persistence, real-time synchronization, and server-side logic execution without you ever touching infrastructure or worrying about scaling.
You can build reactive applications where your UI stays perfectly in sync with your data automatically. It solves the common headache of 'glue code' by providing a unified environment where your frontend and backend share types and logic seamlessly. Whether you are building a collaborative document editor or a complex SaaS dashboard, you get a production-ready environment that scales from your first prototype to millions of users.
Supabase
Supabase provides you with a complete backend platform built on top of enterprise-grade open-source tools. Instead of spending weeks configuring servers and writing boilerplate code, you can spin up a dedicated PostgreSQL database in less than two minutes. It automatically generates REST and GraphQL APIs based on your database schema, allowing you to start building your frontend immediately without manual backend plumbing.
You can manage user signups with built-in authentication, store large files in S3-compatible storage, and write custom logic using edge functions. The platform handles the heavy lifting of scaling and security, so you can focus on creating your product. Whether you are building a simple MVP or a complex enterprise application, it offers the flexibility of SQL with the speed of modern serverless development.
Overview
Convex Features
- Real-time Subscriptions Keep your UI in sync automatically with built-in data subscriptions that push updates to your frontend instantly.
- ACID Transactions Ensure your data remains consistent with fully transactional functions that prevent partial updates or corrupted states.
- TypeScript Integration Share types between your frontend and backend to catch errors early and enjoy full autocomplete across your stack.
- Scheduled Functions Run background jobs and delayed tasks directly within your backend without setting up external cron services.
- File Storage Upload and serve large files like images or videos using integrated storage that links directly to your database.
- Vector Search Build AI-powered features easily with native vector search capabilities for semantic queries and RAG-based applications.
Supabase Features
- Managed Postgres Database. Get a full PostgreSQL database with every project, giving you total control over your data with SQL power.
- Instant APIs. Interact with your database immediately through automatically generated REST and GraphQL APIs that reflect your schema changes instantly.
- Real-time Subscriptions. Listen to database changes as they happen and sync data across all your connected users in milliseconds.
- User Authentication. Add secure login and user management to your app with support for email, passwords, and social providers.
- Edge Functions. Deploy custom server-side logic globally to handle webhooks, integrate third-party APIs, or process data closer to your users.
- Vector Embeddings. Store and query machine learning embeddings directly in your database to build AI-powered search and recommendation features.
- File Storage. Upload and serve large files like images and videos with built-in CDN support and easy access control.
- Database Webhooks. Trigger external services or serverless functions automatically whenever data is inserted, updated, or deleted in your tables.
Pricing Comparison
Convex Pricing
- 1 GB database storage
- 10 GB file storage
- 1 million monthly function calls
- Community support
- Real-time data sync
- Everything in Free, plus:
- 5 GB database storage included
- 50 GB file storage included
- 5 million monthly function calls
- Team collaboration tools
- Email support
Supabase Pricing
- Unlimited API requests
- 50,000 monthly active users
- 500MB database size
- 5GB bandwidth
- 1GB file storage
- Community support
- Everything in Free, plus:
- 8GB database included
- 250GB bandwidth included
- 100GB file storage included
- Daily database backups
- No project pausing
Pros & Cons
Convex
Pros
- Eliminates the need for complex state management libraries
- Exceptional developer experience with end-to-end TypeScript safety
- Automatic scaling handles traffic spikes without manual intervention
- Unified backend reduces the amount of boilerplate code required
Cons
- Requires commitment to the Convex ecosystem and architecture
- Limited to JavaScript and TypeScript for backend logic
- No local-only offline mode for mobile-first applications
Supabase
Pros
- Extremely fast setup for new PostgreSQL databases
- Excellent documentation and active developer community
- Seamless integration between database and authentication
- Open-source foundation prevents vendor lock-in
- Generous free tier for hobbyists and startups
Cons
- Learning curve for users unfamiliar with SQL
- Limited support for complex NoSQL use cases
- Edge functions can have cold start delays
- Dashboard can feel overwhelming for beginners