Convex
Convex is a backend platform, made by Convex Inc, that combines a document-relational database, server-side TypeScript functions and real-time subscriptions in one system. Client apps get live-updating data automatically, without writing caching or websocket code by hand. The backend source is available on GitHub under the Functional Source License, converting to Apache 2.0 two years after each release.
Facts checked on against the sources listed at the end of this page.
- Pricing
- FreemiumPaid from $25 a developer a month for the Professional plan
- Open source
- NoFunctional Source License (converts to Apache-2.0 after two years)
- GitHub stars
- 12,763+146 in the last 30 days
- npm downloads a week
- 2Mup 16% on the week before
A good fit for
- Web or mobile apps that need live-updating UI without hand-built websockets
- Teams who want database, server functions and file storage in one platform
- TypeScript-first projects using React, Next.js or React Native
- Startups that want to start free and pay only for usage as they grow
Not a good fit for
- Teams that need a fully OSI-approved open source license from day one, since the code is source-available under FSL until it converts to Apache 2.0 two years later
- Projects already committed to a traditional SQL database and a separate API layer
- Very high-scale workloads where the $2,500 a month Business minimum is a poor fit versus raw infrastructure
Convex pricing
Free and Starter usage is pay-as-you-go with no monthly minimum. Professional is $25 per developer a month plus usage. Business and Enterprise start at a $2,500 a month minimum for larger teams.
| Plan | Price | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Free & Starter | $0 a month | 1 to 6 developers, 25M function calls, 50 GB database storage, 100 GB file storage, 50 GB data egress a month included, then metered. |
| Professional | $25 a developer a month | 1 to 20 developers, log streaming, exception reporting, daily backups, custom domains, HIPAA and SOC 2 reports, email support. |
| Business & Enterprise | From $2,500 a month | 50+ developers, SAML SSO, service SLAs, dedicated deployments, custom MSA, volume pricing. |
Prices in USD, checked on 27 September 2026. Current prices on convex.dev.
Main features
- Reactive queries
- Client subscriptions to query functions update live in the UI whenever the underlying data changes.
- TypeScript functions
- Queries, mutations and actions are written as TypeScript/JavaScript functions deployed to Convex's servers.
- Document-relational database
- Schema-validated documents with relations, indexes and ACID transactions.
- File storage
- Store and serve files directly from Convex, with URLs generated for each stored file.
- Full text and vector search
- Built-in search indexes for keyword and embedding-based vector search.
- Scheduled functions
- Cron jobs and one-off scheduled function runs from inside the same codebase.
- Preview deployments
- Each pull request or branch can get its own isolated Convex deployment.
- Self-hosting
- The backend can be run on your own infrastructure using the source-available convex-backend repository.
About Convex
Convex stores application data in a document-relational database and runs business logic as TypeScript functions (queries, mutations and actions) on Convex's servers. Queries are reactive: when underlying data changes, every client subscribed to that query gets the new result automatically, without polling or manual cache invalidation.
The platform includes file storage, full text and vector search, scheduled functions (crons), authentication integrations and a web dashboard for browsing data and logs. Functions are written and deployed with the Convex CLI and run alongside the database rather than as a separate service.
Convex is aimed at web and mobile app teams who want a single backend for data, logic and real-time updates instead of assembling a database, API layer, cache and websocket server separately. The backend code is source-available on GitHub and can be self-hosted.
- Made by
- Convex, Inc.
- Free plan
- Yes: 25 million function calls, 50 GB database storage, 100 GB file storage and 50 GB data egress a month included
- Available on
- Web, React, React Native, Next.js, Node.js, Self-hosted
Usage and activity
Weekly npm downloads of convex, last 12 months.
Recent releases
- precompiled-2026-10-28-cccbadePre-release, 6 hours ago
- precompiled-2026-10-27-5c6ef97Pre-release, 7 hours ago
- precompiled-2026-10-27-3ddfeefPre-release, 8 hours ago
- precompiled-2026-10-27-61b9947Pre-release, 11 hours ago
- precompiled-2026-10-27-f3fd1d9Pre-release, 1 day ago
- precompiled-2026-10-26-04d2f3bPre-release, 1 day ago
Convex alternatives
Convex compared
ConvexvsSupabase
Supabase is an open source platform built around a dedicated Postgres database, with auth, storage and auto-generated APIs, so you work in SQL.
ConvexvsFirebase
Firebase is Google's backend-as-a-service platform, offering a NoSQL database (Firestore or Realtime Database) alongside authentication, hosting, serverless functions and analytics.
ConvexvsNeon
Neon is a serverless Postgres database platform that separates storage and compute so databases scale to zero when idle, with instant copy-on-write branching for development or testing.
Questions about Convex
Is Convex open source?
The convex-backend code is available on GitHub under the Functional Source License, which converts each release to Apache-2.0 two years later. Some consider FSL source-available rather than open source, since it restricts building a competing product during that window.
Does Convex have a free plan?
Yes. The Free & Starter plan is pay-as-you-go with no monthly charge, including 25 million function calls and tens of gigabytes of storage and egress a month before metered pricing applies.
Can I self-host Convex?
Yes, the convex-backend repository can be self-hosted on your own infrastructure using the source-available code.
What languages does Convex support?
Convex functions are written in TypeScript or JavaScript. Official client libraries cover React, React Native, Next.js and plain Node.js.
Sources and links
- Convex pricing
- Convex goes open-source, news.convex.dev
- Self hosting, Convex Developer Hub
- get-convex/convex-backend, GitHub
Work on Convex? Claim this listing. Something wrong or out of date? Suggest a correction. Stats come from the public GitHub and npm APIs and update every day.