Convex
The reactive backend platform that keeps your app in sync
Founded
2021
Starting Price
$0
Category
Developer Tools
Last updated April 27, 2026
About Convex
Convex is a reactive Backend-as-a-Service platform featuring a real-time document database, serverless TypeScript functions, and automatic client-server sync. It provides ACID-compliant transactions with serializable isolation, built-in authentication, file storage, full-text search, scheduled functions, and cron jobs. Convex went open-source in February 2025, enabling self-hosted deployments alongside its managed cloud offering.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Exceptional developer experience with end-to-end TypeScript type safety and IDE autocomplete across frontend and backend
- Zero-config real-time sync eliminates the need for WebSockets, cache invalidation, or state managers
- Full ACID transactions with automatic conflict retries make data consistency effortless
- Frontend developers can build robust backends without configuring Docker, databases, or Redis
- Open-source self-hosting option reduces vendor lock-in concerns
Key Features
Reactive Real-Time Database
Document database with automatic real-time sync — UI updates instantly as data changes with no manual state management, cache invalidation, or WebSocket configuration needed
TypeScript-Native Functions
Write queries, mutations, and actions in pure TypeScript with end-to-end type safety, IDE autocomplete, and automatic schema validation
ACID Transactions
Full ACID compliance with serializable isolation and optimistic concurrency control — entire mutation functions run as atomic transactions with automatic conflict retries
Built-In Authentication
Integrated auth system supporting multiple providers, with session management and user identity available directly in backend functions
Serverless Functions & Cron Jobs
Deploy backend logic as serverless functions with built-in scheduling, cron jobs, and the ability to kick off long-running AI workflows
File Storage
Native file storage with upload, download, and URL generation built into the platform — no external object storage setup required
Pricing
Starter
$0
- 1M function calls/month
- 0.5GB database storage
- 1GB file storage
- Community support
- All core features
Best For
Real-Time Collaborative Apps
Build multiplayer experiences, collaborative editors, and live dashboards with automatic real-time sync across all connected clients
AI-Powered Applications
Create AI workflows with serverless backend functions that orchestrate LLM calls, vector searches, and long-running pipelines
Rapid MVP Development
Frontend developers can ship full-stack prototypes fast using TypeScript everywhere with zero infrastructure configuration
Chat & Messaging Platforms
Reactive queries make real-time messaging seamless without manually managing WebSocket connections or polling
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Featured In
#4
7 Best Backend & Serverless Platforms for Full-Stack Developers (2026)
Best for TypeScript-native teams building real-time collaborative applications who want automatic reactivity without managing WebSocket infrastructure.
#1
6 Best Backend-as-a-Service Platforms for Real-Time Subscriptions (2026)
Best real-time developer experience — Convex makes every query automatically live with zero configuration, ideal for TypeScript teams building collaborative or live-data applications.
