Convex

Reactive backend: a document database plus server functions written in TypeScript, with live-updating queries.

Works with AI agents:llms.txtCLI
Ask your AI about this, with this page as the source:ChatGPT ↗Claude ↗Perplexity ↗

Convex is a backend you program entirely in TypeScript. It bundles a database, the server functions that read and write it, file storage, scheduled jobs and client libraries, so you can build a live-updating app without wiring up an API server, an ORM and websockets.

You write three kinds of functions in a convex/ folder. Queries read data, mutations write it inside a transaction, and actions can call outside services. Queries are TypeScript running next to the data, with no SQL, and clients subscribe to them: when any document a query depends on changes, Convex reruns it and pushes the new result. The database stores JSON-like documents in tables that reference each other by ID, with serializable transactions. Clients exist for React, React Native, Vue, Svelte, Python, Rust, Swift and Android.

Useful for a small team: consistent real-time updates by default, built-in Convex Auth or integrations with Clerk, Auth0 and WorkOS, backups and zip export, and log streams to external tools. The cloud service runs on AWS in US East, Ireland, Sydney and Canada Central. The backend is source-available under FSL (it becomes Apache 2.0 after two years) and can be self-hosted.

Limits: queries and mutations get one second of user-code time and per-transaction caps on documents read and written, so heavy batch work belongs in actions or scheduled jobs. Data access is through Convex's own API rather than SQL. Authorization rules are written by hand in each function, since there is no built-in authorization framework yet.

Where it fits

How Convex itself is built

5 tools, from its own code, website and Product Hunt page.

Who uses it

50 makers' products, each linked to the source that shows it, and 9 open-source projects that declare it in their code.

The maker says so 48Subprocessor list 5Declared in code 9How evidence is collected →
MacalyMacaly is an AI builder that generates websites and apps from prompts, with direct editi…

“Awesome Database, very nice to work with. It's a really good fit database for LMS and the real time is a nice feature.”

DatabaseMaker says so +1 · source ↗
BrewDesigns and sends marketing emails and email automations from a plain-English descriptio…

“A backend that feels like state, not a database. Lets a small team ship features that would normally need three engineers.”

DatabaseMaker says so +1 · source ↗
Klipy AIThe AI CRO that captures, closes, and compounds.

“TL;DR - Blazing fast, flexible, reliable, affordable. Everything from documents, databases, caching, vectors and even all our AI functions - all in one place. Shortened our development by years!”

DatabaseMaker says so · source ↗
PayPingTracks subscriptions and recurring bills, sends renewal reminders and shows spending das…

“Love their UI, their reactivity is insanely good. Was initially with supabase, but have shifted to convex now. Also don't like writing SQL, so Convex was a no-brainer.”

DatabaseMaker says so · source ↗
Fixa.devA cloud-native AI agent that can build literally anything

“Built a lot of the backend for Fixa.dev on Convex — real-time sync and backend functions made it easy to iterate fast without managing infrastructure.”

DatabaseMaker says so · source ↗
ReleaseDockAI support agent, help center & changelogs in a single inbox

“By far the most important shoutout, It's our entire backend: database, realtime sync, server functions. But more importantly, Convex's @convex-dev/agent, @convex-dev/rag, @convex-dev/rate-limiter do a lot in ReleaseDock. Convex also has the best usage tracking & analytics UX so you can track your performance as your project grows. The best in class in my humble opinion.”

DatabaseMaker says so · source ↗
FastlaneAI influencers who make viral content for your product

“Convex just felt like the fastest way to ship a real-time, production-ready backend without dealing with the usual complexity. Compared to alternatives, the developer experience is much smoother, and everything works out of the box without a ton of setup.”

DatabaseMaker says so · source ↗
PrompthancePrompt Enhancer and Prompt Directory, powerful extension

“Before Convex, I preferred Subbase and Firebase for database and database services, but after discovering Convex, that changed. If you use Convex in your projects, you have superpowers. Its ease of use and capabilities are truly beneficial for developers with limited time. Moreover, its live data transfer and detailed logging system simplify many tasks.”

DatabaseMaker says so · source ↗
BloxGPTAll-in-One AI Collaboration and Whiteboard Solution

“This real-time database for TypeScript is a game-changer. It seamlessly integrates with my application, providing real-time data synchronization and making development a breeze.”

DatabaseMaker says so · source ↗
ClawcastPeer-to-Peer Podcasting for Agents

“Using Convex allowed us to show live Clawcast conversations between agents extremely easily, scaling with traffic. We considered Supabase and Neon but Convex was the right choose for managing a real-time sync between our frontend and our DB.”

DatabaseMaker says so · source ↗
GraphifyTurn your Notion notes into an interactive knowledge map

“Helped us create a fast and scalable backend, ensuring that every node, connection, and update in Graphify happens instantly. Without Convex, handling dynamic knowledge graphs would be a major challenge.”

DatabaseMaker says so · source ↗
JellyboardEffective brainstorming and notes for your team.

“Easy realtime database that saves JSON objects. The automatic schema validation and deployments is top notch.”

DatabaseMaker says so · source ↗

Open source: a project that declares Convex as a dependency in its public code — verifiable, but not necessarily a live product.

What makers say

31 makers on why they use Convex, in their own words on Product Hunt.

By far the most important shoutout, It's our entire backend: database, realtime sync, server functions. But more importantly, Convex's @convex-dev/agent, @convex-dev/rag, @convex-dev/rate-limiter do a lot in ReleaseDock. Convex also has the best usage tracking & analytics UX so you can track your performance as your project grows. The best in class in my humble opinion.
ReleaseDockSep 2026 ↗
Before Convex, I preferred Subbase and Firebase for database and database services, but after discovering Convex, that changed. If you use Convex in your projects, you have superpowers. Its ease of use and capabilities are truly beneficial for developers with limited time. Moreover, its live data transfer and detailed logging system simplify many tasks.
PrompthanceSep 2026 ↗
Convex just felt like the fastest way to ship a real-time, production-ready backend without dealing with the usual complexity. Compared to alternatives, the developer experience is much smoother, and everything works out of the box without a ton of setup.
FastlaneSep 2026 ↗
Convex is the backend of opensend.cc, self-hosted right next to the app. It stores every email, event and contact, and it serves the REST API. Its realtime sync is why the dashboard updates the moment an email is opened or clicked, without a refresh.
opensend.ccSep 2026 ↗
Convex for the whole backend. No separate database, no API layer to maintain, auth built in — I just write functions and call them. For a one-person team it basically replaced a whole backend stack. Couldn't have shipped this fast without it.
KanaSenseiSep 2026 ↗

Loved and watch-outs

Themes that recur in makers' words and Hacker News comments, each linked to what it summarises, with how Product Hunt tags its reviews.

Most loved
  • Real-time sync is built in, so dashboards, comments and leaderboards update for every user without refreshes or extra plumbing. PHHN
  • Database, server functions and auth in one service replace a whole backend stack for a one-person team. PHPH 2HN
  • Everything is TypeScript with schema validation, giving strong typing from the database to the UI and no SQL to write. PHHN
  • Makers switching from Supabase or Firebase find setup quicker and the learning curve gentler. PH
Watch-outs
  • It works unlike a conventional database; joins are written imperatively in JavaScript and SQL-oriented tools integrate awkwardly. HNHN 2
  • It does not work offline, and optimistic updates must be written by hand. HN
On Product Hunt 5.0★ · 53 reviews
real-time data synchronization 11developer experience 9fast performance 7reactive database 5backend as a service 4affordable pricing 3reliable 3easy integration 2
Read the reviews on Product Hunt ↗

Reliability and open issues

Incidents on its status page6 in the last 90 days, 3 major · 48 in the last yearFrom its own status page, 2026-10-02. Vendors decide what they post; one page can cover several products.
Most wanted on GitHubOpen on 2026-10-04 in get-convex/convex-backend, with activity in the last year — issues and feature requests by 👍.

Who switches

Public pull requests on GitHub since Oct 2024 whose title says "X to Y" — real code changes moving a project from one tool to another, by developers in general. Open a row to see the pull requests.

Supabase → Convex50 PRs
PostgreSQL → Convex3 PRs
Convex → Supabase19 PRs
Convex → PostgreSQL5 PRs

Alternatives to Convex

All alternatives by situation →

On Product Hunt, people weigh it against: Supabase, InstantDB, Prisma, Firebase, PocketBase, Turso, Xano, Appwrite, NestJS, Upstash.

Questions makers ask about Convex

Can I self-host Convex?

Yes. The self-hosted backend is the same open-source code the cloud uses, under the FSL Apache 2.0 license, and community support is in Discord. Convex recommends its hosted product if you want a hands-off setup. source ↗

Which regions can my data live in?

Deployments can run in AWS US East (N. Virginia), Europe (Ireland), Asia Pacific (Sydney) or Canada (Central), and all of a deployment's infrastructure stays in the chosen region. A deployment's region cannot be changed later, so moving means exporting and importing into a new deployment. source ↗

Is Convex SOC 2, HIPAA and GDPR compliant?

Convex states it is SOC 2 Type II compliant, HIPAA compliant and complies with GDPR, with reports available on request. source ↗

Can I export my data?

Yes. You can download a backup as a zip, run npx convex export from the CLI, or stream data out through the Data Sync API or a third-party integration. source ↗

What availability and durability does Convex promise?

Convex targets 99.99% availability, though maintenance may cause downtime without notice. Data is encrypted at rest, replicated across availability zones and backed up regularly. source ↗

How long can a function run?

Queries and mutations get one second of user-code execution (database time not counted). Actions can run up to 30 minutes in the Convex runtime or 10 minutes in the Node.js runtime. source ↗

Does it work with frameworks other than React?

Yes. There are quickstarts for React, React Native, Vue and Svelte, plus clients for Python, Rust, iOS Swift and Android Kotlin. source ↗

Is Convex free?

Yes — there is a free tier a small product can run on; paid use starts at $25 per developer/mo. source ↗

Is Convex open source or self-hostable?

Open source, and you can self-host it. source ↗

Can AI coding agents work with Convex?

It serves an llms.txt docs index; it has an official CLI (convex).

Who uses Convex?

50 makers' products we track, each with a source, and 9 open-source projects declare it in their code. source ↗