Convex vs Supabase
Convex and Supabase both answer the same question: where does your data live? A reactive backend where you write TypeScript functions instead of SQL, and queries push updates to clients automatically. Managed Postgres bundled with auth, storage, realtime and an auto-generated REST and client API. Supabase covers more of the ecosystem, so it survives a change of framework; Convex is the better fit while you stay where it is strongest.
Verdict
Supabase covers more of the ecosystem, so it survives a change of framework; Convex is the better fit while you stay where it is strongest.
Pick Convex if
- ✓Queries are reactive by default, so live-updating UI needs no subscription plumbing.
- ✓Backend functions are TypeScript sharing types with the frontend end to end.
- ✓Transactions and scheduling are built in, so background jobs need no extra service.
Pick Supabase if
- ✓Real Postgres underneath, so extensions, SQL and standard tooling all apply.
- ✓Auth, storage and realtime included, which removes several vendor decisions at once.
- ✓Client libraries let simple apps query straight from the browser safely.
| Comparison | Convex | Supabase |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing shape | Free tier for small projects, then a per-developer plan with usage-based function calls and storage. | Free tier for hobby projects, then a flat per-project fee plus usage for compute, storage and bandwidth. |
| Frameworks | Next.js, React Native, Expo | Next.js, SvelteKit, Nuxt, React Native, Expo, Flutter |
| In one line | A reactive backend where you write TypeScript functions instead of SQL, and queries push updates to clients automatically. | Managed Postgres bundled with auth, storage, realtime and an auto-generated REST and client API. |
Pricing described qualitatively because published plans change often. Checked 2026-08-23. Confirm current terms on Convex and Supabase.
Convex
Strengths
- ✓Queries are reactive by default, so live-updating UI needs no subscription plumbing.
- ✓Backend functions are TypeScript sharing types with the frontend end to end.
- ✓Transactions and scheduling are built in, so background jobs need no extra service.
- ✓No separate API layer to write, since client calls functions directly.
Tradeoffs
- ✗Not SQL, so analytics tools and reporting stacks do not plug straight in.
- ✗The programming model is proprietary, making a later migration a rewrite.
- ✗Complex relational queries are more awkward than in a relational engine.
- ✗Smaller ecosystem, so fewer existing libraries assume Convex as the store.
Supabase
Strengths
- ✓Real Postgres underneath, so extensions, SQL and standard tooling all apply.
- ✓Auth, storage and realtime included, which removes several vendor decisions at once.
- ✓Client libraries let simple apps query straight from the browser safely.
- ✓Open source core, so self-hosting is a genuine escape hatch.
Tradeoffs
- ✗Querying from the client pushes authorization into policies that are easy to misconfigure.
- ✗The bundled services encourage coupling that is painful to untangle later.
- ✗Dashboard-driven changes can drift from what is in your migration files.
- ✗Connection pooling behaviour surprises people moving from a classic long-lived server.
Frequently asked questions
Is Convex or Supabase better?
Neither is better in the abstract. Supabase covers more of the ecosystem, so it survives a change of framework; Convex is the better fit while you stay where it is strongest. Decide on the tradeoff you can live with, then stop reading comparisons and ship.
What is the main drawback of Convex?
Not SQL, so analytics tools and reporting stacks do not plug straight in. The programming model is proprietary, making a later migration a rewrite.
What is the main drawback of Supabase?
Querying from the client pushes authorization into policies that are easy to misconfigure. The bundled services encourage coupling that is painful to untangle later.
Can you switch from one to the other later?
Usually, at a cost that grows with how much of your product leans on the database layer. Plan for it in the data model, not in the framework, and the switch stays survivable.