Supabase vs Convex in 2026
Supabase vs Convex is Postgres with a backend around it against a reactive backend written in TypeScript. Supabase's free plan has 2 active projects, a 500 MB database and 50,000 monthly active users, and Pro starts at $25 a month. Convex's free plan includes 1M function calls, 0.5 GB of database storage and 1 GB of file storage, and Professional costs $25 per developer a month.
Facts and prices checked on against the sources listed below.
Quick verdict
Pick Supabase if you want SQL and Postgres, row level security, built in auth and storage, and data you can take anywhere with pg_dump.
Convex
Starts atProfessional $25/developer/mo
Pick Convex if your app is live by nature (chat, collaboration, dashboards) and you want queries that update the UI on their own, written in TypeScript.
Supabase vs Convex at a glance
| Feature |  Supabase | Convex |
|---|---|---|
| Data model | Postgres tables and SQL | Convex's own database, read and written from TypeScript functions |
| Free tier | 2 active projects, 500 MB database, 50,000 MAU, 1 GB storage, 5 GB egress | 1M function calls, 0.5 GB database, 1 GB file storage, 1 GB egress |
| Idle behaviour | Free projects pause after 1 week of inactivity | Not stated on the pricing page |
| Paid plan | Pro from $25 a month with $10 of compute credit | Professional, $25 per developer a month |
| Pro includes | 100,000 MAU, 8 GB disk, 100 GB storage, 250 GB egress | 25M function calls, 50 GB database, 100 GB file storage, 50 GB egress |
| Realtime | Supabase Realtime, part of every project | A reactive backend: queries keep clients up to date |
| Self-hosting | Yes, with Docker Compose | Yes; FSL Apache 2.0, becomes Apache 2.0 after two years |
| Licence and stars | Apache-2.0, 114.4k stars | FSL Apache 2.0, 12.8k stars |
Pricing and free tier (checked Nov 2026)
Supabase's Free plan includes 2 active projects, a 500 MB database, 50,000 monthly active users, 1 GB of file storage and 5 GB of egress. Free projects pause after 1 week of inactivity. Pro starts at $25 a month with $10 of compute credit, and includes 100,000 MAU, 8 GB of disk per project, 100 GB of storage and 250 GB of egress. Past that, users cost $0.00325 each, disk $0.125 per GB and egress $0.09 per GB. Team starts at $599 a month.
Convex's Free and Starter plans cost $0 and include 1M function calls, 0.5 GB of database storage, 1 GB of database I/O, 1 GB of file storage, 1 GB of egress and 40 deployments, for 1 to 6 developers. Starter is pay as you go above those limits. Professional costs $25 per developer a month for 1 to 20 developers and includes 25M function calls, 50 GB of database storage, 100 GB of file storage and 50 GB of egress. Extra function calls cost $2.20 per 1M on Starter and $2 on Professional.
SQL or reactive TypeScript
Supabase gives every project a Postgres database, and builds auth, storage, realtime and edge functions around it. You write SQL or use any Postgres ORM, and can take your data anywhere with pg_dump.
Convex is a reactive backend. You write your backend as TypeScript functions, and clients stay up to date when the data they read changes. That makes chat, collaboration and live dashboards simple, at the cost of learning a different model from SQL.
Pricing models
Supabase charges per organization plus usage, so extra teammates do not raise the plan price. Convex Professional charges per developer, so a team of three pays $75 a month before usage. For solo projects both start free; for teams, add up seats and usage on each.
Self-hosting and licences
Supabase is open source under Apache-2.0, with 114.4k stars on GitHub, and its docs cover self-hosting with Docker Compose. Convex's backend, client libraries, dashboard and CLI are open source under FSL Apache 2.0, which becomes Apache 2.0 after two years, and its docs explain how to run the backend on your own servers.
When to pick Supabase
- You want Postgres and SQL.
- You want auth and file storage in the same project.
- You want to export your data with standard tools.
When to pick Convex
- Your app is live by nature: chat, multiplayer, dashboards.
- You want your whole backend in TypeScript.
- You do not mind per developer pricing.
See also Neon vs Supabase, Supabase vs Firebase and Supabase alternatives.
FAQ
Is Convex better than Supabase?
For apps where many users see the same data change live, Convex is often simpler: queries are reactive and the backend is plain TypeScript. For apps that need SQL, reporting, Postgres extensions or easy data export, Supabase is the safer pick.
Which is cheaper?
Both paid plans start at $25 a month, but Supabase prices per organization and Convex per developer. For a team of three, Convex Professional is $75 a month and Supabase Pro is from $25 plus usage. Check usage on both: Convex bills function calls past 25M at $2 per 1M on Professional.
Does Convex pause free projects like Supabase?
Supabase's pricing page says free projects pause after 1 week of inactivity. Convex's pricing page does not mention pausing, so check its docs for your case.
Can I self-host Convex?
Yes. Convex's docs say you can run the backend on your own servers, and the backend, client libraries, dashboard and CLI are open source under FSL Apache 2.0, which converts to Apache 2.0 after two years.
Sources, checked November 1, 2026
Prices and plans change often. If something here is out of date, tell us through the contact page.