What it is for
Convex is a reactive TypeScript backend: queries and mutations live next to the data, clients stay in sync, and you can add files, search, crons, or an AI gateway without a second store. Use it when the job is a hosted backend you start at $0, then $25 per developer, not when you need a $20 chat seat.
What makes it unique: the cover is the official Convex Agent Playground (thread list, weather-agent replies, token JSON) — not a pricing card. The Playground is ops, not a sixth product.
Key features
- Reactive database — TypeScript queries and mutations that push results to every subscribed client (pricing Reactive database). One store. Schema deploys without blocking are a mode of this. The dashboard data browser is ops.
- File storage — blobs next to the same documents, billed per GB (pricing File storage). A file, not a row. Free includes 1 GB then $0.033/GB.
- Vector search — embeddings you query from a mutation or action (pricing Vector search). A neighbor lookup, not a document get. Search storage is $0.55/GB on Free after 0.5 GB. Text search is next to this.
- Crons — scheduled functions that keep running after you close the laptop (pricing Crons). A clock, not a query. Node.js actions (HTTP / npm) are the runtime for this and for AI.
- AI Gateway — one API that bills model calls at OpenRouter rates (pricing AI Gateway). A proxy, not a table. Starter is the plan that unlocks it on Free; Professional includes it.
Auth, webhooks, and preview deployments are SKU / modes of the same backend. Function calls and GB-hours are the meter. The CLI / npx convex is install. Self-host is documented OSS.
Who it's for
Best fit: TypeScript app teams who will stay on Free $0 (1M function calls, 0.5 GB database, 1–6 developers) while they ship a prototype, then buy Professional at $25 per developer / month when they need 25M calls, log streaming, and daily backups.
Pricing
Verified 2026-10-22 (Asia/Shanghai) from convex.dev/pricing. Cloud is function calls + storage + I/O. US East is 1.0×. Included amounts are shared across regions.
- Free — $0/month. 1–6 developers. 1M function calls then $2.20/1M (Starter pay-as-you-go). 20 GB-hours of action compute then $0.33/GB-hour. 0.5 GB database then $0.22/GB. 1 GB files then $0.033/GB. 0.5 GB search then $0.55/GB. 1 GB database I/O then $0.22/GB. 3,000 search query-GBs then $0.11/1K. 1 GB egress then $0.132/GB. 40 deployments. 1,000 concurrent sessions. Query/mutation compute is free.
- Starter — same feature set as Free; you pay the published overage instead of stopping at the include. AI Gateway at OpenRouter rates (Starter only on this ladder).
- Professional — $25 per developer / month. 1–20 developers. 25M function calls then $2/1M. 250 GB-hours then $0.30. 50 GB database then $0.20. 100 GB files then $0.03. 1 GB search then $0.50. 50 GB I/O then $0.20. 50,000 query-GBs then $0.10. 50 GB egress then $0.12. Log streaming, exception reporting, daily backups, custom domains, HIPAA/SOC 2 reports, email support. 300 deployments. 10,000 sessions.
- Business & Enterprise — $2,500/month minimum. 50+ developers. SAML/SSO, SLAs, dedicated deployments, custom MSA, volume pricing, Slack Connect.
- OSS / self-host — the backend is open source; Cloud is the managed desk.
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Limitations / costs
- Free is 1M function calls and 0.5 GB of database. Starter is how you keep going without $25/seat.
- Professional is per developer, not per project. Six seats is $150/month before usage.
- A reactive backend, not a scale-to-zero SQL branch. For serverless Postgres see Neon. For durable functions without a database see Trigger.dev.
Alternatives
- Neon — serverless Postgres when you want SQL branches, not a reactive document store.
- Trigger.dev — durable TypeScript tasks when you already have a database.
- n8n — a visual workflow canvas when you will not write Convex functions.
Official tutorial
Official Convex channel video: The Ultimate Typescript Backend (oEmbed author: Convex). First-party three-minute product intro.
Written path: convex.dev/pricing plus the Agent Playground docs screenshot.
Website
Repository
https://github.com/get-convex/convex-backend
Source
Catalog row curated for AI Tools Nav. Cover is the official Convex Agent Playground. Dollars checked on convex.dev/pricing (Free $0 / 1M calls; Professional $25/developer; Business from $2,500). Tutorial oEmbed author: Convex.
Last verified
2026-10-22 (Asia/Shanghai) editorial check.
