Convex is a reactive TypeScript-native backend built around end-to-end type safety and automatic scaling, priced per developer seat and already SOC…
Best for Convex: Teams building with TypeScript end-to-end who want automatic real-time sync, ACID transactions, and built-in vector/text search without managing infrastructure, and who need SOC 2/HIPAA compliance without waiting for a higher-priced tier.
Best for Nhost: Teams that want a familiar Postgres database with an auto-generated GraphQL API, multi-region deployment across 6 regions and 80+ CDN locations, and a bundled AI toolkit (embeddings, assistants) as part of the same platform.
At a Glance
Convex
Nhost
Primary category
Databases
Databases
Rating
Not documented
Not documented
Pricing model
Freemium
Freemium
Starting price
Free
Free (Pro from $25/month)
Free plan
Yes
Yes
Free trial
Yes
Not documented
Platforms
Web
Not documented
Team collaboration
Not documented
Not documented
AI features
Yes
Yes
Public API
Yes
Yes
Key Differences
Database engine and query model
Convex: Reactive, proprietary TypeScript backend with automatic real-time sync and end-to-end type safety from database to client.
Nhost: Managed PostgreSQL with an instantly generated GraphQL API layer on top.
Teams already invested in relational/Postgres tooling and GraphQL clients fit Nhost's model; teams wanting reactive queries with compile-time type safety across the stack fit Convex's model.
Compliance certification and pricing tier it's gated behind
Convex: SOC 2 Type II certified and HIPAA compliant, with HIPAA/SOC 2 reports available starting on the $25/developer/month Professional plan.
Nhost: SOC 2 Type II compliance and SLA support require the $599/month Team plan.
Regulated or enterprise buyers reach compliance-grade infrastructure far cheaper on Convex than on Nhost.
Pricing structure
Convex: Professional plan bills per developer seat ($25/developer/month, 1-20 seats); Business/Enterprise has a $2,500/month minimum for 50+ seats.
Nhost: Pro plan starts from $25/month with included compute credits and storage/egress allotments rather than per-seat billing; Team jumps to $599/month.
Team size and growth trajectory affect total cost very differently: Convex scales with headcount, Nhost scales with usage until the steep Team-tier jump.
Built-in AI features
Convex: Text and vector search included in the free tier, plus built-in integrations for AI coding agents like Claude Code and Codex.
Nhost: A dedicated AI toolkit including embeddings, assistants, and file storage functionality for AI features.
Convex focuses AI support on the developer's coding workflow and search primitives; Nhost bundles AI-application-building blocks (embeddings/assistants) directly into the platform.
Feature-by-Feature
Core Backend Capabilities
Feature
Convex
Nhost
Database
Available
Available
GraphQL API
Not documented
Available
Serverless functions
Available
Available
File storage
Available
Available
Built-in authentication
Available
Available
Real-time sync / reactivity
Available
Not documented
Pricing & Plans
Feature
Convex
Nhost
Free tier
Available
Available
Per-developer/seat billing
Available
Unavailable
Self-hosted VPC deployment
Limited
Not documented
External database connections
Not documented
Available
Compliance & AI
Feature
Convex
Nhost
SOC 2 Type II
Available
Available
HIPAA compliance
Available
Not documented
Vector/text search
Available
Not documented
Bundled AI toolkit (embeddings/assistants)
Not documented
Available
Pricing Compared
Starting price reflects the lowest paid tier, not the full cost for every team size or usage level.
Convex
Free (Starter) — Free N/A
Professional — $25/developer/month Monthly per developer
Enterprise — Custom Annual/custom
Nhost
Starter — Free N/A
Pro — $25/month monthly
Team — $599/month monthly
Enterprise — Custom custom
Pros & Cons
Convex
Pros
Eliminates the need to hand-build real-time sync, caching, and subscription logic
Strong TypeScript-first developer experience with end-to-end type safety
Bundles database, functions, auth, storage, and search into one platform
Core backend is open source, giving an escape hatch from full vendor lock-in
Cons
Per-developer seat pricing on the Professional plan can add up for larger teams
Newer platform with a smaller ecosystem and community than Firebase or Supabase
TypeScript/JavaScript-centric function model may not suit teams standardized on other backend languages
Enterprise-grade features like SSO and formal SLAs were still maturing at the time of research
Nhost
Pros
Fully open source and self-hostable, reducing vendor lock-in risk
Built on standard PostgreSQL rather than a proprietary database format
GraphQL API is generated automatically, saving significant backend development time
Generous free tier suitable for prototypes and small projects
Backed by well-known angel investors from GitHub and Netlify, signaling strong developer-tooling pedigree
Cons
Smaller team and ecosystem than larger competitors like Supabase or Firebase, which may mean slower feature velocity
GraphQL-first approach requires familiarity with GraphQL and Hasura concepts, which adds a learning curve for teams used to REST
Jump from Pro to Team pricing (25 dollars to 599 dollars per month) is steep for growing teams
Free tier projects pause after a week of inactivity, which can be disruptive for infrequently used demos
Smaller community and fewer third-party integrations compared to more established BaaS platforms
Use Cases
Choose Convex: Teams building with TypeScript end-to-end who want automatic real-time sync, ACID transactions, and built-in vector/text search without managing infrastructure, and who need SOC 2/HIPAA compliance without waiting for a higher-priced tier.
Choose Nhost: Teams that want a familiar Postgres database with an auto-generated GraphQL API, multi-region deployment across 6 regions and 80+ CDN locations, and a bundled AI toolkit (embeddings, assistants) as part of the same platform.
Need both: Agencies or platform teams that maintain both a Postgres-based product on Nhost and a newer reactive TypeScript service on Convex may run both rather than migrate an existing Postgres schema.
Convex
Real-time collaborative apps — Teams build collaborative tools, dashboards, and multiplayer experiences that need instant UI updates without manual WebSocket plumbing.
AI agent and RAG applications — Developers use Convex's vector search and reactive state to build AI agents and retrieval-augmented generation apps with persistent, synchronized state.
Rapid MVP and startup backend — Early-stage startups use Convex to avoid provisioning separate database, auth, and API infrastructure while iterating quickly.
Nhost
Startup MVP backend — Early-stage startups use Nhost to stand up a full backend, database, auth, and API in days instead of weeks, letting small engineering teams focus on the frontend and product experience.
GraphQL-first applications — Teams already committed to a GraphQL API layer use Nhost to get an instant, permission-aware GraphQL endpoint generated directly from their Postgres schema, avoiding hand-written resolvers.
Self-hosted backend for regulated environments — Because the stack is open source, organizations with data residency or compliance requirements can self-host Nhost's components on their own infrastructure instead of using the managed cloud.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Convex have a free plan?
Yes, the Free & Starter tier is available at $0/month with pay-as-you-go overage charges, supporting 1-6 developer seats.
Does Nhost have a free plan?
Yes, the Starter plan is $0/month with 1 GB database, 1 GB storage, and unlimited users, limited to 1 project.
How is Convex's Professional plan priced?
The Professional plan costs $25 per developer per month, supporting 1-20 developer seats.
How much does Nhost's Pro plan cost?
The Pro plan starts from $25/month and includes $15 of compute credits, 10 GB database, and 50 GB storage.
Is Convex compliant with security standards?
Yes, Convex is SOC 2 Type II certified and HIPAA compliant.
Does Nhost support external database connections?
Yes, external database connections are available starting on the Team plan.