Convex vs PocketBase: Features, Pricing and User Reviews 2026
Compare features, pricing, reviews, and more to make an informed decision
Convex
Convex is an open-source backend platform that helps developers build full-stack apps with real-time data sync and TypeScript support.
PocketBase
PocketBase is a free open-source backend solution in one file with database, authentication, file storage, and admin dashboard built-in.
Convex
Convex is an open-source backend platform that helps developers build full-stack apps with real-time data sync and TypeScript support.
PocketBase
PocketBase is a free open-source backend solution in one file with database, authentication, file storage, and admin dashboard built-in.
Convex
Real-time data synchronization across all clients
TypeScript-first backend with full type safety
Serverless cloud functions and database
Built-in file storage and management
Vector search for AI applications
Scheduled jobs and background tasks
Authentication integration support
Open-source and self-hostable
Automatic caching and optimization
Developer dashboard and monitoring tools
PocketBase
Single executable file with complete backend
SQLite database with real-time subscriptions
Email and OAuth2 authentication (15+ providers)
Local and S3 file storage support
Built-in admin dashboard
REST API with auto-generated documentation
JavaScript and Dart SDK libraries
Extendable with Go and JavaScript
Self-hosted and open source
Free MIT license
Convex
Convex offers flexible pricing plans designed for different project sizes and team needs. The platform includes both free and paid options with generous resource limits.
The Free Plan supports up to 6 developers working on 20 projects. It includes 85,000 Chef AI tokens monthly, 1 million function calls, 20 GB-hours of compute, and basic database and file storage. This plan is perfect for personal projects and prototypes.
The Professional Plan costs $25 per developer per month and supports teams with over 100 projects. It provides 500,000 Chef AI tokens monthly, 25 million function calls, 250 GB-hours of compute, and significantly larger storage limits. Professional users get priority support and can scale resources with pay-as-you-go pricing when they exceed included limits.
For startups, Convex offers a special program with up to one year of free Professional access for early-stage companies.
PocketBase
PocketBase is completely free and open source under the MIT License. There are no subscription fees, usage limits, or hidden costs. You can download it, use it for any project, and even offer it as a paid service to your clients.
Since it is self-hosted, your only costs are server expenses if you deploy it online. You can run it on a small VPS server for just a few dollars per month, or even on free hosting platforms. For development and testing, it runs perfectly on your local computer at no cost.
The free license also means you can modify the source code to fit your specific needs. There are no enterprise plans or paid tiers because everything is included in the free version.
