Convex vs Firebase
Convex and Firebase side by side: what each one is, verified plan pricing and install commands where we have them, and the full review of each.
Convex
This SiteReactive backend - database, server functions, real-time sync, cron jobs, file storage. All TypeScript. This site's backend (courses, videos, user data) runs on Convex.
Firebase
Google's BaaS platform. Firestore (NoSQL), Realtime Database, Auth, Cloud Functions, Hosting, and ML. Free Spark tier; pay-as-you-go Blaze.
At a glance
| Field | | |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Infrastructure | Infrastructure |
| Website | convex.dev | firebase.google.com |
| Pricing | Free - $0/mo with built-in limits: 1M function calls, 0.5 GB database storage, 1 GB file storage, 1-6 developers; Starter - pay as you go beyond the free limits, e.g. $2.20 per additional 1M function calls; Professional - $25 per developer/mo: 25M function calls, 50 GB database storage and 100 GB file storage included, 1-20 developers; Business and Enterprise - $2,500/mo minimum: 50+ developers, SAML/SSO, service SLAs, dedicated deployments; AI Gateway - model usage billed at OpenRouter rates with no markup, paid plans only | Spark - no-cost plan with usage limits, no payment method needed; Blaze - pay as you go, includes the Spark no-cost usage, $300 in free credit if eligible; Cloud Functions on Blaze - no cost up to 2M invocations/month, then $0.40/million; Remote Config - no cost up to 100,000 fetches/day per project, then $0.06 per 10K requests up to 10M/day and $0.01 per 10K above that (from September 1, 2026) |
| Install | npm create convex@latest or npm install convex or npx convex dev | npm install -g firebase-tools or curl -sL https://firebase.tools | bash |
| Models | Not a model host. AI Gateway, available on paid plans including Starter, lets Convex actions call hundreds of models through the @convex-dev/ai-sdk-provider package or an OpenAI-compatible endpoint without provider API keys; you pick a model by passing its slug to convexGateway. | Firebase AI Logic calls Gemini models from mobile and web apps through either the Gemini Developer API or the Agent Platform Gemini API (formerly Vertex AI). gemini-4-argon was added on October 13, 2026 and needs the Blaze plan. Backend services run on Google Cloud, including Cloud Run for App Hosting, Cloud SQL for PostgreSQL through SQL Connect, and BigQuery export. |
| Last verified | October 26, 2026 | October 17, 2026 |
In Depth
Convex
Convex replaces your database, API layer, and real-time sync with a single TypeScript platform. You write queries and mutations as TypeScript functions, and your React frontend automatically re-renders when data changes - no websocket setup, no polling. It includes scheduled functions (cron jobs), file storage, full-text search, and vector search for AI apps. This site uses Convex for the course database (90 lessons), video catalog, AI news feed, and user management. The cron job syncs new YouTube videos daily at midnight. Free tier includes 1M function calls/month.
Firebase
Firebase is Google's backend-as-a-service for mobile and web. Firestore is the document database most teams pick today; Realtime Database is the older real-time JSON store. Authentication ships with social providers out of the box, Cloud Functions runs serverless code on Google Cloud, and Hosting handles static sites with CDN. Firebase shines for mobile apps, real-time multiplayer, and quick MVPs. The pricing model is consumption-based and can surprise teams at scale, which is part of why Postgres-based alternatives like Supabase have grown.
FAQ
Answers taken from each tool's verified fact sheet, with the date it was last checked.
How much does Convex cost?
As of October 26, 2026: Free - $0/mo with built-in limits: 1M function calls, 0.5 GB database storage, 1 GB file storage, 1-6 developers; Starter - pay as you go beyond the free limits, e.g. $2.20 per additional 1M function calls; Professional - $25 per developer/mo: 25M function calls, 50 GB database storage and 100 GB file storage included, 1-20 developers; Business and Enterprise - $2,500/mo minimum: 50+ developers, SAML/SSO, service SLAs, dedicated deployments; AI Gateway - model usage billed at OpenRouter rates with no markup, paid plans only. Source: Convex pricing, React quickstart, convex-js CHANGELOG, convex-js release tags, Introducing Convex AI Gateway.
How do I install Convex?
Official install commands as of October 26, 2026: npm create convex@latest or npm install convex or npx convex dev.
Which models does Convex use?
As of October 26, 2026: Not a model host. AI Gateway, available on paid plans including Starter, lets Convex actions call hundreds of models through the @convex-dev/ai-sdk-provider package or an OpenAI-compatible endpoint without provider API keys; you pick a model by passing its slug to convexGateway.
How much does Firebase cost?
As of October 17, 2026: Spark - no-cost plan with usage limits, no payment method needed; Blaze - pay as you go, includes the Spark no-cost usage, $300 in free credit if eligible; Cloud Functions on Blaze - no cost up to 2M invocations/month, then $0.40/million; Remote Config - no cost up to 100,000 fetches/day per project, then $0.06 per 10K requests up to 10M/day and $0.01 per 10K above that (from September 1, 2026). Source: Firebase pricing, Firebase CLI reference, Firebase release notes.
How do I install Firebase?
Official install commands as of October 17, 2026: npm install -g firebase-tools or curl -sL https://firebase.tools | bash.
Which models does Firebase use?
As of October 17, 2026: Firebase AI Logic calls Gemini models from mobile and web apps through either the Gemini Developer API or the Agent Platform Gemini API (formerly Vertex AI). gemini-4-argon was added on October 13, 2026 and needs the Blaze plan. Backend services run on Google Cloud, including Cloud Run for App Hosting, Cloud SQL for PostgreSQL through SQL Connect, and BigQuery export.
