Convex vs Firebase
Side-by-side comparison of Convex and Firebase. Pricing, features, best use cases, and honest verdict from a developer who has tested both.
Key Takeaways
- +Convex is better for: infrastructure, database, backend
- +Firebase is better for: infrastructure, baas, google
- ~Both are infrastructure tools. Your choice depends on workflow preference and team setup.
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.
Feature Comparison
| Feature | Convex | Firebase |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Infrastructure | Infrastructure |
| Type | Platform | Platform |
| Pricing | Free tier available | Free |
| Best For | Reactive backend with real-time sync | Drop-in authentication for React/Next.js |
| Language / Platform | TypeScript | Multi-language |
| Open Source | No | No |
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.
The Verdict
Both Convex and Firebase are strong tools in the infrastructure space. The right choice depends on your workflow. Read the full review of each tool for a deeper dive, or watch the video walkthroughs to see them in action.
