Convex vs Neon: Which is Better in 2026?
Choosing between Convex and Neon? Both are popular database tools. Below we compare them on pricing, free tiers, features, and pros & cons so you can pick the right fit for your stack.
Quick verdict
Neon is the safer pick if budget matters — it has a free tier, while Convex does not. Choose Convex when its specific features justify the cost.
Convex vs Neon — Side by Side
| Convex | Neon | |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Database | Database |
| Pricing | From $25/mo | Free |
| Starting price | From $25/mo | Free tier available |
| Free tier | — | |
| Rating | 4.7 | 4.7 |
| Best for | Database — backend, baas | Database — postgresql, serverless |
Pros & Cons
- Excellent real-time data model
- Very fast developer iteration
- TypeScript-first backend
- Built-in cron, auth, and storage
- AI-assisted app generation
- Pricing is per-developer at scale
- Less control than self-managed databases
- Ecosystem smaller than traditional databases
- True serverless PostgreSQL
- Scale-to-zero reduces idle costs
- Instant database branching
- Excellent Vercel integration
- Great for preview environments
- Usage-based pricing can be unpredictable
- Not ideal for always-on heavy workloads
- Enterprise features are limited
Key Features Compared
Convex
- 1–6 developers
- 40 deployments
- Chef AI app generation
- Real-time database with indexes
- Text search and vector search
- File storage
Neon
- Up to 100 projects
- 100 compute hours per project
- 0.5 GB storage per project
- Scale-to-zero compute
- Read replicas
- Built-in high availability
Choose Convex if…
- Excellent real-time data model
- Very fast developer iteration
- TypeScript-first backend
Choose Neon if…
- You want to start free — Neon has a free tier and Convex does not.
- True serverless PostgreSQL
- Scale-to-zero reduces idle costs
- Instant database branching
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Convex better than Neon?⌄
Neon is the safer pick if budget matters — it has a free tier, while Convex does not. Choose Convex when its specific features justify the cost.
What is the difference between Convex and Neon?⌄
Convex — Reactive backend-as-a-service with a built-in database, real-time queries, serverless functions, and AI-powered app generation. Neon — Serverless PostgreSQL with autoscaling, branching, and usage-based pricing. Both are database tools; the comparison table above breaks down pricing, free tiers, and what each is best for.
Convex vs Neon: which is cheaper?⌄
Convex pricing: From $25/mo. Neon pricing: Free. Confirm current pricing on each tool's official site, as plans change.
Which is rated higher, Convex or Neon?⌄
In our catalog, Convex rates 4.7 out of 5 and Neon rates 4.7 out of 5 — they are evenly matched.
See more options in our guide to the best database tools for startups.
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