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Side-by-side comparison · Databases & Backend

Convex vs Supabase vs Vercel

Everything that matters when choosing between them, in one place: our rating, what each can do, what they cost, and the trade-offs.

Convex

4.1

From $25/developer/mo

Supabase

4.3

From From $25/mo

Best overall

Vercel

4.4

From $20/mo per developer

Comparing 3 tools, the maximum.

At a glance

Pick it if: People building collaborative or real-time apps with Claude Code who want the backend to just work.

Best value

Pick it if: Anyone building an app with AI tools who needs somewhere real to keep user accounts and data.

Best overallEasiest to use

Pick it if: Anyone who built a website or app with Claude Code, Cursor, v0 or Lovable and needs a fast, reliable place to put it live.

Vercel scores highest overall, but Supabase gives you more for your money. Which one is right comes down to what you value most.

Overview

AttributeConvexSupabaseVercel
In one lineA backend that keeps every screen of your app in sync the moment the data changes.A ready-made database, logins and file storage for apps you build with AI tools.Puts the website or app you built with AI live, and publishes every update automatically.
Pricing modelFreemiumFreemiumFreemium
Starting price$25/developer/moFrom $25/mo$20/mo per developer
Free plan Yes Yes Yes
Works with Claude Code Yes Yes Yes

Rating breakdown

Our scores out of 5. The higher bar in each row is highlighted.

AttributeConvexSupabaseVercel
Overall rating4.14.34.4Winner
Ease of useHow quickly someone non-technical gets value from it.
3.5
4.0
4.5
FeaturesHow completely it covers its own job, and how well the pieces fit together.
4.0
4.5
5.0
Output qualityHow good the results are before you fix them.
4.5
4.5
4.5
Value for moneyWhat you get for the price, including the free plan.
4.0
4.5
3.5
Speed & reliabilityHow fast it is and how often it falls over.
4.5
4.0
4.5

Feature comparison

A tick means it does this today. A dash means we haven't checked.

AttributeConvexSupabaseVercel
Access & platform
Free plan Yes Yes Yes
Mobile app No No No
Desktop app No No No
Browser extension No No No
API access Yes Yes Yes
Teams & business
Team workspace Yes Yes Yes
Enterprise plan or SSO Yes Yes Yes
Connects to other apps Yes Yes Yes
Open source or self-hosted Yes Yes No
AI abilities
Works with your files Yes Yes Yes
Understands images No No–
Makes images No No No
Makes video No No No
Writes code No Yes Yes
Runs agents or automations Yes Yes Yes
Learns your brand or style No No–
Works in many languages–––
Capabilities score8/ 179/ 178/ 17

Pricing

Plans as listed on each vendor's site when we last checked. Confirm before you buy.

AttributeConvexSupabaseVercel
Plans

Free and Starter

Free, then pay as you go

Side projects and small teams getting started.

Free

Free

Prototypes, side projects and seeing if it suits you.

Hobby

Free

Personal projects and trying it out.

ProfessionalOur pick

$25/developer/mo

Products with real users.

ProOur pick

From $25/mo

Anything real people will use.

ProOur pick

$20/mo per developer

Any business site or app.

Business and Enterprise

From $2,500/mo

Larger companies with compliance and scale needs.

Team

From $599/mo

Companies that need SSO and compliance paperwork.

Enterprise

Custom

Large sites that need uptime guarantees.

Enterprise

Custom

Large products with uptime guarantees.

Which plan to pickStart on Free. Move to Professional when you launch, mainly for daily backups and the bigger limits. Business is a big jump aimed at teams of 50 or more, so most readers will never need it.Build on Free. Switch to Pro the day you share the app with anyone outside your team, mostly so the project stops pausing. Team is a big jump that only makes sense once a client or auditor asks for SSO or a SOC 2 report.Build and test on Hobby. The day the site is for a business, move to Pro, since Hobby doesn't allow commercial use. One developer seat is enough for most small businesses because people who only review can join free as viewers. Turn on a spending limit straight away.

Key features

AttributeConvexSupabaseVercel
Standout features
  • Reactive database
  • Everything in TypeScript
  • Scheduled functions and workflows
  • File storage, search and vector search
  • Official MCP server and AI docs
  • Open source and self-hostable
  • Postgres database
  • Auth
  • Storage
  • Edge Functions
  • Realtime
  • Official MCP server
  • Git deploys
  • Preview links
  • Global network
  • Firewall and bot protection
  • AI Gateway
  • Claude Code plugin and MCP

Pros and cons

AttributeConvexSupabaseVercel
Pros
  • Live updates built in rather than bolted on
  • One language for the whole app, so AI coding tools make fewer mistakes
  • Scheduled tasks and crash-safe workflows included
  • Open source with a self-hosting option
  • Fair pricing for small teams
  • Standard Postgres underneath, so you can leave any time
  • Logins, storage, functions and live updates in one dashboard
  • The widest support across AI app builders and Claude Code
  • Generous free plan for trying things out
  • Open source, with self-hosting if you ever need it
  • Fastest path from a GitHub project to a live site
  • Preview links for every change
  • Official Claude Code plugin and MCP server
  • Fast sites worldwide with security built in
  • Makes Next.js, so support for it is the best anywhere
Cons
  • Not SQL, and no easy exit to another database
  • Built for developers; there's no friendly data editor for non-technical staff
  • Per-developer pricing penalises bigger teams
  • Smaller community than Supabase or Firebase
  • Free projects pause after a week of inactivity
  • Usage charges on Pro can be hard to predict as traffic grows
  • Access rules and SQL still take some learning for non-technical people
  • The jump from Pro to Team is steep
  • The free plan doesn't allow commercial use
  • Usage charges past the included credit can be hard to predict
  • Pricing is per developer seat, which adds up for bigger teams
  • The pricing page lists dozens of separately metered items

Who each one is for

AttributeConvexSupabaseVercel
Best for
  • Collaborative and multiplayer apps
  • Live dashboards
  • Apps built mostly by Claude Code
  • Chat and AI agent backends
  • Backend for AI-built apps
  • User logins and permissions
  • File and image storage
  • Apps that need a real database
  • Putting a website built with Claude Code live
  • Next.js sites and apps
  • Preview links for every change before it goes live
  • Small business sites that need to be fast
You'll find it used by
  • Developers
  • Startups
  • Claude Code users
  • Indie hackers
  • Indie builders
  • Startups
  • Developers
  • Agencies
  • Developers
  • Agencies
  • Startups
  • Solo founders

Questions people ask

Which is better, Convex, Supabase or Vercel?

Vercel scores highest overall in our ratings (Convex 4.1/5, Supabase 4.3/5 and Vercel 4.4/5). Convex is best for collaborative and multiplayer apps and live dashboards. Supabase is best for backend for AI-built apps and user logins and permissions. Vercel is best for putting a website built with Claude Code live and Next.js sites and apps.

Which is cheaper, Convex, Supabase or Vercel?

Convex: There's a free plan, and paid plans start at $25/developer/mo. Supabase: There's a free plan, and paid plans start at From $25/mo. Vercel: There's a free plan, and paid plans start at $20/mo per developer.

Which is easier to use, Convex, Supabase or Vercel?

Vercel rates highest for ease of use in our scores. Anyone who built a website or app with Claude Code, Cursor, v0 or Lovable and needs a fast, reliable place to put it live.

How we compare

Ratings are our own, from using each tool, across ease of use, features, output quality, value for money, speed & reliability.

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