SHSelfHostIndex

Convex vs InstantDB

A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted developer tools & git options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.

Not the right match-up?
CO Convex Open-source reactive backend with a TypeScript database VS IN InstantDB Realtime client-side database with relational queries
FeatureConvexInstantDB
Deploy effortUnder-an-hour setupUnder-an-hour setup
Health score94 · Excellent91 · Excellent
CategoryDeveloper Tools & GitDeveloper Tools & Git
LicenseApache-2.0AGPL-3.0
LanguageTypeScriptTypeScript
Setup difficultyMediumMedium
Min. RAM1,024 MB1,024 MB
Deploymentdocker, sourcedocker, source
GitHub stars★ 12,604★ 10,521
First released20242024
ReplacesFirebaseFirebase

What are Convex and InstantDB?

Convex

Convex is an open-source reactive application backend that combines a database, server functions and realtime sync addressed entirely through TypeScript. The backend can be self-hosted with Docker.

  • Reactive database
  • TypeScript functions
  • Realtime sync
  • Self-hostable

InstantDB

Instant is an open-source realtime database that gives apps offline-first relational queries and instant sync. The backend server can be self-hosted to keep app data on your own infrastructure.

  • Realtime sync
  • Relational queries
  • Offline support
  • Self-hostable backend

Convex vs InstantDB: key differences

Both projects are written in TypeScript. Licensing differs — Apache-2.0 for Convex versus AGPL-3.0 for InstantDB.

Why pick each one

Choose Convex if…

  • Released under the Apache-2.0 license
  • First-class Docker support for quick deployment
  • Mature project with 12.6k GitHub stars
  • Written in TypeScript
Convex details

Choose InstantDB if…

  • Released under the AGPL-3.0 license
  • First-class Docker support for quick deployment
  • Mature project with 10.5k GitHub stars
  • Written in TypeScript
InstantDB details

Frequently asked questions

Is Convex or InstantDB better?

Neither is universally better. Convex has the larger community; both share a medium setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.

Are Convex and InstantDB free and open-source?

Yes. Convex is licensed under Apache-2.0 and InstantDB under AGPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.

Can I run Convex and InstantDB with Docker?

Convex: yes. InstantDB: yes.

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