Convex
Fauna
| Feature | Convex | Fauna |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free / from $25/mo | Free / from $0.01/mo |
| Free Plan | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| Rating | 4.5 / 5 | 4.1 / 5 |
| Best For | full-stack-developers, real-time-apps, startups, rapid-prototyping | serverless-developers, jamstack-apps, globally-distributed-apps, startups |
| Founded | 2021 | 2012 |
| Real Time Database | ✓ | ✗ |
| Serverless Functions | ✓ | ✗ |
| File Storage | ✓ | ✗ |
| Authentication | ✓ | ✗ |
| Scheduling | ✓ | ✗ |
| Vector Search | ✓ | ✗ |
| Acid Transactions | ✗ | ✓ |
| Document Relational | ✗ | ✓ |
| Graphql Native | ✗ | ✓ |
| Global Distribution | ✗ | ✓ |
| Event Streaming | ✗ | ✓ |
| Multi Tenancy | ✗ | ✓ |
| Temporality | ✗ | ✓ |
✓ Convex Pros
- Real-time by default
- TypeScript-first
- Built-in auth and file storage
- Automatic caching
✗ Convex Cons
- Vendor lock-in
- Newer platform
- Limited to Convex runtime
✓ Fauna Pros
- Globally distributed with strong consistency
- Combines document and relational models
- Native GraphQL and FQL query support
- Serverless with no infrastructure to manage
✗ Fauna Cons
- Proprietary query language (FQL) has learning curve
- Can be expensive at high read/write volumes
- Smaller community compared to MongoDB or PostgreSQL
The Verdict
Convex is built for full stack developers and real time apps, with a focus on real-time-database and serverless-functions. Fauna targets serverless developers and jamstack apps and leads with acid-transactions and document-relational.
On pricing, Fauna is the clear winner for budget-conscious users — starting at $0.01/mo compared to $25/mo for Convex. That $24.99/mo difference adds up quickly for growing teams.
Both offer free plans, so you can test each with your real workflow before committing to a subscription.
Convex edges out on user ratings (4.5 vs 4.1). While both are well-regarded, that gap reflects real differences in user satisfaction worth considering.
Feature-wise, Fauna offers broader built-in capabilities (7 features vs 6), while Convex takes a more focused approach — which can mean a simpler, faster onboarding experience.
Both tools are a solid fit for startups — in those cases, the decision often comes down to workflow style and how your team prefers to organize work.
Bottom line: Convex has a slight overall edge — but if globally distributed with strong consistency matters most to you, Fauna may still be the right call.