Convex
Hex
| Feature | Convex | Hex |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free / from $25/mo | Free / from $28/mo |
| Free Plan | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| Rating | 4.5 / 5 | 4.4 / 5 |
| Best For | full-stack-developers, real-time-apps, startups, rapid-prototyping | data-analysts, data-scientists, analytics-engineers, data-teams |
| Founded | 2021 | 2019 |
| Real Time Database | ✓ | ✗ |
| Serverless Functions | ✓ | ✗ |
| File Storage | ✓ | ✗ |
| Authentication | ✓ | ✗ |
| Scheduling | ✓ | ✓ |
| Vector Search | ✓ | ✗ |
| Sql Cells | ✗ | ✓ |
| Python Cells | ✗ | ✓ |
| Charts | ✗ | ✓ |
| Data Apps | ✗ | ✓ |
| Version History | ✗ | ✓ |
✓ 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
✓ Hex Pros
- SQL + Python in one tool
- Beautiful data apps
- Collaborative notebooks
- Good sharing features
✗ Hex Cons
- Expensive for teams
- Learning curve for non-technical
- Limited self-hosting
The Verdict
Convex is built for full stack developers and real time apps, with a focus on real-time-database and serverless-functions. Hex targets data analysts and data scientists and leads with sql-cells and python-cells.
Pricing is close: Convex starts at $25/mo versus $28/mo for Hex — not a deciding factor on its own.
Both offer free plans, so you can test each with your real workflow before committing to a subscription.
This is a genuinely close comparison. If you can, sign up for both free trials (where available) and run a one-week test with your actual team tasks before deciding.