Convex vs Firebase vs PocketBase: Best Real-Time Backend (2026)
Building a real-time app? Your backend choice determines your DX, cost structure, and scaling path. Convex is the developer-experience leader, Firebase is the established giant, and PocketBase is the self-hosted underdog. Here's how they compare.
Quick Comparison
| Feature | Convex | Firebase | PocketBase |
|---|---|---|---|
| Real-time | Automatic reactivity | Firestore listeners | SSE subscriptions |
| Database | Document (relational-like) | Firestore (NoSQL) | SQLite |
| Hosting | Managed only | Managed only | Self-hosted |
| Server functions | TypeScript (built-in) | Cloud Functions (Node) | Go hooks |
| Auth | Clerk/Auth0 integration | Built-in (excellent) | Built-in |
| File storage | Built-in | Cloud Storage | Built-in |
| Pricing | Generous free tier | Pay-per-use | Free (self-host) |
| Offline support | Limited | Excellent | None |
| Type safety | End-to-end | SDK-level | SDK-level |
| Vendor lock-in | High | High | None |
Convex: Reactive by Default
Convex is a reactive backend where queries automatically update when underlying data changes. No WebSocket setup, no subscription management — it just works.
Strengths
- Automatic reactivity. Every query is live. Change data → all clients see it instantly. Zero boilerplate.
- End-to-end TypeScript. Schema, queries, mutations, and client code share types. Catch errors at compile time.
- ACID transactions. Real database transactions, not eventual consistency. Your data is always correct.
- Server functions as code. Write backend logic in TypeScript alongside your schema. No separate API layer.
- Scheduled functions and cron. Built-in scheduling without external services.
Weaknesses
- Managed only. No self-hosting option. Full vendor dependency.
- Newer platform. Smaller community, fewer tutorials, less battle-tested at extreme scale.
- No offline support. Unlike Firebase, Convex doesn't work offline.
- Learning curve. The reactive model is different from traditional REST/GraphQL thinking.
Best For
Apps where real-time is core (collaborative tools, dashboards, chat). Developers who value type safety and DX above all else.
Firebase: The Established Platform
Firebase has been the default real-time backend since 2014. Firestore (its current database) provides real-time listeners, offline support, and massive scale.
Strengths
- Offline-first. Firestore caches data locally and syncs when connectivity returns. Best offline support of any backend.
- Massive scale. Google infrastructure. Handles millions of concurrent connections.
- Comprehensive platform. Auth, Firestore, Storage, Hosting, Cloud Functions, Analytics, Crashlytics, Remote Config, A/B Testing, ML Kit — everything in one platform.
- Auth is excellent. Firebase Auth is arguably the best managed auth for mobile apps.
- Multi-platform SDKs. iOS, Android, Web, Flutter, Unity — first-class everywhere.
Weaknesses
- NoSQL limitations. No joins. Denormalization required. Complex queries are painful or impossible.
- Pricing surprises. Pay per read/write/delete. A single page load can trigger hundreds of reads. Bills can spike unexpectedly.
- Vendor lock-in. Deeply tied to Google Cloud. Migration is painful.
- Cloud Functions cold starts. Serverless functions can have 1-5 second cold starts.
- Firestore query limitations. Can't query across subcollections easily. Inequality filters limited to one field.
Best For
Mobile-first apps that need offline support. Projects that benefit from the full Firebase ecosystem (analytics, push notifications, A/B testing).
PocketBase: The Self-Hosted Option
PocketBase is a single Go binary that gives you a database, auth, file storage, real-time subscriptions, and admin UI.
Strengths
- Zero infrastructure. Download, run, done. No Docker, no dependencies.
- Free forever. Self-hosted, open source (MIT). Your only cost is the server.
- Simple real-time. Subscribe to collection changes via SSE. Less sophisticated than Convex/Firebase but functional.
- Full control. Your data, your server, your rules. No vendor lock-in.
- Tiny footprint. Runs on a $5/month VPS or a Raspberry Pi.
Weaknesses
- Single server. SQLite doesn't horizontally scale. One server = one point of failure.
- Less sophisticated real-time. SSE polling vs. Convex's automatic reactivity or Firebase's optimized listeners.
- No managed option. You handle backups, updates, monitoring, and uptime.
- Smaller ecosystem. Fewer SDKs, integrations, and community resources.
- No offline support. No local caching or offline-first capabilities.
Best For
Side projects, prototypes, internal tools, and any app where a single server is sufficient. Developers who want full control without vendor dependency.
Real-Time Comparison
Convex: True reactivity. Every query result auto-updates when data changes. The developer writes a query; Convex handles subscriptions, diffing, and updates. Most elegant model.
Firebase: Listener-based. Attach onSnapshot listeners to documents or queries. Well-optimized, handles offline/online transitions. More manual than Convex but battle-tested.
PocketBase: SSE-based. Subscribe to collection events. Receive create/update/delete notifications. You update your local state manually. Most basic but functional.
Pricing
Convex free tier: 1M function calls, 1GB storage, 1GB file storage. Very generous for development and small apps.
Firebase free tier (Spark): 50K reads/day, 20K writes/day, 1GB Firestore storage. Adequate for development; production apps typically need Blaze plan (pay-as-you-go).
PocketBase: $5-10/month for a VPS. That's it. No per-request costs, no surprises.
For cost-sensitive projects, PocketBase wins decisively. For apps under the free tier limits, Convex offers the best DX at $0.
Decision Matrix
| If you need... | Choose |
|---|---|
| Best real-time DX | Convex |
| Offline support | Firebase |
| Self-hosting / no vendor lock-in | PocketBase |
| Mobile-first (iOS/Android) | Firebase |
| End-to-end type safety | Convex |
| Lowest cost at scale | PocketBase |
| Largest ecosystem | Firebase |
| Simplest setup | PocketBase |
FAQ
Can Convex replace Firebase?
For real-time web apps, yes — with better DX. For mobile apps needing offline support, analytics, and push notifications, Firebase's ecosystem is still unmatched.
Is PocketBase production-ready?
For single-server workloads serving thousands of users, yes. For apps requiring 99.99% uptime, horizontal scaling, or global distribution, consider Convex or Firebase.
Can I migrate between these?
Firebase → Convex: Moderate effort (restructure data model, rewrite queries). Firebase → PocketBase: Moderate (export data, new API). Convex → anything: Harder due to deep integration. PocketBase → anything: Easiest (SQLite is portable).
The Verdict
- Convex for the best developer experience and automatic reactivity. Choose when real-time is core to your app.
- Firebase for mobile-first apps needing offline support and a comprehensive platform. The safe, established choice.
- PocketBase for self-hosted simplicity and zero vendor dependency. Best cost structure for budget-conscious projects.
For new web apps in 2026, Convex offers the most modern and productive development experience. For mobile apps, Firebase remains the default. For side projects and internal tools, PocketBase is hard to beat.