Convex vs Val Town
A detailed comparison to help you choose between Convex and Val Town.
Quick Verdict
4.0/5
Convex
0 reviews
3.6/5
Val Town
0 reviews
Convex is rated higher (4.0 vs 3.6). Convex is a backend-as-a-service that provides a reactive database with real-time subscriptions, serverless functions, file storage, and authentication. TypeScript-first developer experience. Val Town is a social site for writing and running serverless JavaScript snippets. Create functions (vals) that run on HTTP, on a schedule, or in response to emails. Collaborative and public by default.
Convex TypeScript-first backend platform with real-time sync and serverless functions | Val Town Serverless JavaScript snippets with HTTP endpoints | |
|---|---|---|
| Overview | ||
| Rating | 4.0 (0 reviews)✓ | 3.6 (0 reviews) |
| Pricing model | freemium | freemium |
| Starting price | Free tier available | Free tier available |
| Best for | TypeScript teams building real-time, collaborative or AI-agent applications who want to replace an assembled backend stack with one reactive platform and value developer velocity over infrastructure control. | Developers and small teams who want script-shaped automations, small APIs, and cron jobs running on real URLs without managing any infrastructure |
| Specifications (entry plan) | ||
| CPU cores | — | — |
| RAM | — | — |
| Storage | 1 GB | — |
| Bandwidth | — | — |
| SLA uptime | — | — |
| Data-center count | 3 | — |
| Features | ||
| IPv6 | ||
| DDoS protection | ||
| Automated backups | ✓ | |
| Snapshots | ||
| Managed option | ||
| Bare metal | ||
| GPU available | ||
| S3-compatible | ||
| Hourly billing | ||
| Free tier | ||
| Data-center locations | ||
| Regions | US East (N. Virginia), EU West, Canada Central | — |
| Tags | ||
| Tags | free tierapi access | free tierus datacenter |
| Visit Convex → | Visit Val Town → | |
Convex
Pros
- + Replaces a whole backend stack — database, functions, sync, search, storage and auth — with end-to-end TypeScript type safety and ACID transactions
- + Generous economics for reactive apps: query/mutation compute free on serverless, plus a real free plan and pay-as-you-go Starter tier
- + All unit rates and per-tier limits published, including an honest 1.3x regional multiplier for EU and Canada
- + Core backend open-sourced (March 2024) with self-hosting option — genuine lock-in relief uncommon in this category
- + Well-funded ($110.5M through a $57M Series B in 2026), SOC 2 Type II, HIPAA compliant, with named production customers at real scale
Cons
- - Document model is not SQL — poor fit for Postgres estates, analyst workflows and BI tooling
- - Usage-based metering can surprise chatty clients; no hard spend caps on paid tiers
- - Support SLAs are a paid feature: 30-minute P1 response only in $1,000–$2,000/month premier tiers
- - TypeScript-first to the point of exclusion — a non-starter for non-TS teams
- - Self-hosting the open-source backend is an operational project most teams will only use as an escape hatch
Val Town
Pros
- + Fastest path from script to a live HTTPS URL we've seen — no infra setup at all
- + Genuinely usable free tier: 100,000 runs/day, unlimited public vals
- + Published per-plan limits in one place (runs, wall-clock time, memory, cron frequency)
- + SQLite, blob storage, email send/receive, and a documented HTTP API included
- + Version history, branching, and PR-style collaboration built into the code model
Cons
- - JavaScript/TypeScript only, on a web-standard runtime
- - No public datacenter locations, no SLA outside custom Enterprise deals
- - Private vals and custom domains are paid-only; public-by-default is the free posture
- - 1–10 minute execution caps and 3–10 day log retention limit production use
- - Seed-stage company — plan names and pricing have already shifted more than once
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