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Convex vs Prisma
Convex offers a reactive TypeScript backend with its own data model, not a traditional SQL ORM.
Which to pick
Pick Convex if you want…
- Reactive TypeScript backend with built-in AI support
- Integrations with Stripe, Twilio or PostHog (on Convex's list, not Prisma's)
Pick Prisma if you want…
- Integrated ORM, DB, and hosting for TypeScript
- Integrations with Bun (on Prisma's list, not Convex's)
Side by side
- What it is
- Convex:Convex is a reactive, TypeScript-first backend platform offering database, functions, sync, search and AI-ready features.
- Prisma:Prisma provides a type-safe ORM, managed Postgres, and TypeScript-focused app hosting on a single platform.
- Best for
- Convex:Reactive TypeScript backend with built-in AI support
- Prisma:Integrated ORM, DB, and hosting for TypeScript
- Who it’s for
- Convex:Developers building TypeScript apps, AI agents and real-time applications.
- Prisma:TypeScript and Node.js developers building full-stack apps.
- Pricing
- Convex:Freemium
- Prisma:Freemium
- Plans
- Convex:Free $0 · Professional $25 per developer/month per month · Enterprise $2,500 monthly minimum per month
- Prisma:Free $0 · Starter $10 per month · Pro $49 per month · Business $129 per month
- Open source
- Convex:Yes, 12,633 GitHub stars
- Prisma:Yes
- Works with
- Convex:TypeScript, Node.js, Stripe, Twilio, PostHog, Workpool, Workflow, AI Gateway
- Prisma:TypeScript, Node.js, Bun
Convex features
- Reactive database. ACID-compliant, type-safe database that updates clients in real time.
- End-to-end type safety. Ensures TypeScript types are enforced across schema, functions and client code.
- Automatic caching & scaling. Handles caching and scales automatically to support viral workloads.
- Real-time sync. Pushes data changes instantly to all connected users.
- Workpool background jobs. Runs model calls and jobs with retries, backoff and parallelism.
- Workflow engine. Multi-step processes that checkpoint, retry and resume automatically.
Prisma features
- Type-safe ORM. Declarative schema rebuilt in native TypeScript with full type safety and LLM-friendly contracts.
- Managed Postgres. Bare-metal microVM Postgres with per-branch databases, operation-based pricing and query insights.
- Prisma Compute. Bun-runtime app hosting co-located with the database, supporting preview URLs and versioned deployments.
- Prisma Studio. Visual data browser and editor built into the console for inspecting and editing data.
- CLI + Management API. Structured JSON output and parity between CLI and API for programmatic control.
Convex vs Prisma FAQ
Is Convex or Prisma free?+
Convex has a free plan and paid plans. Prisma has a free plan; paid plans start at $10/month (Starter).
Is Convex or Prisma open source?+
Yes, both are open source: Convex (get-convex/convex-backend on GitHub) and Prisma (prisma/prisma on GitHub).
Do Convex and Prisma integrate with the same tools?+
Partly. Both list TypeScript and Node.js. Convex also lists Stripe, Twilio, PostHog, Workpool and 2 more; Prisma also lists Bun.
On DevHunt
Based on each tool's website and DevHunt data. Details may change; check the official sites.