Convex vs Datadog — Pricing, Plans, and Verified Costs (2026)
Convex starts at $25/mo. Datadog starts at $18/mo. Datadog is $7/mo cheaper on the entry tier than Convex.
How pricing works
These two tools don't price the same way, so the headline numbers below aren't directly comparable until you plug in your own volume.
- Convex (Unknown model) — Convex bills on a fixed plan from $25/mo, so the listed price is what you pay regardless of volume.
- Datadog (Per Usage) — Datadog bills on usage — host on top of a paid plan starting at $18/mo. The plan includes an allowance; anything beyond it is metered.
Per-minute, per-credit and per-token rates exclude any downstream model, speech or telephony costs unless the vendor states otherwise.
Reactive backend platform positioned as the alternative to Firebase for TypeScript developers who want end-to-end type safety + real-time subscriptions without configuring WebSockets. Distinctive per-developer pricing ($25/dev/mo Professional) instead of usage-based — predictable bills regardless of data volume or query count. Free tier is generous for solo projects. Popular with venture-backed startups building interactive AI/collaboration apps.
The dominant cloud observability platform (metrics, logs, traces, APM), publicly traded (DDOG), ~$45B market cap. Positioned as the alternative to New Relic + Splunk + PagerDuty stitched together. Distinctive for its notorious usage-based pricing that has surprised engineering teams with 6-figure monthly bills (Coinbase's leaked contract was ~$65M/year in 2022). Priced by seat + host + volume across 20+ meters. Popular with engineering teams; feared by finance teams.
All plans compared
| Tier role | Plan | Convex monthly | Convex annual | Datadog monthly | Datadog annual |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free / starter | Free | Free | Free | Free | Free |
| Entry paid | Professional / Infrastructure Pro | $25 | $25 | $18 | $15 |
| Enterprise | Enterprise / Infrastructure Enterprise | Custom | Custom | $27 | $23 |
Tier names differ across vendors. Rows are aligned by tier role, not name. Full tier structures on each tool's page.
What each is best for
Convex is worth it if… Convex is the reactive backend-as-a-service for developers who want real-time database + serverless functions + file storage — all with TypeScript type safety end-to-end. Free tier covers development and small production apps; Starter (free with usage-based overages) removes hard caps; Professional adds team features.
Datadog is worth it if… infrastructure teams (10+ engineers) that need APM + logs + metrics + synthetics + RUM in one platform — the observability default at mid-market and enterprise scale. Infrastructure covers hosts; APM, Logs, RUM, Synthetics, Database Monitoring each priced separately per module.
Bottom line: Similar positioning, closer to a preference call than a strategic one.
Choose Convex over Datadog if…
Choose Convex if…
- You're comfortable with Convex's from $25/mo entry point.
- You match the profile Convex is built for: the reactive backend-as-a-service for developers who want real-time database + serverless functions + file storage — all with TypeScript type safety end-to-end.
- You need a general-purpose developer & infrastructure option rather than a vertical-specific one.
Choose Datadog if…
- You want to pay only for actual usage (per usage, from $18/mo).
- You match the profile Datadog is built for: infrastructure teams (10+ engineers) that need APM + logs + metrics + synthetics + RUM in one platform — the observability default at mid-market and enterprise scale.
- You need a general-purpose developer & infrastructure option rather than a vertical-specific one.
At a glance
| Convex | Datadog | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Entry price | $25/mo | $18/mo |
| Enterprise available | Yes | Yes |
| Pricing model | — | Per Usage |
| Verification | Pricing under review | Pricing under review |
| Full pricing | View full pricing | View full pricing |
Pricing last verified September 26, 2026. Tracked daily.