Convex vs OpenObserve — Pricing, Plans, and Verified Costs (2026)
Convex starts at $25/mo. OpenObserve uses custom pricing — request a quote to compare.
See price history: Convex · OpenObserve
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.
- OpenObserve (Per Usage) — OpenObserve bills purely on usage — $0.50/GB ingest + $0.01/GB query (30% off annual, no per-seat fees). There is no fixed per-seat fee, so the monthly cost depends entirely on how much you consume.
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.
OpenObserve is a Datadog/Splunk/New Relic alternative positioned on transparent pay-as-you-go pricing with no per-seat or per-host fees. Cloud PAYG: $0.50/GB ingestion + $0.01/GB query (30% off with annual commit). Includes 15-month metrics retention + 30-day non-metrics retention default. Enterprise adds SSO/RBAC, AI SRE agent, BYO bucket infinite retention. Self-hosted OSS is free; Self-hosted Enterprise free up to 50GB/day.
All plans compared
| Tier role | Plan | Convex monthly | Convex annual | OpenObserve monthly | OpenObserve annual |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free / starter | Free / Cloud Professional (PAYG) | Free | Free | Free | Free |
| Entry paid | Professional / — | $25 | $25 | — | — |
| Enterprise | Enterprise / Cloud Enterprise | Custom | Custom | Custom | Custom |
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.
OpenObserve is worth it if… OpenObserve is ideal for teams migrating off Datadog, Splunk, or New Relic who want radically transparent pay-per-GB pricing with no seat fees. Best if your telemetry cost is dominated by log and metric volume rather than user count.
Bottom line: Similar positioning, closer to a preference call than a strategic one.
Choose Convex over OpenObserve 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 OpenObserve if…
- You want to pay only for actual usage (per usage, a free entry tier).
- You match the profile OpenObserve is built for: ideal for teams migrating off Datadog, Splunk, or New Relic who want radically transparent pay-per-GB pricing with no seat fees.
- You need a general-purpose developer & infrastructure option rather than a vertical-specific one.
At a glance
| Convex | OpenObserve | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Entry price | $25/mo | Free |
| 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 27, 2026. Verification cadence varies by tool; check each tool page.