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Apache Pinot vs Convex

Apache Pinot logo

Apache Pinot

Software

Real-time distributed OLAP datastore for analytics

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
C

Convex

Software

The reactive backend platform that keeps up with you and your agents

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Apache Pinot has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Apache Pinot self-hosted and distributed, so running it means operating a cluster rather than consuming a service; Convex the Free and Starter tier includes only 1 million function calls and 0.5 GB of database storage per month before per-unit overage charges of $2.20 per million calls apply, as of August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Apache Pinot and Convex actually diverge.

Attributes where Apache Pinot and Convex differ
AttributeApache PinotConvex
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelopen-sourceusage-based
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsLinux, Docker, KubernetesWeb
Founded1999Unknown

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Apache Pinot

  • Real-time Analytics
  • Column-oriented
  • Distributed Processing
  • SQL Support
  • Pluggable Indexing
  • Star-tree Index
  • Upsert Support
  • Kafka

Only in Convex

Nothing recorded that Apache Pinot does not also cover.

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Apache Pinot

  • Sub-second analytics queries on freshly ingested datanot Convex
  • User-facing dashboards inside a productnot Convex
  • Real-time metrics at high ingest ratesnot Convex
  • Petabyte-scale analytics as run at LinkedIn and Ubernot Convex

Convex

No use cases recorded yet. See the Convex review.

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Apache Pinot

  • Self-hosted and distributed, so running it means operating a cluster rather than consuming a service
  • Managed hosting comes from third parties such as StarTree rather than from the project
  • Built for user-facing real-time OLAP, so it is not a general purpose database

Convex

  • The Free and Starter tier includes only 1 million function calls and 0.5 GB of database storage per month before per-unit overage charges of $2.20 per million calls apply, as of August 2026.

Pricing, plan by plan

Apache Pinot

Free
  • Open SourceFree
    • Real-time analytics
    • SQL queries
    • Horizontal scaling

Convex

On request

No published plan breakdown. See the Convex review.

Which should you pick?

Choose Apache Pinot if

  • You need real-time analytics.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, Docker, Kubernetes.
  • You also want column-oriented.
Apache Pinot review

Choose Convex if

Nothing in the data separates Convex from Apache Pinot on the points above - pick on price and on how each one feels to use.

Convex review

Questions people ask

Is Apache Pinot or Convex better?
Neither clearly leads. Apache Pinot starts at Free and Convex at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Apache Pinot or Convex?
Apache Pinot has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Apache Pinot and On request for Convex.
Does Apache Pinot or Convex run on more platforms?
Apache Pinot runs on Linux, Docker, Kubernetes. Convex runs on Web.
Can I use Apache Pinot for free?
Yes. Apache Pinot has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Convex starts at On request.
What is Apache Pinot best used for?
Apache Pinot is most often used for sub-second analytics queries on freshly ingested data, user-facing dashboards inside a product, real-time metrics at high ingest rates, petabyte-scale analytics as run at linkedin and uber. Of those, sub-second analytics queries on freshly ingested data and user-facing dashboards inside a product are not what Convex is typically brought in for.
What can Apache Pinot do that Convex cannot?
Apache Pinot covers Real-time Analytics, Column-oriented, Distributed Processing, SQL Support.
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Related pages

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