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APIs · head to head

Backendless vs Convoy

Backendless logo

Backendless

APIs

Visual app development platform with REST APIs and cloud backend

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Convoy logo

Convoy

APIs

Open source webhooks gateway you self-host, handling both sending and receiving

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Backendless free tier limited to 50 API requests per minute and 20 database tables; Convoy the default deployment is self-hosted, so you operate Convoy plus Postgres and Redis and carry the on-call burden for the system that delivers your customers' events.
  • They diverge on capability: Backendless covers REST API, Convoy covers Inbound and outbound.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Backendless and Convoy actually diverge.

Attributes where Backendless and Convoy differ
AttributeBackendlessConvoy
Pricing modelUnknownPer month, flat rate regardless of volume
PlatformsCloud, Visual builderLinux, Docker, Kubernetes, Cloud
Founded2012Unknown

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (APIs).

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 Backendless

  • REST API
  • Real-time database
  • Cloud code
  • Custom integrations
  • Webhooks
  • Cloud functions
  • Cloud support
  • Visual builder support

Only in Convoy

  • Inbound and outbound
  • Broker-driven ingestion
  • Payload transformation
  • Portal links
  • Circuit breaking
  • Retry policies
  • OpenTelemetry export
  • Role-based access control

What people use each for

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

Backendless

  • API Developmentnot Convoy
  • API Gatewaynot Convoy
  • API Testingnot Convoy
  • API Documentationnot Convoy
  • Microservicesnot Convoy

Convoy

  • A fintech that cannot route customer webhook traffic through a third-party SaaS for compliance reasonsnot Backendless
  • A high-volume platform for which per-message webhook pricing costs more than the flat premium licencenot Backendless
  • A team that also receives webhooks from many providers and wants ingestion, verification and deduplication in the same gatewaynot Backendless
  • An engineering group that wants webhook delivery driven directly from an existing Kafka or SQS topicnot Backendless

Where each one falls short

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

Backendless

  • Free tier limited to 50 API requests per minute and 20 database tables
  • Smaller community and integration ecosystem compared to Firebase or AWS
  • Customization beyond codeless tools requires developer expertise
  • Limited documentation for advanced use cases and edge cases

Convoy

  • The default deployment is self-hosted, so you operate Convoy plus Postgres and Redis and carry the on-call burden for the system that delivers your customers' events.
  • Frain Technologies is a small startup, and putting customer-facing delivery infrastructure on it means accepting real vendor continuity risk on a component that is hard to swap out quickly.
  • The premium tier at a flat 999 US dollars a month is poor value below substantial volume, while the community edition omits the portal, transformations and RBAC that most production deployments end up wanting.
  • The hosted cloud trial is capped at one project and 100 events a day, which is too small to properly evaluate the service before committing.
  • Documentation and the third-party ecosystem are thinner than the established webhook services, so unusual configurations often mean reading the Go source.

Pricing, plan by plan

Backendless

Free
  • FreeFree
    • 50 API requests/minute
    • 20 database tables
    • 1 GB file storage
  • Scale Variable$15/month
    • Unlimited API requests/month
    • 100 database tables
    • 10 GB file storage
  • Scale Fixed$15/month
    • Same as Scale Variable
    • Fixed monthly pricing

Convoy

Free
  • CommunityFree
    • Self-hosted open source gateway
    • Inbound and outbound webhooks
    • Automatic retries and message broker support
  • Premium$999/month
    • Flat rate irrespective of message volume
    • Portal links and payload transformation
    • RBAC, circuit breaking and white labelling
  • Enterprise$undefined/year
    • SAML SSO
    • Dedicated support with SLA
    • On-premises deployment assistance
  • Cloud$undefined/month
    • Hosted by Convoy
    • 14 day trial limited to one project and 100 events a day
    • Usage-based tiers above the trial

Which should you pick?

Choose Backendless if

  • You need rest api.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Cloud, Visual builder.
  • You also want real-time database.
Backendless review

Choose Convoy if

  • You need inbound and outbound.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, Docker, Kubernetes, Cloud.
  • You also want broker-driven ingestion.
Convoy review

Questions people ask

Is Backendless or Convoy better?
Neither clearly leads. Backendless starts at Free and Convoy at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Backendless or Convoy?
Backendless starts at Free and Convoy at Free.
Does Backendless or Convoy run on more platforms?
Backendless runs on Cloud, Visual builder. Convoy runs on Linux, Docker, Kubernetes, Cloud.
Can I use Backendless for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Backendless best used for?
Backendless is most often used for api development, api gateway, api testing, api documentation. Of those, api development and api gateway are not what Convoy is typically brought in for.
What can Backendless do that Convoy cannot?
Backendless covers REST API, Real-time database, Cloud code, Custom integrations. Convoy covers Inbound and outbound, Broker-driven ingestion, Payload transformation, Portal links.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Backendless: Does Backendless have a free tier?

Backendless Free plan ($0/month) includes 50 API requests per minute, 20 database tables, 1 GB file storage, 1 visualization, 2 security roles, and basic cloud code capabilities.

Source
Convoy: Is Convoy really open source?

Yes, the community edition is open source and self-hostable, covering both inbound and outbound webhooks with retries.

Backendless: What features does the Scale plan include?

Scale plan ($15+/month) provides unlimited API requests per month, 100 database tables, 10 GB file storage, 5 visualizations, 10 custom API keys, daily backups, free SSL certificates, and 1,000 real-time connections.

Source
Convoy: What does premium cost?

A flat 999 US dollars a month, self-hosted, regardless of message volume.

Backendless: Can I add more storage or increase API limits?

Yes, Backendless offers Function Packs ranging from $5-$399/month to increase specific limits such as storage, API requests, or security features.

Source
Convoy: Does it receive webhooks as well as send them?

Yes, inbound ingestion with verification and deduplication is a first-class feature, unlike most webhook services.

Backendless: Does Backendless support offline functionality?

Backendless supports real-time sync and offline capabilities for mobile apps, allowing data to sync when connectivity is restored.

Source
Convoy: Do I have to self-host?

No, there is a hosted cloud, but the trial is capped at 100 events a day and self-hosting is the primary model.

Backendless: Is Backendless Pro available for self-hosting?

Yes, Backendless Pro Community Edition is available under free licensing for core functionality. Managed Backendless is a paid option for self-hosted deployments with request-based pricing.

Source
Backendless: What are Backendless's integration limitations?

While Backendless supports many integrations, it has a smaller integration library compared to competitors. Finding solutions to edge cases or complex setups may require more development effort.

Source
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