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Databases · head to head

Convex vs Fivetran HVR

Convex logo

Convex

Databases

Reactive backend combining a document database, TypeScript server functions and live queries, source-available under the Functional Source Licence.

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Fivetran HVR logo

Fivetran HVR

Databases

Log-based change data capture for database replication and synchronization

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Convex has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Convex the Functional Source Licence is not an OSI open source licence: competing use is prohibited until each release reaches its second anniversary and converts to Apache 2.0, so you may self-host but you may not build a service on it.; Fivetran HVR pricing not published separately; part of Fivetran's usage model
  • They diverge on capability: Convex covers Reactive queries, Fivetran HVR covers Log-based change capture.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Convex and Fivetran HVR actually diverge.

Attributes where Convex and Fivetran HVR differ
AttributeConvexFivetran HVR
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelsubscriptionUsage-based, integrated with Fivetran billing
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWebData Warehouse, Data Lake, Operational Databases
FoundedUnknown2012

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

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 Convex

  • Reactive queries
  • TypeScript server functions
  • ACID transactions
  • Document database
  • Scheduling and workflows
  • File storage
  • Text and vector search
  • End-to-end types

Only in Fivetran HVR

  • Log-based change capture
  • Real-time replication
  • Schema evolution handling
  • Multi-table consistency
  • Zero-impact monitoring
  • Fivetran integration

What people use each for

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

Convex

  • Collaborative applications where several users see the same data and every client must reflect a change immediatelynot Fivetran HVR
  • Agent backends that need durable state, scheduled work and transactional writes without assembling a queue, a database and a cachenot Fivetran HVR
  • Small product teams who need a complete backend, including auth integration, file storage and subscriptions, without hiring infrastructure engineersnot Fivetran HVR
  • Prototypes that must become production without a rewrite of the data layer, where end-to-end TypeScript types remove a class of integration bugsnot Fivetran HVR

Fivetran HVR

  • Real-time database replication to data warehousesnot Convex
  • Maintaining operational copies for analyticsnot Convex
  • Disaster recovery and business continuitynot Convex
  • Feeding AI systems with fresh governed datanot Convex

Where each one falls short

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

Convex

  • The Functional Source Licence is not an OSI open source licence: competing use is prohibited until each release reaches its second anniversary and converts to Apache 2.0, so you may self-host but you may not build a service on it.
  • Transactions are bounded at one second of user code, 16 MiB read and written, 32,000 documents scanned and 16,000 written, so every backfill, migration or bulk import has to be chunked into scheduled batches rather than written as a single operation.
  • There is no SQL and no query planner; you declare up to 32 indexes per table and traverse them, and joins are loops in TypeScript, so an unanticipated access pattern requires a schema and index change rather than a new query.
  • It is not an analytical database, so reporting means streaming data out to a warehouse and BI tools cannot be pointed at Convex directly, which adds a pipeline the architecture diagram did not originally include.
  • The application is written against Convex's function and client APIs rather than a standard protocol, so leaving means rewriting the data access layer and replacing the reactivity model, not repointing a connection string.

Fivetran HVR

  • Pricing not published separately; part of Fivetran's usage model
  • Requires Fivetran relationship for implementation
  • Limited standalone documentation and community resources
  • May be overkill for simple batch replication needs
  • Competitive offerings provide more transparent per-connector pricing

Pricing, plan by plan

Convex

Free
  • Free & StarterFree
    • Supports 1-6 developers
    • Reactive database
    • File storage
  • Professional$25/month per developer
    • Supports up to 20 developers
    • All Starter features
    • Log streaming
  • Business & Enterprise$2500/month minimum
    • Supports 50+ developers
    • SAML/SSO
    • Service SLAs

Fivetran HVR

On request

No published plan breakdown. See the Fivetran HVR review.

Which should you pick?

Choose Convex if

  • You need reactive queries.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want typescript server functions.
Convex review

Choose Fivetran HVR if

  • You need log-based change capture.
  • You work on Data Warehouse, Data Lake, Operational Databases.
  • You also want real-time replication.
Fivetran HVR review

Questions people ask

Is Convex or Fivetran HVR better?
Neither clearly leads. Convex starts at Free and Fivetran HVR at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Convex or Fivetran HVR?
Convex has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Convex and On request for Fivetran HVR.
Does Convex or Fivetran HVR run on more platforms?
Convex runs on Web. Fivetran HVR runs on Data Warehouse, Data Lake, Operational Databases.
Can I use Convex for free?
Yes. Convex has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Fivetran HVR starts at On request.
What is Convex best used for?
Convex is most often used for collaborative applications where several users see the same data and every client must reflect a change immediately, agent backends that need durable state, scheduled work and transactional writes without assembling a queue, a database and a cache, small product teams who need a complete backend, including auth integration, file storage and subscriptions, without hiring infrastructure engineers, prototypes that must become production without a rewrite of the data layer, where end-to-end typescript types remove a class of integration bugs. Of those, collaborative applications where several users see the same data and every client must reflect a change immediately and agent backends that need durable state, scheduled work and transactional writes without assembling a queue, a database and a cache are not what Fivetran HVR is typically brought in for.
What can Convex do that Fivetran HVR cannot?
Convex covers Reactive queries, TypeScript server functions, ACID transactions, Document database. Fivetran HVR covers Log-based change capture, Real-time replication, Schema evolution handling, Multi-table consistency.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Convex: Is Convex open source?

It is source-available under FSL-1.1-Apache-2.0. You may read, modify and self-host it, but competing use is prohibited until each release converts to Apache 2.0 on its second anniversary.

Fivetran HVR: What databases does Fivetran HVR support?

HVR supports major databases including Oracle, SQL Server, PostgreSQL, MySQL, and others that emit transaction logs.

Source
Convex: Can I self-host it?

Yes. The backend, dashboard and CLI can run on your own infrastructure, with most of the features of the cloud product. Self-hosted instances include a telemetry beacon that can be disabled.

Fivetran HVR: Is HVR part of standard Fivetran pricing?

Yes, HVR is integrated into Fivetran's usage-based pricing model with standard per-row-synced and transformation costs.

Source
Convex: Does it support SQL?

No. Data is accessed through a TypeScript query builder over declared indexes. Relationships are traversed in code, which is explicit and type-safe but means no ad hoc querying.

Convex: What happens if a mutation exceeds the limits?

It fails rather than running longer, so bulk work must be split into batches and scheduled. The limits are per transaction: one second of user code, 16 MiB read and written, 32,000 documents scanned and 16,000 written.

Convex: How does reactivity actually work?

Queries are deterministic functions and Convex records the data each one read. When a mutation changes that data, affected queries are re-run and subscribed clients receive the new result, so cache invalidation is handled by the platform.

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