realtime

The all-in-one convenience creates dependency. Complex queries hit performance limits. Self-hosting requires significant operational knowledge.

Not Postgres. Convex has its own data model and query language. Migration from existing databases requires rethinking your data layer. Chef (their AI feature) was deprecated. Vendor dependency is real.

Self-hosting an SFU is ops-heavy. Cloud pricing was unverified, so no Cloud Build $0 claim and no monthly allowance numbers. Do not assume Cloud is free.

You bring the host. Horizontal scale needs Redis (or equivalent) adapter. This is not LiveKit and not a managed pub-sub. CORS, sticky sessions, and polling surprises remain your bugs.

A server framework, not a renderer. Colyseus Cloud has no free tier — it starts at 15 USD/mo. Capacity depends on your code, not a marketed CCU cap.

You run it. This is not Socket.IO in-process. Cloud/PRO SKUs were unverified here — no invented Cloud prices. Ops, clustering, and Redis when you scale stay yours.

Free pauses at the cap until the next cycle — not PAYG. Pro is $30/mo (credits + drop branding). Self-host is an Enterprise add-on, not the OSS path. Distinct from Socket.IO (you run the server) and Centrifugo (Go binary you operate).

Not a product. No hosted SKU, no pricing page, no support SLA. You bring the network layer (Liveblocks, y-websocket, your own). Distinct from Socket.IO: CRDT merge, not event fan-out.

Drop-in Pusher-protocol server, not Socket.IO in-process and not Centrifugo language-agnostic PUB/SUB. AGPLv3 is network copyleft. Hosted plans were not verified here — none invented.

Homepage still says the Hub is MIT-licensed. The LICENSE file is AGPL-3.0 — print the file. SSE, not WebSockets, not Pusher protocol. Distinct from Socket.IO and Soketi. Cloud/Enterprise exist; do not invent prices. OSS self-host is the free path.

Delivery guarantees + presence + Action Cable / multi-backend — not a Pusher-protocol server. Distinct from Socket.IO and Centrifugo. Pro and Managed exist; prices not reprinted here.

Vs Soketi: Rust Pusher V1 edge + Protocol V2 recovery/history/mutable/push — not AGPL v7-only. Distinct from Soketi AGPL Protocol v7 drop-in. Self-host is the free path; do not invent Cloud SKUs.

Read-path sync — not a full offline-write CRDT stack or a replacement for your mutation API. Vs PowerSync/Replicache: Postgres-native shapes + free reads on Cloud, not mobile SQLite product packaging. Pro Cloud starts $249/mo.

Vs Liveblocks/Yjs+Hocuspocus: room primitive on CF, not prebuilt comments/inbox SaaS. You pay Cloudflare Workers/DO usage at scale. Auth, persistence, and CRDT choice are yours. Post-acquisition roadmap rides CF.