Convex vs DynamoDB for Solo Developers

Both Convex and DynamoDB are document-style databases with serverless pricing models, but the developer experience could not be more different. One is built for developers who want to move fast with minimal config. The other is built for AWS shops that need infinite scale and are willing to learn its quirks.

Having used both on real projects, I can tell you the choice comes down to how much time you want to spend on data modeling versus building features.

Convex Overview

Convex is a backend platform that gives you a document database, server functions, and real-time subscriptions as a single integrated service. You write everything in TypeScript. Your schema, queries, mutations, and server logic all live in one place and deploy together.

The standout feature for solo developers is how little setup is required. There is no IAM configuration, no capacity planning, no read/write unit calculations. You write a function, deploy it, and call it from your frontend. Data changes propagate to all connected clients automatically.

Free tier includes 1M function calls and 1GB of storage. Paid plans start at $25/month with straightforward pricing.

DynamoDB Overview

DynamoDB is Amazon's fully managed NoSQL database service. It stores data in tables with a partition key and optional sort key, and it scales to handle virtually any workload. It has been in production at Amazon scale for over a decade.

The trade-off is complexity. DynamoDB requires careful upfront data modeling. You need to design your access patterns before you write your first query, because the key structure determines what queries are efficient. Single-table design, GSIs, LSIs, and capacity modes all need consideration.

DynamoDB has a generous free tier through AWS: 25GB of storage and 25 write/read capacity units permanently free. The on-demand pricing model charges per request, which can be very cheap at low scale.

Comparison Table

When to Pick Convex

Choose Convex when you want to minimize the distance between writing code and having a working product. If you are a solo developer building a SaaS app, a collaborative tool, or a real-time dashboard, Convex eliminates the need for a separate API layer, a separate database service, and a separate real-time system.

The learning curve is dramatically lower than DynamoDB. You do not need to think about partition keys, capacity units, or access pattern optimization. You write a query function, add an index if needed, and move on.

Convex is also the better choice if you are not already invested in the AWS ecosystem. DynamoDB makes the most sense when it is part of a broader AWS architecture. On its own, it is a lot of complexity for a solo developer.

When to Pick DynamoDB

Choose DynamoDB if you are already building on AWS and want your database to integrate natively with Lambda, API Gateway, S3, and the rest of the ecosystem. The tight integration with AWS services means you can build event-driven architectures with DynamoDB Streams triggering Lambda functions, which is powerful for background processing.

DynamoDB also makes sense if you expect your app to hit massive scale. It handles billions of requests per day without breaking a sweat. If you are building something where you know traffic could spike unpredictably, DynamoDB's on-demand mode scales automatically with no capacity management.

The permanent free tier is attractive for cost-conscious solo developers. If your app stays within the free tier limits, you pay nothing indefinitely. That is hard to beat for a side project that might not generate revenue for months.

Verdict

For most solo developers in 2025, Convex is the more productive choice. You get a complete backend with real-time sync, type safety, and minimal configuration. The developer experience is miles ahead of DynamoDB for rapid development.

DynamoDB is the right call when you are committed to AWS, need virtually unlimited scale, or want to take advantage of the permanent free tier for a project with unpredictable timelines. Just be prepared to invest time learning its data modeling patterns, because getting those wrong is painful to fix later.

Ship fast with Convex. Scale infinitely with DynamoDB. Pick the constraint that matters less to you right now.