Supabase, Appwrite and Convex are "backend-as-a-service" platforms: they give you a database, authentication, file storage and server functions out of the box, and increasingly AI building blocks like vector search. For an MVP they can save weeks. The question is whether your product will outgrow them, and what it costs to leave if it does.
How they differ
Supabase is built on PostgreSQL. You get a real Postgres database with pgvector for AI embeddings, row-level security, auth, storage and edge functions. Because it's standard Postgres underneath, it's the easiest of the three to migrate away from.
Appwrite is open source and self-hostable, with auth, databases, storage, functions and messaging. It suits teams that want a Firebase-style developer experience on infrastructure they control.
Convex takes a different approach: your backend logic lives in TypeScript functions, and data updates in real time to subscribed clients automatically. It's excellent for collaborative and real-time apps, and the most opinionated of the three.
The AI angle
All three are leaning into AI: storing embeddings for semantic search, running retrieval for chatbots, and calling model APIs from server functions. Supabase's pgvector is especially convenient, because your vectors live next to your regular data, in one database.
When they're the right call
- MVPs and prototypes where speed to launch matters most.
- Small teams without dedicated backend developers.
- Real-time features (Convex) or standard CRUD with auth (Supabase, Appwrite).
When to build your own backend
- Complex business logic, such as multi-vendor marketplaces, RFQ workflows and approval chains.
- Heavy integrations with payment gateways, ERPs and logistics APIs.
- Strict data residency or compliance requirements.
- Cost at scale: usage-based pricing can overtake a well-run server.
For MariBiz, a B2B marketplace with RFQs, vendor verification and real-time messaging, a custom Node.js, PostgreSQL and Prisma backend was the right choice. For a simple booking app, I'd often reach for Supabase.
Choosing your backend
At NextGen Fusion, our software development company in Lucknow, we pick the backend per project: a BaaS when speed wins, and a custom Node.js and PostgreSQL backend when the business logic demands it.
