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Gadget alternatives: 4 apps ranked by verified data

Facts checked Oct 25, 2026AppBreakup editorialHow we rank

Common reasons people leave Gadget: apps are tied to Gadget, so migrating is a rewrite, and seat limits on each plan. We ranked 4 alternatives by how directly each one replaces Gadget, then by reviews, real visits and how recently each app's facts were checked against its own website. Convex currently ranks first.

Quick comparison

#AppPricingOpen sourcePlatformsVerified factsScore
1Convex logoConvexFree plan + paidYesWeb, Self-hosted4 of 466.5
2Supabase logoSupabaseFree plan + paidYesWeb, Self-hosted4 of 462.6
  1. Convex logo

    1. ConvexTop pick

    Best for: TypeScript teams building realtime apps who want the backend to be just functions

    Free plan + paidOpen sourceSelf-hostableWeb, Self-hosted

    66.5

    score / 100

    Why switch from Gadget

    TypeScript backend with live queries, without the commerce focus.

    Pros

    • Live-updating queries without writing websocket code
    • End-to-end TypeScript types from database to UI
    • Free tier plus pay-as-you-go for small projects

    Cons

    • Proprietary programming model makes migrating away costly
    • Per-developer pricing on the Professional plan
    • Self-hosting is possible but less documented than the cloud
    Visit Convex Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.3100
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1585
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Convex a good Gadget alternative?

    Verified facts

    4 of 4 verified
    Free plan
    Free or $0/month plus pay as you go
    Checked Oct 25, 2026convex.dev(opens source in a new tab)
    Professional plan
    $25 per developer/month
    Checked Oct 25, 2026convex.dev(opens source in a new tab)
    Self-hosting
    Yes
    Checked Oct 25, 2026docs.convex.dev(opens source in a new tab)
    Open source
    Yes
    Checked Oct 25, 2026convex.dev(opens source in a new tab)
  2. Supabase logo

    2. Supabase

    Best for: Developers who want Postgres plus auth, storage and realtime without running servers

    Free plan + paidOpen sourceSelf-hostableWeb, Self-hosted

    62.6

    score / 100

    Why switch from Gadget

    Open-source Postgres backend you can host anywhere.

    Pros

    • Real Postgres underneath, so SQL, extensions and standard tooling all work
    • Auth, storage, realtime and functions in one dashboard
    • Open source and self-hostable with Docker
    • Large community and many framework guides

    Cons

    • Free projects pause after a week of inactivity
    • Usage charges for compute and egress can be hard to predict
    • Self-hosting the full stack takes real operations work
    Visit Supabase Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.387
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1585
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Supabase a good Gadget alternative?

    Verified facts

    4 of 4 verified
    Free plan
    $0/month, 2 active projects
    Checked Oct 25, 2026supabase.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Pro plan
    From $25/month
    Checked Oct 25, 2026supabase.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Free project pausing
    After 1 week of inactivity
    Checked Oct 25, 2026supabase.com(opens source in a new tab)
    License
    Apache-2.0
    Checked Oct 25, 2026github.com(opens source in a new tab)

The best Gadget alternative for…

The highest-ranked app in this list for each need.

Convex logo

Best Gadget alternative for most people

Convex

TypeScript backend with live queries, without the commerce focus.

Supabase logo

Best Gadget alternative for a free plan you can upgrade

Supabase

Open-source Postgres backend you can host anywhere.

Convex logo

Best Gadget alternative for open source

Convex

TypeScript backend with live queries, without the commerce focus.

Convex logo

Best Gadget alternative for self-hosting

Convex

TypeScript backend with live queries, without the commerce focus.

Firebase logo

Best Gadget alternative for iPhone and Android

Firebase

Large managed platform with auth, hosting and functions.

Xano logo

Best Gadget alternative for working in the browser

Xano

Visual backend builder if you prefer not to write JavaScript.

Gadget alternatives: common questions

What is the best alternative to Gadget?

Convex ranks first right now. TypeScript backend with live queries, without the commerce focus. Supabase and Firebase follow it in our ranking.

Is there a free alternative to Gadget?

Yes. Convex (free plan + paid), Supabase (free plan + paid), Firebase (free plan + paid) and Xano (free plan + paid) have a free option. Check each app's verified facts for current plan limits.

Is there an open-source alternative to Gadget?

Yes: Convex and Supabase. Convex and Supabase can also be self-hosted.

Why do people switch from Gadget?

The complaints we hear most: apps are tied to Gadget, so migrating is a rewrite; seat limits on each plan; less suitable outside JavaScript and TypeScript.

How is this list ranked?

Every app is scored with the same published formula: how directly it replaces Gadget, reviews (weighted by verification), visits from AppBreakup, how recently its facts were checked against its own website, and reader votes.