Zen Mesh vs Convoy
Convoy is an open-source webhook gateway that handles both sending and receiving webhooks. Zen Mesh focuses specifically on the receiving and private-delivery side: accepting third-party webhooks and delivering them to services behind NAT/firewalls.
Managed Public Delivery
For supported inbound webhook workflows, Zen Mesh provides a direct managed alternative: create a public webhook endpoint, validate and process events, and deliver to a public HTTPS destination without installing an agent, container, or Kubernetes component.
- No customer-side runtime
- No Edge, no Docker, no Kubernetes
- Zen-managed endpoint and delivery
Private Edge Delivery
When the same destination is private, Zen Mesh can extend the flow through Edge using outbound-only connectivity, without publishing the target or opening inbound firewall access.
- Same webhook control model
- Outbound-only Edge connection
- No public exposure of the target
Move the existing public webhook workflow to Zen Mesh, then add private delivery only where your network requires it.
Capability comparison
Sources: Convoy docs, Zen Mesh evidence system. Reviewed September 2026.
| Capability | Zen Mesh | Convoy |
|---|---|---|
| Inbound webhook reception | Yes | Yes |
| Outbound webhook sending | Yes (public targets) | Yes (primary focus) |
| Private target behind NAT/firewall | Yes (Edge Lite or Kubernetes Edge) | Not a core feature |
| Retry with backoff | Yes (bounded, configurable) | Yes |
| DLQ / terminal state | Yes (bounded attempts, durable spool) | Yes |
| Signature validation | Provider-specific + standard HMAC | Yes |
| Self-hosted | Edge Lite runs on your Docker host | Yes (open source) |
| Architecture and delivery | Zen Mesh | Convoy |
|---|---|---|
| Public destination delivery (no customer runtime) | Managed Public Delivery | Yes |
| Private destination delivery | Private Edge Delivery | Not a core feature |
| NAT/firewall support | Outbound-only Edge | Assumes reachable target |
| Customer-side runtime for public targets | None required | None required |
| Durable local state (SQLite) | Built-in spool, checkpoint, fence | Database-backed |
Choose Zen Mesh when
- You need managed webhook delivery to a public HTTPS destination without installing any customer-side runtime
- Your destination is behind NAT/firewall and you want outbound-only private delivery
- You want a single platform for both public-target and private-target delivery
- You need durable local state with SQLite and governed delivery semantics
Convoy may be preferable when
- You need an open-source webhook gateway for managing outgoing deliveries to subscriber endpoints
- You require subscription management and event batching across multiple sources
- You want self-hosted webhook delivery scheduling with a database backend