Comparison

PlanetScale vs MySQL

Overview

The MySQL-compatible serverless database platform

PlanetScale is a serverless MySQL-compatible database platform offering database branching, non-blocking schema changes, and global replication for high-traffic applications.

MySQL

The world's most popular open-source database.

mysql.com →

MySQL is a widely deployed open-source relational database owned by Oracle. It powers a huge share of web applications thanks to its speed, maturity, replication options and broad ecosystem support across every major framework and hosting provider.

Which should you choose?

PlanetScale is managed, serverless MySQL with non-blocking schema changes and global replication, usage-based from $5/month. Vanilla MySQL is the free, open-source engine, giving you full control but requiring you to manage scaling, replication, and schema migrations yourself. Choose PlanetScale if you want MySQL-compatible branching and painless scaling; choose self-hosted MySQL for zero license cost and maximum control.

TLDR

—If you want MySQL-compatible database branching and painless scaling, choose PlanetScale.
—If you want zero license cost and full control over your database infrastructure, self-host MySQL.

Features

—Serverless MySQL
—Database branching
—Non-blocking schema changes
—Global replication
—Connection pooling
—Query insights
—Automatic backups
—Import tool

—Mature relational engine (InnoDB)
—Primary/replica replication
—Broad framework and ORM support
—Stored procedures and triggers
—JSON column type
—Large hosting and tooling ecosystem

Pricing

PlanetScale

usage based

Plan	Price	Notes
Base	$5/mo	Self-serve managed database plan. Single-node Postgres starts at $5/month; pricing scales by compute, storage, and topology.
Enterprise	Contact sales	Enhanced support, custom deployment options, and managed-in-your-cloud pricing.

View pricing page →

MySQL

open sourceFree plan available