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PlanetScale vs Supabase
Side-by-side comparison of PlanetScale and Supabase.
Quick summary
PlanetScale — The MySQL-compatible serverless database. PlanetScale is a MySQL-compatible serverless database built on Vitess with branching and non-blocking schema changes.
Supabase — The open source Firebase alternative. Supabase is an open-source backend-as-a-service built on PostgreSQL. It provides authentication, realtime subscriptions, storage, edge functions, and a hosted database.
Feature comparison
| Feature | PlanetScale | Supabase |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | Paid | Freemium |
| Starting price | $39/mo | $25/mo |
| Free tier | No | Yes |
| Open source | No | Yes |
| Engine | MySQL (Vitess) | — |
| Branching | Yes | — |
| Free Tier | Discontinued | 500MB DB + 1GB storage |
| Serverless | Yes | — |
| Scale-to-zero | No | — |
| Point-in-time Recovery | Yes | — |
| Auth | — | Yes |
| Storage | — | Yes |
| Database | — | PostgreSQL |
| Realtime | — | Yes |
| Self-hosted | — | Yes |
| Edge Functions | — | Yes |
| Row Level Security | — | Yes |
PlanetScale
The MySQL-compatible serverless database
Pros
- Horizontal scaling via Vitess
- Schema branching workflow
- Non-blocking migrations
Cons
- No free tier
- No foreign key constraints by default
- MySQL only
Supabase
The open source Firebase alternative
Pros
- Open source and self-hostable
- Standard PostgreSQL — no vendor lock-in
- Generous free tier
- Great DX with auto-generated APIs
Cons
- Cold starts on free tier
- Edge function ecosystem still maturing
Which should you choose?
Choose PlanetScale if you need production-grade features and are ready to pay. Choose Supabase if you value open source and want the option to self-host, and a free tier is important for your stage.
Frequently asked questions
Which is better, PlanetScale or Supabase?
There is no universal “better.” For most teams, Supabase is the safer default because Supabase is open source, which means you can self-host and avoid vendor lock-in. PlanetScale is proprietary. For edge cases, the comparison table above highlights where each tool wins.
Is PlanetScale cheaper than Supabase?
PlanetScale starts at $39/mo, while Supabase starts at $25/mo. Exact costs depend on usage — check both vendors' calculators before committing.
Can I migrate from PlanetScale to Supabase?
Migration difficulty depends on how deeply PlanetScale-specific features (APIs, SDK conventions, data schemas) are baked into your app. Most database migrations take days to weeks. Both vendors typically publish migration guides — check their docs.
Is PlanetScale or Supabase open source?
Supabase is open source; PlanetScale is a proprietary managed service.
Does PlanetScale or Supabase have a free tier?
Supabase has a free tier; PlanetScale does not.
Which is best for startups and indie hackers?
Startups usually optimize for the lowest friction to ship and the cheapest possible free tier. The one with the most generous free tier here is Supabase. For production workloads, revisit the trade-offs in the feature table above.