PlanetScale vs Supabase - Detailed Comparison 2026
An in-depth, side-by-side comparison covering features, pricing, pros, cons, and use cases to help you choose the right tool.
Our Verdict: PlanetScale vs Supabase
Supabase holds a slight edge in user satisfaction with a rating of 4.7/5 compared to PlanetScale's 4.5/5. When it comes to features, PlanetScale offers 6 capabilities while Supabase provides 6. PlanetScale differentiates with Database Branching and Schema Changes, while Supabase stands out with Postgres Database and Authentication. On pricing, Supabase is the more budget-friendly option at $25/month compared to PlanetScale at $39/month, and Supabase also offers a free tier.
At a Glance
Full Side-by-Side Comparison
| Criteria | PlanetScale | Supabase |
|---|---|---|
| Rating | 4.5/5 | 4.7/5 |
| Pricing Model | Usage Based | Freemium |
| Starting Price | $[object Object] | $[object Object] |
| Free Tier | No | Yes |
| AI-Powered | No | No |
| Platforms | web | web |
| Founded | 2018 | 2020 |
| Company Size | 51-200 | 51-200 |
| Integrations | 3+ | 4+ |
| Affiliate Program | No | No |
| Authentication | ✗ | ✓ |
| Auto Scaling | ✓ | ✗ |
| Database Branching | ✓ | ✗ |
| Edge Functions | ✗ | ✓ |
| Insights | ✓ | ✗ |
| Postgres Database | ✗ | ✓ |
| Read Replicas | ✓ | ✗ |
| Realtime | ✗ | ✓ |
| Schema Changes | ✓ | ✗ |
| Storage | ✗ | ✓ |
| Vector Embeddings | ✗ | ✓ |
| Vitess | ✓ | ✗ |
Pricing: PlanetScale vs Supabase
PlanetScale Pricing
Usage Based
$[object Object]
Billed monthly
PlanetScale uses usage-based pricing where you pay for what you consume. Plans start at $39/month.
Supabase Pricing
Freemium
$[object Object]
Free tier available
Billed monthly
Supabase offers a freemium pricing model starting at $25/month. A free tier is available with limited features.
Pros and Cons
PlanetScale Pros
- Database branching is genuinely transformative for schema work
- Non-blocking schema changes via Vitess
- Automatic horizontal sharding for massive scale
- Tight Prisma and Drizzle ORM integration
- Battle-tested at YouTube and Slack scale
PlanetScale Cons
- No free tier since 2024 - $39/month minimum
- MySQL only - no Postgres support
- Lacks foreign key constraints (Vitess limitation)
- Some advanced features require custom Vitess knowledge
Supabase Pros
- Real Postgres with full SQL, joins, and extensions
- Auth, Realtime, Storage, and Functions in one platform
- Open source - self-host the entire stack
- Generous free tier supports real production projects
- Best-in-class AI/vector embedding support via pgvector
Supabase Cons
- Cold starts on free-tier projects after inactivity
- Edge Functions runtime is Deno-only
- Self-hosting Realtime and Studio requires effort
- Pricing scales with compute, storage, and egress
Who Should Choose Which?
Choose PlanetScale if...
Best for: PlanetScale is best for production SaaS companies running MySQL at scale who value branching and non-blocking schema changes. Teams expecting to shard horizontally benefit most.
- You need Database Management
- You need Schema Migrations
- You need High Availability
- You need Scaling
Ideal for: smb, mid-market, enterprise
Industries: technology, saas
Choose Supabase if...
Best for: Supabase is best for indie hackers, AI-native startups, and SaaS founders who want a Postgres backend with auth and realtime out of the box. Teams building RAG and vector-search features benefit most.
- You need Backend Development
- You need Authentication
- You need Real Time Apps
- You need Ai Applications
Ideal for: individual, smb, mid-market
Industries: technology, saas
Platform Availability
PlanetScale
Web-based application accessible via any browser. No dedicated desktop or mobile apps are currently offered.
Supabase
Web-based application accessible via any browser. No dedicated desktop or mobile apps are currently offered.