PlanetScale
PaidCloud relational database platform for Vitess, MySQL, and Postgres built for horizontal scale.
PlanetScale vs Supabase
Objective factual benchmark between two leading platforms to identify optimal fit based on scale and architecture.
custom pricing
Supabase
FreemiumOpen source Firebase alternative providing a full Postgres database, authentication, and instant APIs.
Technical Verdict & Decision Factors
PlanetScale leverages Vitess and MySQL for horizontal scalability and zero-downtime online schema changes, whereas Supabase provides a PostgreSQL-based experience with automatic APIs, authentication, and native extensions.
Scale-ups & Agile Teams
Choose PlanetScale if
Ideal for high-scale MySQL architectures requiring continuous zero-downtime schema changes and automated sharding.
Get started with PlanetScale (opens in a new tab)Enterprise & Compliance
Choose Supabase if
Optimal for teams seeking a Firebase alternative based on PostgreSQL with built-in authentication and accelerated development.
Get started with Supabase (opens in a new tab)Key Differentiators
- Horizontal scalability via Vitess sharding versus native PostgreSQL
- Zero-downtime online schema changes
- Automatically generated REST and realtime APIs
- Native vector support and PostgreSQL extensions
PlanetScale7.2/10
Supabase7.2/10
PlanetScale8.9/10
Supabase8.9/10
PlanetScale4.2/10
Supabase5.3/10
Side-by-Side Feature Comparison
| Datasheet | PlanetScalePaid | SupabaseFreemium |
|---|
Commercial Model & Pricing
| Base Price | Contact Sales | Free Tier |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing Model | Paid | Freemium |
| Score | ||
| Verified | VerifiedVerified tool: Audited technical attributes | VerifiedVerified tool: Audited technical attributes |
Core Features Matrix
| Specific Capabilities for Serverless & Cloud Databases | ||
|---|---|---|
| Database Branching | Not available | Not available |
| Scale-to-Zero | Not available | Not available |
| Point-in-Time Recovery (PITR) | Not available | Compatible |
| Global Read Replicas | Compatible | Compatible |
| Vector Search / pgvector | Not available | Compatible |
| Automated Backups | Compatible | Compatible |
| Enterprise Architecture & Security (7 Universals) | ||
| REST & GraphQL API | Compatible | Compatible |
| SSO / SAML Authentication | Compatible | Compatible |
| Self-Hosted Option | Not available | Compatible |
| Full Data Export | Compatible | Compatible |
| Role-Based Access Control (RBAC) | Compatible | Compatible |
| Custom Domains & SSL | Not available | Compatible |
| Immutable Audit Logs | Compatible | Compatible |
Architecture & Verified Specs
| Compliance & Data Sovereignty | ||
|---|---|---|
| Audited Certifications | ||
| SSO (SAML) Availability | Enterprise plan only | Paid add-on |
| Legal Headquarters & Jurisdiction | US | US |
| Subject to US CLOUD Act | Subject (US Extraterritorial) | Subject (US Extraterritorial) |
| Data Residency | US, EU | US, EU |
| Open Source Telemetry & Code Sovereignty | ||
| GitHub Stars | Proprietary / Closed Source | 114.1k |
| Latest Commit / Vitality | Proprietary / Closed Source | Oct 27, 2026 |
| SPDX License | Proprietary / Closed Source | Apache-2.0 |
| Primary Language | Cloud / SaaS | TypeScript |
| Minimum RAM Required | Cloud Managed | Cloud Managed |
| Visit Website | Try PlanetScale (opens in a new tab) | Try Supabase (opens in a new tab) |
|---|
Last technical review:
Technical Scorecard ComparisonShow detailsHide details
Technical Scorecard Comparison
Technical Scorecard Comparison: PlanetScale vs Supabase
PlanetScale90/100
Supabase90/100
DX & Tech Documentation
Pricing Fairness+10 pts Supabase
Security & Governance+5 pts PlanetScale
Data Portability & Sovereignty+10 pts Supabase
Performance & Reliability+15 pts PlanetScale
Time to Value & Fit by Segment: PlanetScale vs Supabase
PlanetScale
Time-to-Value:< 1 hour (Immediate)
Curve:Moderate (Standard)
Near-instantaneous deployment with minimal technical friction.
Supabase
Time-to-Value:< 1 hour (Immediate)
Curve:Moderate (Standard)
Near-instantaneous deployment with minimal technical friction.
Segment Fit Comparison
Pricing & Licensing BreakdownShow detailsHide details
Pricing & Licensing Breakdown
Billing Clauses & SSO Tax: PlanetScale vs Supabase
PlanetScale
Enterprise-Only SSO
SAML/SSO locked strictly behind the highest custom corporate tier.
Free:No permanent free tier is currently offered.
- Costs scale with data transfer and IOPS usage, requiring careful cost projection for high-volume workloads.
Supabase
SSO as Paid Add-on
Available via independent surcharge without forcing a full Enterprise tier.
Free:Includes two free projects with limited database storage and monthly active users.
- Overage fees can accumulate unexpectedly if database size or egress limits are exceeded.
TCO & Savings CalculatorTCO 1-3YShow detailsHide details
TCO & Savings CalculatorTCO 1-3Y
Usage Billing PredictabilityWhat usage costs as you scaleShow detailsHide details
Usage Billing PredictabilityWhat usage costs as you scale
Bidirectional Migration Friction Index (MFI)Show detailsHide details
Bidirectional Migration Friction Index (MFI)
Bidirectional Migration Friction Index (MFI)
Migration friction: PlanetScale to Supabase
0/100
Agile transition with low operational risk and native export/API support.
Critical Factors Evaluated
Smooth path: native export support, ingestion API, and authentication parity.
Migration friction: Supabase to PlanetScale
15/100
Agile transition with low operational risk and native export/API support.
Critical Factors Evaluated
- +15 ptsTransition from a free or freemium model to a mandatory paid tier in PlanetScale.
Technical Transition Playbook: PlanetScale to SupabaseCLI Runbook4-stage execution protocol to switch dependencies with zero data loss and verifiable rollback.Show detailsHide details
Technical Transition Playbook: PlanetScale to SupabaseCLI Runbook
4-stage execution protocol to switch dependencies with zero data loss and verifiable rollback.Community Sentiment & Commercial TermsShow detailsHide details
Community Sentiment & Commercial Terms
Technical Reputation of PlanetScale
87/100 Technical Trust
Frequent Praises in Production
- Horizontal scalability via automated sharding with Vitess and Postgres.
- Execution of online schema changes without locking or downtime.
- High performance powered by NVMe drives and built-in connection pooling.
Reported Production Frictions
- No permanent free tier available for long-term experimentation.
- Moderate learning curve when dealing with distributed database patterns.
Technical Reputation of Supabase
87/100 Technical Trust
Frequent Praises in Production
- Full Postgres database access with complete SQL capabilities and extensions.
- Auto-generated instant REST and realtime APIs based directly on the schema.
- Open source architecture allowing complete self-hosting without lock-in.
Reported Production Frictions
- Operational complexity increases when scaling complex relational queries.
- Strict resource limits on the free tier require upgrading for production workloads.
Frequently Asked Questions: PlanetScale vs Supabase
What are the key differences between PlanetScale and Supabase?
PlanetScale leverages Vitess and MySQL for horizontal scalability and zero-downtime online schema changes, whereas Supabase provides a PostgreSQL-based experience with automatic APIs, authentication, and native extensions.
How do PlanetScale and Supabase pricing compare?
PlanetScale starts at 0/mo under paid tier, while Supabase starts at 0.00/mo with freemium billing.
When should you choose PlanetScale over Supabase?
If your priority is Cloud relational database platform for Vitess, MySQL, and Postgres built for horizontal scale., PlanetScale is the optimal choice; for Open source Firebase alternative providing a full Postgres database, authentication, and instant APIs., Supabase provides superior benefits.