PlanetScale is the world's fastest cloud databases — Vitess-powered MySQL and Postgres with branching and online schema changes. If it doesn't fit your pricing, workflow, or feature needs, here are 2 alternatives worth comparing — including options with a free plan and open-source picks.
Looking for the original? See the full PlanetScale listing.
| Tool | Best for | Pricing | Free plan | Open source | vs PlanetScale |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Neon | Developers building on Vercel, Cloudflare, or other serverless platforms | Freemium · from $19/mo | Serverless Postgres with scale-to-zero and a real free tier — friendlier for side projects and variable load. | ||
| Indie developers and startups shipping fast | Freemium · from $25/mo | Bundles auth, storage, realtime, and APIs around Postgres with a generous free tier. |
Neon is the top-listed PlanetScale alternative on this page — serverless Postgres with scale-to-zero and a real free tier — friendlier for side projects and variable load. The right choice depends on your budget, workflow, and required integrations, so compare the table above before deciding.
Yes. Neon offers a free plan, with paid plans from $19/mo. Other listings may also include free tiers — check the Free plan column in the comparison table.
Yes. Neon is open source (source code available on GitHub), which makes it a good fit if you want self-hosting or full control.
Each alternative solves a similar core task and is an active listing in the directory. The one-line difference next to each tool summarizes how it diverges from PlanetScale in pricing, focus, or capability.
