PlanetScale vs Neon: MySQL vs PostgreSQL Serverless
PlanetScale provides serverless MySQL with Vitess. Neon provides serverless PostgreSQL with branching. The choice depends on which database engine you prefer or need.
Last updated: 2026-03
In This Comparison
300%+ average ROI from custom software within three years of deployment
Source: Forrester 2024
3-10x faster development speed when using AI coding assistants
Source: McKinsey 2025
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Category | Neon | PlanetScale |
|---|---|---|
| Engine | PostgreSQL | MySQL (Vitess) |
| Pricing | $19/mo | $39/mo |
| Branching | Database branching | Schema branching |
| Best For | PostgreSQL projects | MySQL at scale |
| Scaling | Autoscaling | Horizontal (Vitess) |
Neon
- Engine
- PostgreSQL
- Pricing
- $19/mo
- Branching
- Database branching
- Best For
- PostgreSQL projects
- Scaling
- Autoscaling
PlanetScale
- Engine
- MySQL (Vitess)
- Pricing
- $39/mo
- Branching
- Schema branching
- Best For
- MySQL at scale
- Scaling
- Horizontal (Vitess)
Winner by Category
Best Value
NeonLower starting price at $19/mo vs $39/mo
Best for Mysql
PlanetScaleBest serverless MySQL with proven Vitess scaling
Best for Postgres
NeonBest serverless PostgreSQL with branching
Our Recommendation
Choose Neon for PostgreSQL projects. Pick PlanetScale for MySQL projects needing horizontal scaling.
“The best tool depends on what you are building and how you work. There is no universal winner. Pick the one that fits your workflow and budget, then ship something.”
When to Choose Each Tool
Choose Neon
Want serverless PostgreSQL with branching
Choose PlanetScale
Need serverless MySQL with horizontal scaling
Overview
PlanetScale and Neon are both serverless database providers with branching features, but they use different database engines. PlanetScale provides MySQL powered by Vitess for horizontal scaling. Neon provides PostgreSQL with autoscaling and instant database branching. Both are excellent; the choice often comes down to whether you need MySQL or PostgreSQL.
Branching Compared
Both offer branching but differently. PlanetScale branches the schema, allowing safe schema migrations. Neon branches the entire database including data, creating instant copies for development and testing. Neon's data branching is more useful for development workflows; PlanetScale's schema branching is more focused on safe deployments.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is more popular?
Both are popular. PlanetScale is well-known in the MySQL community. Neon is popular in the PostgreSQL and Next.js ecosystems.
Can I migrate between them?
MySQL to PostgreSQL migration (or vice versa) is non-trivial. They use different SQL dialects and features.
Which has better free tier?
Neon's free tier is more generous with 0.5GB storage and a compute endpoint. PlanetScale's free tier is limited.
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