PlanetScale vs Supabase

Both PlanetScale and Supabase share a freemium pricing model, offer a free tier, and provide serverless Postgres capabilities. The fundamental difference between PlanetScale and Supabase lies in their scope: PlanetScale is a specialized serverless database, while Supabase is a full Backend-as-a-Service (BaaS). PlanetScale focuses on delivering a highly scalable MySQL or Postgres database, offering a lower entry point for paid plans at $5/month for a Postgres node and usage-based pricing for storage and egress. It operates as a closed-source service without self-hosting options, making it a strong choice for developers who need a robust database solution without the complexities of managing an entire backend stack. Supabase, conversely, provides a comprehensive open-source BaaS that bundles authentication, a Postgres database, and storage into a single platform. Its open-source nature allows for self-hosting, appealing to teams that require full control over their infrastructure. With significantly higher community adoption, evidenced by its 18 million weekly npm downloads and over 100,000 GitHub stars, Supabase is built for developers looking to rapidly build full applications with an integrated, extensible backend. Developers who need a full BaaS — auth, storage, and database in one — should pick Supabase. PlanetScale is the right call when a specialized, scalable serverless MySQL or Postgres database is the primary requirement, especially for those seeking a lower monthly cost entry point.