Which is cheaper, Appwrite or PlanetScale?

PlanetScale is 5.0x cheaper than Appwrite. Appwrite starts at $0/mo, PlanetScale starts at $5/mo.

Does Appwrite have a free tier?

Yes, Appwrite offers a free tier with monthlyActiveUsers: 75000, projects: 2, bandwidthGB: 5, storageGB: 2, executionsPerMonth: 750000.

Appwrite has moderate switching cost. PlanetScale has moderate switching cost. Both have similar switching complexity.

Database

Appwrite

Open-source backend-as-a-service platform with auth, databases, storage, and serverless functions

Switching Cost: moderate

PlanetScale

← More affordable

Managed MySQL-compatible and Postgres database platform with horizontal sharding via Vitess

Switching Cost: moderate

The cost difference is substantial — Appwrite runs about 5.0x what PlanetScale charges.

For experimentation and testing, Appwrite wins with its free tier option — something PlanetScale doesn't offer.

Cost modeling varies: hybrid drives Appwrite pricing, while PlanetScale uses flat-rate.

If budget is your primary constraint, PlanetScale is the clear winner with its more wallet-friendly pricing structure.

If budget is your primary constraint, PlanetScale is the clear winner with its more wallet-friendly pricing structure.

Price Difference

5.0x

PlanetScale is cheaper by $20/mo

Free Tier

Appwrite

Has a free tier option

Pricing Model

Different

Tools charge using different pricing philosophies