Which is cheaper, Appwrite or PlanetScale Vitess?

Appwrite is 1.6x cheaper than PlanetScale Vitess. Appwrite starts at $0/mo, PlanetScale Vitess starts at $39/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 Vitess has moderate switching cost. Both have similar switching complexity.

Database

Appwrite

← More affordable

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

Switching Cost: moderate

MySQL-compatible distributed database with horizontal sharding via Vitess

Switching Cost: moderate

The cost difference is substantial — PlanetScale Vitess runs about 1.6x what Appwrite charges.

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

Cost modeling varies: hybrid drives Appwrite pricing, while PlanetScale Vitess uses usage-based.

Appwrite stands out for teams needing a free tier — zero upfront costs for prototyping and testing is a genuine advantage.

Appwrite stands out for teams needing a free tier — zero upfront costs for prototyping and testing is a genuine advantage.

Price Difference

1.6x

Appwrite is cheaper by $14/mo

Free Tier

Appwrite

Has a free tier option

Pricing Model

Different

Tools charge using different pricing philosophies