Which is cheaper, PlanetScale or Upstash?

PlanetScale is 2.0x cheaper than Upstash. PlanetScale starts at $5/mo, Upstash starts at $0/mo.

Does PlanetScale have a free tier?

No, PlanetScale does not have a free tier.

PlanetScale has moderate switching cost. Upstash has drop-in switching cost. Upstash is easier to switch away from.

Database

PlanetScale

← More affordable

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

Switching Cost: moderate

Upstash

Serverless Redis and Kafka with per-request pricing and global replication

Switching Cost: drop-in

Budget-wise, PlanetScale is clearly more affordable at roughly a 2.0x price difference.

Startups take note: Upstash provides a free tier, while PlanetScale requires payment from day one.

Pricing philosophy differs — PlanetScale charges flat-rate, but Upstash takes a usage-based approach.

Price-conscious teams should choose PlanetScale — the cost advantage is hard to ignore, especially for growing workloads.

Price-conscious teams should choose PlanetScale — the cost advantage is hard to ignore, especially for growing workloads.

Price Difference

2.0x

PlanetScale is cheaper by $5/mo

Free Tier

Upstash

Has a free tier option

Pricing Model

Different

Tools charge using different pricing philosophies

Switching Costs

Upstash

Lower switching costs for easier migration