Head-to-Head
Supabase vs PlanetScale (2026)
Supabase
Freemium★ 4.8
Best for: postgres-backed app backend, user authentication and row-level security
PlanetScale
Paid★ 4.6
Best for: serverless mysql hosting, schema migration workflow
Supabase is a full Firebase alternative: PostgreSQL database plus auth, storage, edge functions, and real-time subscriptions in one platform. PlanetScale is a MySQL database focused on one thing - massive horizontal scale with git-style schema branching. For greenfield projects that need a complete backend, Supabase ships faster. For teams scaling a MySQL application to hundreds of millions of rows, PlanetScale is purpose-built. PlanetScale has paused its free tier as of 2024 so evaluate pricing carefully.
Feature Comparison
Full-stack Features
Supabase includes auth, storage, edge functions, and real-time out of the box. PlanetScale is database-only - all other backend services are your responsibility.
Horizontal Scale
PlanetScale is built on Vitess - the same technology that powers YouTube and GitHub. It handles trillions of rows with zero downtime schema changes. Supabase scales well but not at the same magnitude.
Schema Branching and Deployment
PlanetScale schema branching is git-like - create a branch, test migrations, deploy without locking. Supabase migrations are manual via SQL files.
Auth and Storage Built-in
Supabase Auth handles email, OAuth, and phone login out of the box with row-level security. PlanetScale has no auth layer.
Free Tier
Supabase free tier includes 500MB database, 1GB storage, and 50MB edge functions. PlanetScale removed its free tier in early 2024 - starter is now $39/mo.
Developer Experience
Both have excellent CLI tools and dashboards. Supabase DX is praised for getting from idea to deployed backend in under an hour.
Postgres vs MySQL
Supabase uses PostgreSQL which supports JSON, arrays, full-text search, and extensions natively. PlanetScale MySQL is excellent but Postgres has broader extension support.
Verdict
Supabase wins this comparison with a total score of 30/35.
Try Supabase - editor's pick →Bottom Line
Supabase gives you a full backend - PostgreSQL plus auth, file storage, edge functions, and real-time - in a single platform that most developers can ship with in under an hour. PlanetScale is a purpose-built MySQL database designed to scale horizontally to billions of rows with git-style schema branching that eliminates migration risk. For new projects, Supabase is the better starting point. For teams scaling an existing MySQL application or needing PlanetScale schema workflow, the choice is clear. Note: PlanetScale removed its free tier in 2024 - factor that into cost planning.
Pick Supabase
You are starting a new project and want to avoid building auth, storage, and API layers from scratch. Supabase open source stack is a full Firebase replacement on PostgreSQL - you get row-level security, real-time subscriptions, and auto-generated REST and GraphQL APIs out of the box. The free tier is generous and the DX is excellent.
Try Supabase →Pick PlanetScale
You are running or building a MySQL application that needs to scale past what a single Postgres instance can handle, or your team deploys schema changes frequently and wants the safety of database branching. PlanetScale schema branching - create a branch, test migrations in isolation, merge without locking production - is genuinely superior to manual migration scripts.
Try PlanetScale →Frequently asked
Is PlanetScale still free?
No. PlanetScale removed its Hobby free tier in March 2024. The lowest paid plan is Scaler at $39/mo. Supabase still offers a free tier with 500MB database storage, 1GB file storage, and 50MB edge function deployments. For projects on a tight budget, Supabase free tier is significantly more accessible.
Can I use Supabase with MySQL?
No. Supabase is PostgreSQL-only. If your stack requires MySQL - legacy app, specific ORM requirements, or MySQL-specific features - PlanetScale is the better fit. If you have flexibility on database engine, PostgreSQL has broader extension support (PostGIS, pgvector, full-text search) that makes Supabase more capable as a backend platform.
Does PlanetScale have auth and storage?
No. PlanetScale is a database only - no auth, no file storage, no edge functions. You build the rest of your backend on top of it. Many PlanetScale users pair it with Auth0 or Clerk for auth and Cloudflare R2 or AWS S3 for storage. Supabase provides all of these in one platform, which simplifies architecture significantly for most projects.
Which is better for Next.js projects?
Both have excellent Next.js integrations. Supabase has an official Next.js client library and starter template with server-side Auth helpers that work well in the App Router. PlanetScale works with any MySQL ORM - Prisma, Drizzle, and Kysely all have PlanetScale support. For a Next.js project starting from scratch with no database preference, Supabase is faster to get to a working product.