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HR & Recruiting · head to head

15Five vs PlanetScale

15Five logo

15Five

HR & Recruiting

Performance management that drives results

From
$4/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
PlanetScale logo

PlanetScale

Database & Data Management

The MySQL-compatible serverless database

From
$15/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: 15Five split across three tiers, so performance reviews, OKRs and 360 feedback need Perform at $11 per user per month rather than the $4 Engage tier; PlanetScale eBS High Availability requires 3-node configuration with replication overhead
  • They diverge on capability: 15Five covers Weekly check-ins, PlanetScale covers Database Branching.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which 15Five and PlanetScale actually diverge.

Attributes where 15Five and PlanetScale differ
Attribute15FivePlanetScale
Starting price$4/month$15/month
PlatformsWeb, Ios, Android, ApiCloud-hosted (AWS, GCP, Azure)
CategoryHR & RecruitingDatabase & Data Management
Founded20112018

Identical on both: pricing model (subscription), free tier (No), user rating (Not yet rated).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in 15Five

  • Weekly check-ins
  • 1-on-1 meetings
  • OKRs & goal tracking
  • Performance reviews
  • High fives recognition
  • Engagement surveys
  • Pulse surveys
  • Manager effectiveness

Only in PlanetScale

  • Database Branching
  • Non-blocking Schema Changes
  • Insights
  • Horizontal Scaling
  • Connection Pooling
  • Query Caching
  • Automatic Backups
  • Global Replication

Both cover

  • GDPR

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

15Five

  • Running engagement surveys with heat maps and benchmarkingnot PlanetScale
  • Performance reviews and continuous feedback cyclesnot PlanetScale
  • Setting and tracking OKRsnot PlanetScale
  • 360 degree feedback and talent matrix reviewsnot PlanetScale
  • Compensation review cycles as a paid add-onnot PlanetScale

PlanetScale

  • MySQL database hosting with automatic failover and replicationnot 15Five
  • Vitess-based sharding for horizontal scaling across large datasetsnot 15Five
  • Cloud provider flexibility across AWS, GCP, Azure with 60+ regionsnot 15Five
  • Cost-effective database clusters using ARM64 architecture optionsnot 15Five

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

15Five

  • Split across three tiers, so performance reviews, OKRs and 360 feedback need Perform at $11 per user per month rather than the $4 Engage tier
  • Manager training microlearnings are only in Total Platform at $16 per user per month
  • Compensation is a paid add-on at $9 per user per month, rising to $11 with benchmarking
  • The Kona meeting assistant is a further $2 per employee per month and Kona Coach $19 per manager per month
  • Advertised prices are the annual rates

PlanetScale

  • EBS High Availability requires 3-node configuration with replication overhead
  • EBS Non-HA single-node option lacks redundancy and automatic failover
  • Pricing varies by cloud provider and region, requiring queries for specific rates
  • ARM64 architecture only available on EBS tier, not Metal deployments

Pricing, plan by plan

15Five

$4/month
  • Engage$4/month
    • Engagement surveys
    • Pulse surveys
    • Action planning
  • Perform$10/month
    • Weekly check-ins
    • 1-on-1s
    • Performance reviews
  • Total Platform$16/month
    • Everything in Engage & Perform
    • Career paths
    • Competencies

PlanetScale

$15/month

No published plan breakdown. See the PlanetScale review.

Which should you pick?

Choose 15Five if

  • You need weekly check-ins.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android, Api.
  • You also want 1-on-1 meetings.
15Five review

Choose PlanetScale if

  • You need database branching.
  • You work on Cloud-hosted (AWS, GCP, Azure).
  • You also want non-blocking schema changes.
PlanetScale review

Questions people ask

Is 15Five or PlanetScale better?
Neither clearly leads. 15Five starts at $4/month and PlanetScale at $15/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, 15Five or PlanetScale?
15Five starts at $4/month and PlanetScale at $15/month.
Does 15Five or PlanetScale run on more platforms?
15Five runs on Web, Ios, Android, Api. PlanetScale runs on Cloud-hosted (AWS, GCP, Azure).
What is 15Five best used for?
15Five is most often used for running engagement surveys with heat maps and benchmarking, performance reviews and continuous feedback cycles, setting and tracking okrs, 360 degree feedback and talent matrix reviews. Of those, running engagement surveys with heat maps and benchmarking and performance reviews and continuous feedback cycles are not what PlanetScale is typically brought in for.
What can 15Five do that PlanetScale cannot?
15Five covers Weekly check-ins, 1-on-1 meetings, OKRs & goal tracking, Performance reviews. PlanetScale covers Database Branching, Non-blocking Schema Changes, Insights, Horizontal Scaling. Both handle GDPR.
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