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Database & Data Management · head to head

Aiven vs PlanetScale

Aiven logo

Aiven

Database & Data Management

Fully managed open source data infrastructure cloud

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
PlanetScale logo

PlanetScale

Database & Data Management

The MySQL-compatible serverless database

From
$15/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Aiven has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Aiven the free plan gives 1 VM with 1 CPU, 1 GB RAM and 1 GB storage, and cannot pick a specific cloud or region; PlanetScale eBS High Availability requires 3-node configuration with replication overhead
  • They diverge on capability: Aiven covers Multi-cloud Support, PlanetScale covers Database Branching.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Aiven and PlanetScale actually diverge.

Attributes where Aiven and PlanetScale differ
AttributeAivenPlanetScale
Starting priceFree$15/month
Pricing modelusage-basedsubscription
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, Aws, Azure, Gcp, DoCloud-hosted (AWS, GCP, Azure)
Founded20162018

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Database & Data Management).

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 Aiven

  • Multi-cloud Support
  • Automated Backups
  • Seamless Upgrades
  • VPC Peering
  • End-to-end Encryption
  • Compliance
  • Observability
  • PostgreSQL

Only in PlanetScale

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

Both cover

  • Web support

What people use each for

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

Aiven

  • Running managed open source databases without operating themnot PlanetScale
  • Multi-cloud deployment across AWS, Google Cloud, Azure, DigitalOcean, OVH and UpCloudnot PlanetScale
  • Highly available data services with automatic failovernot PlanetScale
  • Prototyping on a small free instance before scaling upnot PlanetScale

PlanetScale

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

Where each one falls short

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

Aiven

  • The free plan gives 1 VM with 1 CPU, 1 GB RAM and 1 GB storage, and cannot pick a specific cloud or region
  • Free and Developer tiers have no integrations and no connection pooling
  • Connection pooling, database forks and dynamic disk sizing need the Business or Premium plan
  • A 99.99 percent uptime SLA starts at the Startup plan from $75 a month
  • High availability with automatic failover starts at Business from $180 a month

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

Aiven

Free
  • Free TrialFree
    • $300 credits
    • 30 day trial
    • All services
  • Startup$19/month
    • Single node
    • Basic support
    • Daily backups

PlanetScale

$15/month

No published plan breakdown. See the PlanetScale review.

Which should you pick?

Choose Aiven if

  • You need multi-cloud support.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Aws, Azure, Gcp, Do.
  • You also want automated backups.
Aiven 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 Aiven or PlanetScale better?
Neither clearly leads. Aiven starts at Free and PlanetScale at $15/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Aiven or PlanetScale?
Aiven has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Aiven and $15/month for PlanetScale.
Does Aiven or PlanetScale run on more platforms?
Aiven runs on Web, Aws, Azure, Gcp, Do. PlanetScale runs on Cloud-hosted (AWS, GCP, Azure).
Can I use Aiven for free?
Yes. Aiven has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. PlanetScale starts at $15/month.
What is Aiven best used for?
Aiven is most often used for running managed open source databases without operating them, multi-cloud deployment across aws, google cloud, azure, digitalocean, ovh and upcloud, highly available data services with automatic failover, prototyping on a small free instance before scaling up. Of those, running managed open source databases without operating them and multi-cloud deployment across aws, google cloud, azure, digitalocean, ovh and upcloud are not what PlanetScale is typically brought in for.
What can Aiven do that PlanetScale cannot?
Aiven covers Multi-cloud Support, Automated Backups, Seamless Upgrades, VPC Peering. PlanetScale covers Database Branching, Non-blocking Schema Changes, Insights, Horizontal Scaling. Both handle Web support.
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