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Bugsnag vs PlanetScale

Bugsnag logo

Bugsnag

Software

Application Stability Monitoring

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
PlanetScale logo

PlanetScale

Software

The MySQL-compatible serverless database

From
$15/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Bugsnag has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Bugsnag owned by SmartBear rather than being independent; PlanetScale eBS High Availability requires 3-node configuration with replication overhead
  • They diverge on capability: Bugsnag covers Error tracking, PlanetScale covers Database Branching.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Bugsnag and PlanetScale actually diverge.

Attributes where Bugsnag and PlanetScale differ
AttributeBugsnagPlanetScale
Starting priceFree$15/month
Pricing modelusage-basedsubscription
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, ApiCloud-hosted (AWS, GCP, Azure)
Founded20122018

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).

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 Bugsnag

  • Error tracking
  • Crash reporting
  • Release tracking
  • Trend analysis
  • API
  • Webhooks
  • REST
  • Api support

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.

Bugsnag

  • Crash and error reporting for mobile and web applicationsnot PlanetScale
  • Stability scores per releasenot PlanetScale
  • Grouping errors by root cause across deploysnot PlanetScale
  • Alerting when a release regressesnot PlanetScale

PlanetScale

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

Where each one falls short

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

Bugsnag

  • Owned by SmartBear rather than being independent
  • The free tier covers 7,500 events a month
  • Paid tiers are usage-priced by event volume rather than by seat, so a noisy release raises the bill
  • Enterprise pricing is quote-only

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

Bugsnag

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Error tracking
    • Crash reporting
    • Release tracking

PlanetScale

$15/month

No published plan breakdown. See the PlanetScale review.

Which should you pick?

Choose Bugsnag if

  • You need error tracking.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Api.
  • You also want crash reporting.
Bugsnag 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 Bugsnag or PlanetScale better?
Neither clearly leads. Bugsnag 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, Bugsnag or PlanetScale?
Bugsnag has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Bugsnag and $15/month for PlanetScale.
Does Bugsnag or PlanetScale run on more platforms?
Bugsnag runs on Web, Api. PlanetScale runs on Cloud-hosted (AWS, GCP, Azure).
Can I use Bugsnag for free?
Yes. Bugsnag has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. PlanetScale starts at $15/month.
What is Bugsnag best used for?
Bugsnag is most often used for crash and error reporting for mobile and web applications, stability scores per release, grouping errors by root cause across deploys, alerting when a release regresses. Of those, crash and error reporting for mobile and web applications and stability scores per release are not what PlanetScale is typically brought in for.
What can Bugsnag do that PlanetScale cannot?
Bugsnag covers Error tracking, Crash reporting, Release tracking, Trend analysis. PlanetScale covers Database Branching, Non-blocking Schema Changes, Insights, Horizontal Scaling. Both handle Web support.
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