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Software · head to head

Cockroach Labs vs PlanetScale

Cockroach Labs logo

Cockroach Labs

Software

The cloud-native distributed SQL database

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
PlanetScale logo

PlanetScale

Software

The MySQL-compatible serverless database

From
$15/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Cockroach Labs has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Cockroach Labs basic and Standard tiers limited to AWS and GCP (select regions only); PlanetScale eBS High Availability requires 3-node configuration with replication overhead
  • They diverge on capability: Cockroach Labs covers Distributed SQL, PlanetScale covers Database Branching.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Cockroach Labs and PlanetScale actually diverge.

Attributes where Cockroach Labs and PlanetScale differ
AttributeCockroach LabsPlanetScale
Starting priceFree$15/month
Pricing modelfreemiumsubscription
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsAWS, GCP, AzureCloud-hosted (AWS, GCP, Azure)
Founded20152018

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 Cockroach Labs

  • Distributed SQL
  • Automatic Sharding
  • Multi-region Replication
  • Geo-partitioning
  • ACID Transactions
  • Survivability
  • PostgreSQL Compatibility
  • Kubernetes

Only in PlanetScale

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

Both cover

  • Horizontal Scaling
  • SOC2
  • Cloud deployment

What people use each for

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

Cockroach Labs

  • Distributed SQL database for scalable applicationsnot PlanetScale
  • Multi-region deployment and failovernot PlanetScale

PlanetScale

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

Where each one falls short

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

Cockroach Labs

  • Basic and Standard tiers limited to AWS and GCP (select regions only)
  • Azure support restricted to Advanced tier only
  • Basic tier limited to 50 million RUs and 10 GiB storage per month
  • Advanced tier starts at $0.60/hour for 4 vCPUs minimum
  • 3 TiB maximum storage on Basic and Standard tiers, 10 TiB per node on Advanced

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

Cockroach Labs

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Cockroach Labs review.

PlanetScale

$15/month

No published plan breakdown. See the PlanetScale review.

Which should you pick?

Choose Cockroach Labs if

  • You need distributed sql.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on AWS, GCP, Azure.
  • You also want automatic sharding.
Cockroach Labs 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 Cockroach Labs or PlanetScale better?
Neither clearly leads. Cockroach Labs 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, Cockroach Labs or PlanetScale?
Cockroach Labs has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Cockroach Labs and $15/month for PlanetScale.
Does Cockroach Labs or PlanetScale run on more platforms?
Cockroach Labs runs on AWS, GCP, Azure. PlanetScale runs on Cloud-hosted (AWS, GCP, Azure).
Can I use Cockroach Labs for free?
Yes. Cockroach Labs has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. PlanetScale starts at $15/month.
What is Cockroach Labs best used for?
Cockroach Labs is most often used for distributed sql database for scalable applications, multi-region deployment and failover. Of those, distributed sql database for scalable applications and multi-region deployment and failover are not what PlanetScale is typically brought in for.
What can Cockroach Labs do that PlanetScale cannot?
Cockroach Labs covers Distributed SQL, Automatic Sharding, Multi-region Replication, Geo-partitioning. PlanetScale covers Database Branching, Non-blocking Schema Changes, Insights, Connection Pooling. Both handle Horizontal Scaling, SOC2, Cloud deployment.
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