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Database & Data Management · head to head

Firebase Realtime Database vs PlanetScale

Firebase Realtime Database logo

Firebase Realtime Database

Database & Data Management

Store and sync data in real-time across all clients

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 Firebase Realtime Database has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Firebase Realtime Database the no-cost Spark plan caps storage at 1 GB, downloads at 10 GB per month and simultaneous connections at 100; PlanetScale eBS High Availability requires 3-node configuration with replication overhead
  • They diverge on capability: Firebase Realtime Database covers Real-time Sync, PlanetScale covers Database Branching.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Firebase Realtime Database and PlanetScale actually diverge.

Attributes where Firebase Realtime Database and PlanetScale differ
AttributeFirebase Realtime DatabasePlanetScale
Starting priceFree$15/month
Pricing modelfreemiumsubscription
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, Ios, AndroidCloud-hosted (AWS, GCP, Azure)
Founded20112018

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 Firebase Realtime Database

  • Real-time Sync
  • Offline Support
  • JSON Storage
  • Security Rules
  • Data Validation
  • Multi-platform SDKs
  • Scalable
  • Firebase Auth

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.

Firebase Realtime Database

  • Syncing JSON application state between clients in real timenot PlanetScale
  • Backing mobile and web apps with offline capable data storagenot PlanetScale
  • Prototyping realtime features such as presence and chatnot PlanetScale

PlanetScale

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

Where each one falls short

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

Firebase Realtime Database

  • The no-cost Spark plan caps storage at 1 GB, downloads at 10 GB per month and simultaneous connections at 100
  • The Spark plan does not support multiple databases in a project
  • Even on the paid Blaze plan simultaneous connections are capped at 200,000 per database
  • Billing is by data transferred out at $1 per GB plus $5 per GB stored, so chatty clients cost more than the data volume suggests

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

Firebase Realtime Database

Free
  • SparkFree
    • 1GB storage
    • 10GB/month download
    • 100 simultaneous connections
  • BlazeFree
    • Pay as you go
    • Unlimited storage
    • Unlimited connections

PlanetScale

$15/month

No published plan breakdown. See the PlanetScale review.

Which should you pick?

Choose Firebase Realtime Database if

  • You need real-time sync.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want offline support.
Firebase Realtime Database 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 Firebase Realtime Database or PlanetScale better?
Neither clearly leads. Firebase Realtime Database 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, Firebase Realtime Database or PlanetScale?
Firebase Realtime Database has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Firebase Realtime Database and $15/month for PlanetScale.
Does Firebase Realtime Database or PlanetScale run on more platforms?
Firebase Realtime Database runs on Web, Ios, Android. PlanetScale runs on Cloud-hosted (AWS, GCP, Azure).
Can I use Firebase Realtime Database for free?
Yes. Firebase Realtime Database has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. PlanetScale starts at $15/month.
What is Firebase Realtime Database best used for?
Firebase Realtime Database is most often used for syncing json application state between clients in real time, backing mobile and web apps with offline capable data storage, prototyping realtime features such as presence and chat. Of those, syncing json application state between clients in real time and backing mobile and web apps with offline capable data storage are not what PlanetScale is typically brought in for.
What can Firebase Realtime Database do that PlanetScale cannot?
Firebase Realtime Database covers Real-time Sync, Offline Support, JSON Storage, Security Rules. PlanetScale covers Database Branching, Non-blocking Schema Changes, Insights, Horizontal Scaling. Both handle Web support.
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