Softwr

Communication & Collaboration · head to head

Flock vs PlanetScale

Flock logo

Flock

Communication & Collaboration

Organized team communication platform

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 Flock has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Flock the Starter plan only makes the most recent 10,000 messages searchable and caps public channels at 10; PlanetScale eBS High Availability requires 3-node configuration with replication overhead
  • They diverge on capability: Flock covers Team chat, PlanetScale covers Database Branching.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Flock and PlanetScale actually diverge.

Attributes where Flock and PlanetScale differ
AttributeFlockPlanetScale
Starting priceFree$15/month
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, Windows, Macos, Ios, AndroidCloud-hosted (AWS, GCP, Azure)
CategoryCommunication & CollaborationDatabase & Data Management
Founded20142018

Identical on both: pricing model (subscription), 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 Flock

  • Team chat
  • Channels
  • Threads
  • File sharing
  • Polls
  • Integrations
  • Mobile apps
  • Slack

Only in PlanetScale

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

Both cover

  • GDPR
  • SOC2
  • Cloud deployment
  • Web support

What people use each for

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

Flock

  • Team messaging with channels, direct messages and file sharingnot PlanetScale
  • Running polls, to-dos and reminders inside a chat workspacenot PlanetScale
  • Video conferencing and screen sharing for small teamsnot PlanetScale

PlanetScale

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

Where each one falls short

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

Flock

  • The Starter plan only makes the most recent 10,000 messages searchable and caps public channels at 10
  • Starter storage is 5 GB for the entire team, against 10 GB per member on Pro and 20 GB per member on Enterprise
  • Starter allows a single team admin and a single approved domain
  • Group video calls and screen sharing require the Pro plan; Starter is limited to 1-1 video calls
  • Group video calls are capped at 20 participants even on Enterprise
  • Single Sign-On and Active Directory sync are Enterprise only
  • Enterprise is quote only, with no published rate, and is positioned for organisations with 100 or more members
  • Unlimited auto-join and announcement channels require Enterprise; Starter and Pro get one of each

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

Flock

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Unlimited chats
    • Channels
    • File sharing
  • Pro$5/month
    • Everything in Free
    • Advanced search
    • API access

PlanetScale

$15/month

No published plan breakdown. See the PlanetScale review.

Which should you pick?

Choose Flock if

  • You need team chat.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Windows, Macos, Ios, Android.
  • You also want channels.
Flock 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 Flock or PlanetScale better?
Neither clearly leads. Flock 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, Flock or PlanetScale?
Flock has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Flock and $15/month for PlanetScale.
Does Flock or PlanetScale run on more platforms?
Flock runs on Web, Windows, Macos, Ios, Android. PlanetScale runs on Cloud-hosted (AWS, GCP, Azure).
Can I use Flock for free?
Yes. Flock has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. PlanetScale starts at $15/month.
What is Flock best used for?
Flock is most often used for team messaging with channels, direct messages and file sharing, running polls, to-dos and reminders inside a chat workspace, video conferencing and screen sharing for small teams. Of those, team messaging with channels, direct messages and file sharing and running polls, to-dos and reminders inside a chat workspace are not what PlanetScale is typically brought in for.
What can Flock do that PlanetScale cannot?
Flock covers Team chat, Channels, Threads, File sharing. PlanetScale covers Database Branching, Non-blocking Schema Changes, Insights, Horizontal Scaling. Both handle GDPR, SOC2, Cloud deployment, Web support.
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Related pages

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