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Software · head to head

GitHub vs PlanetScale

GitHub logo

GitHub

Software

Where the world builds software

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
PlanetScale logo

PlanetScale

Software

The MySQL-compatible serverless database

From
$15/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only GitHub has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: GitHub acquired by Microsoft in 2018, reducing pure independence despite operational autonomy; PlanetScale eBS High Availability requires 3-node configuration with replication overhead
  • They diverge on capability: GitHub covers Git repositories, PlanetScale covers Database Branching.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which GitHub and PlanetScale actually diverge.

Attributes where GitHub and PlanetScale differ
AttributeGitHubPlanetScale
Starting priceFree$15/month
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, Desktop, MobileCloud-hosted (AWS, GCP, Azure)
Founded20082018

Identical on both: pricing model (subscription), 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 GitHub

  • Git repositories
  • Pull requests
  • Code review
  • Issues & projects
  • GitHub Actions CI/CD
  • GitHub Pages
  • Security scanning
  • Dependency management

Only in PlanetScale

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

Both cover

  • SOC2

What people use each for

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

GitHub

  • Version controlnot PlanetScale
  • Code collaborationnot PlanetScale
  • CI/CD pipelinesnot PlanetScale
  • Project managementnot PlanetScale
  • Documentation hostingnot PlanetScale

PlanetScale

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

Where each one falls short

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

GitHub

  • Acquired by Microsoft in 2018, reducing pure independence despite operational autonomy
  • Primary focus on source control differs from purpose-built project management tools like Jira
  • Pricing for enterprise features and private repositories adds up compared to some self-hosted alternatives

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

GitHub

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Unlimited public/private repos
    • 2,000 CI/CD minutes/month
    • 500MB package storage
  • Team$4/month
    • Everything in Free
    • 3,000 CI/CD minutes/month
    • 2GB package storage
  • Enterprise$21/month
    • Everything in Team
    • 50,000 CI/CD minutes/month
    • 50GB package storage

PlanetScale

$15/month

No published plan breakdown. See the PlanetScale review.

Which should you pick?

Choose GitHub if

  • You need git repositories.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Desktop, Mobile.
  • You also want pull requests.
GitHub 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 GitHub or PlanetScale better?
Neither clearly leads. GitHub 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, GitHub or PlanetScale?
GitHub has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for GitHub and $15/month for PlanetScale.
Does GitHub or PlanetScale run on more platforms?
GitHub runs on Web, Desktop, Mobile. PlanetScale runs on Cloud-hosted (AWS, GCP, Azure).
Can I use GitHub for free?
Yes. GitHub has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. PlanetScale starts at $15/month.
What is GitHub best used for?
GitHub is most often used for version control, code collaboration, ci/cd pipelines, project management. Of those, version control and code collaboration are not what PlanetScale is typically brought in for.
What can GitHub do that PlanetScale cannot?
GitHub covers Git repositories, Pull requests, Code review, Issues & projects. PlanetScale covers Database Branching, Non-blocking Schema Changes, Insights, Horizontal Scaling. Both handle SOC2.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

GitHub: What is a Git repository and how does GitHub use it?

A repository is the centralized database that stores the complete collection of files and folders for a codebase, along with the revision history. GitHub uses Git to provide distributed version control access to repositories with version tracking, branching, and collaboration features.

Source
GitHub: How does GitHub authentication work?

When you connect to a GitHub repository from Git, you need to authenticate with GitHub using either HTTPS or SSH. GitHub supports multiple authentication methods including passwords, personal access tokens, SSH keys, and GitHub Apps.

Source
GitHub: How long has GitHub been operating?

GitHub was founded in 2008 and launched publicly on April 10, 2008, making it the dominant git hosting platform for nearly two decades.

Source
GitHub: Who owns GitHub and when did the acquisition occur?

Microsoft acquired GitHub for $7.5 billion USD, with the deal announced June 4, 2018 and completed October 26, 2018. GitHub operates as an independent subsidiary within Microsoft.

Source
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