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GoLand vs PlanetScale

GoLand logo

GoLand

Developer Tools

JetBrains IDE for developing applications in Go

From
$24/month
Free plan
No
Visit GoLandFull review
PlanetScale logo

PlanetScale

Databases

The MySQL-compatible serverless database

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Visit PlanetScaleFull review

The short version

  • PlanetScale is a MySQL-compatible serverless database platform.
  • PlanetScale has a free plan, then $15/mo; GoLand starts at $24/mo.
  • Only GoLand lists smart code completion; only PlanetScale lists non-blocking Schema Changes.
  • Where GoLand falls short: requires a paid subscription with no permanently free tier for commercial use.
  • Where PlanetScale falls short: pricing varies significantly across 17+ AWS and GCP regions.
  • Prices and features on this page were last checked on 13 November 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which GoLand and PlanetScale actually diverge.

Attributes where GoLand and PlanetScale differ
AttributeGoLandPlanetScale
Starting price$24/monthFree
Pricing modelSubscriptionUsage-based
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWindows, macOS, LinuxWeb
CategoryDeveloper ToolsDatabases
Founded20002018

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 GoLand

  • Smart code completion
  • Integrated debugger
  • Refactoring tools
  • Version control integration
  • Docker and Kubernetes support
  • Built-in terminal and database tools

Only in PlanetScale

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

What people use each for

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

GoLand

  • Developing Go microservices and backend systemsnot PlanetScale
  • Debugging and profiling Go applicationsnot PlanetScale
  • Working with Docker and Kubernetes deploymentsnot PlanetScale
  • Refactoring large Go codebasesnot PlanetScale

PlanetScale

  • MySQL-compatible applications requiring horizontal scalingnot GoLand
  • PostgreSQL deployments with custom cluster configurationsnot GoLand
  • Multi-region database deployments on AWS or GCPnot GoLand
  • Applications requiring transparent sharding via Vitessnot GoLand

Where each one falls short

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

GoLand

  • Requires a paid subscription with no permanently free tier for commercial use
  • Heavier resource usage than lightweight text editors like Vim or Sublime Text
  • Primarily optimized for Go, so multi-language teams may prefer a broader IDE like VS Code or IntelliJ Ultimate
  • License renewal pricing increases after the first year if a subscription lapses

PlanetScale

  • Pricing varies significantly across 17+ AWS and GCP regions
  • Additional costs for EBS storage beyond base tier, backup storage, and egress
  • Dedicated PgBouncer and replicas incur separate charges
  • Metal tier pricing increases sharply with larger configurations

Pricing, plan by plan

GoLand

$24/month
  • Individual$24/mo
    • Personal use license
    • Access to GoLand
    • Free for students and open-source maintainers
  • Organization$34/mo
    • Business use license
    • Access to GoLand
    • Volume and renewal discounts

PlanetScale

Free
  • Postgres EBS Single-Node (ARM64 PS-5)$5/mo
    • 512 MiB RAM
    • Single-node configuration
    • EBS storage included
  • Postgres EBS HA (ARM64 PS-5)$15/mo
    • 512 MiB RAM
    • 3-node high-availability setup
    • 1 primary + 2 replicas
  • Postgres Metal (M-10)$50/mo
    • 1/8 vCPU, 1 GiB RAM
    • 3-node HA configuration
    • 10 GiB NVMe storage included
  • Vitess Non-Metal 3-Node$39/mo
    • Sharding-capable database
    • x86-64 architecture
    • 3-node configuration

Which should you pick?

Choose GoLand if

  • You need smart code completion.
  • You work on Windows, macOS, Linux.
  • You also want integrated debugger.
GoLand review

Choose PlanetScale if

  • You need database branching.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want non-blocking schema changes.
PlanetScale review

Questions people ask

Is GoLand or PlanetScale better?
Neither clearly leads. GoLand starts at $24/month and PlanetScale at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, GoLand or PlanetScale?
PlanetScale has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $24/month for GoLand and Free for PlanetScale.
Does GoLand or PlanetScale run on more platforms?
GoLand runs on Windows, macOS, Linux. PlanetScale runs on Web.
Can I use PlanetScale for free?
Yes. PlanetScale has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. GoLand starts at $24/month.
What is GoLand best used for?
GoLand is most often used for developing go microservices and backend systems, debugging and profiling go applications, working with docker and kubernetes deployments, refactoring large go codebases. Of those, developing go microservices and backend systems and debugging and profiling go applications are not what PlanetScale is typically brought in for.
What can GoLand do that PlanetScale cannot?
GoLand covers Smart code completion, Integrated debugger, Refactoring tools, Version control integration. PlanetScale covers Database Branching, Non-blocking Schema Changes, Insights, Horizontal Scaling.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

GoLand: How much does GoLand cost?

GoLand is sold as a JetBrains Toolbox subscription starting around $24/month for individuals and $34/month for organizations, with discounts for longer commitments and free licenses for students and open-source maintainers.

Source
PlanetScale: How much does a PlanetScale Postgres database cost per month?

PlanetScale Postgres pricing starts at $5/month for single-node ARM64 configurations with 512 MiB RAM and $15/month for the same specs in high-availability mode with 1 primary and 2 replicas. Metal tier starts at $50/month for M-10 configuration (1/8 vCPU, 1 GiB RAM). Exact pricing depends on cluster size, node architecture (ARM64 vs x86-64), storage configuration, and selected AWS/GCP region.

Source
GoLand: Is there a free trial?

JetBrains offers a free trial period for GoLand before requiring purchase of a Toolbox subscription license.

Source
PlanetScale: Is there a free tier for PlanetScale?

PlanetScale offers a free tier for development and testing workloads. After free tier limits are reached, usage-based pricing applies starting at $5/month for the smallest Postgres single-node configuration, with costs scaling based on cluster size, compute, storage, and additional features like dedicated PgBouncer or replicas.

Source
GoLand: What platforms does GoLand run on?

GoLand runs on Windows, macOS, and Linux as a desktop application distributed through JetBrains Toolbox.

Source
PlanetScale: What is the difference between PlanetScale ARM64 and x86-64 pricing?

ARM64 instances cost significantly less than x86-64 equivalents. For example, a Postgres EBS HA cluster with 512 MiB RAM costs $15/month on ARM64 but $39/month on x86-64. This pricing difference extends across all cluster sizes, with larger x86-64 configurations reaching up to $5,599/month compared to ARM64 alternatives.

Source
PlanetScale: What is included in a PlanetScale cluster price versus additional costs?

The advertised cluster price covers the base compute and configured storage. Additional charges apply for EBS storage beyond the base allocation, backup storage, data egress, optional dedicated PgBouncer connections, and replicas beyond the base high-availability configuration. Regional pricing varies across 17+ AWS and GCP zones.

Source
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