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Hetzner Cloud vs PlanetScale

Hetzner Cloud logo

Hetzner Cloud

Software

Affordable cloud servers in Europe

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
PlanetScale logo

PlanetScale

Software

The MySQL-compatible serverless database

From
$15/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Hetzner Cloud has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Hetzner Cloud cost-Optimized plans are shown as currently unavailable; PlanetScale eBS High Availability requires 3-node configuration with replication overhead
  • They diverge on capability: Hetzner Cloud covers Cloud servers, PlanetScale covers Database Branching.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Hetzner Cloud and PlanetScale actually diverge.

Attributes where Hetzner Cloud and PlanetScale differ
AttributeHetzner CloudPlanetScale
Starting priceFree$15/month
Pricing modelusage-basedsubscription
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, Api, CliCloud-hosted (AWS, GCP, Azure)
Founded19972018

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 Hetzner Cloud

  • Cloud servers
  • Block storage
  • Object storage
  • Load balancers
  • Networks
  • Firewalls
  • Floating IPs
  • Backups

Only in PlanetScale

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

Both cover

  • Cloud deployment
  • Web support

What people use each for

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

Hetzner Cloud

  • Low-cost virtual servers for development and testingnot PlanetScale
  • European hosting with data held in Germany or Finlandnot PlanetScale
  • Workloads with heavy egress, where included traffic mattersnot PlanetScale
  • Self-hosting applications away from the hyperscalersnot PlanetScale

PlanetScale

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

Where each one falls short

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

Hetzner Cloud

  • Cost-Optimized plans are shown as currently unavailable
  • The shared-resource tiers are positioned for variable usage and development rather than sustained production workloads
  • Regions are limited to Germany, Finland, the United States and Singapore, so latency to other markets is a real constraint
  • The uptime guarantee is 99.9 percent, below what the large hyperscalers offer on comparable services
  • Support is 24/7 by email, without a phone channel

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

Hetzner Cloud

Free
  • CX11$3.29/month
    • 1 vCPU
    • 1GB RAM
    • 25GB SSD
  • CX21$6.59/month
    • 2 vCPU
    • 4GB RAM
    • 40GB SSD

PlanetScale

$15/month

No published plan breakdown. See the PlanetScale review.

Which should you pick?

Choose Hetzner Cloud if

  • You need cloud servers.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Api, Cli.
  • You also want block storage.
Hetzner Cloud 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 Hetzner Cloud or PlanetScale better?
Neither clearly leads. Hetzner Cloud 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, Hetzner Cloud or PlanetScale?
Hetzner Cloud has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Hetzner Cloud and $15/month for PlanetScale.
Does Hetzner Cloud or PlanetScale run on more platforms?
Hetzner Cloud runs on Web, Api, Cli. PlanetScale runs on Cloud-hosted (AWS, GCP, Azure).
Can I use Hetzner Cloud for free?
Yes. Hetzner Cloud has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. PlanetScale starts at $15/month.
What is Hetzner Cloud best used for?
Hetzner Cloud is most often used for low-cost virtual servers for development and testing, european hosting with data held in germany or finland, workloads with heavy egress, where included traffic matters, self-hosting applications away from the hyperscalers. Of those, low-cost virtual servers for development and testing and european hosting with data held in germany or finland are not what PlanetScale is typically brought in for.
What can Hetzner Cloud do that PlanetScale cannot?
Hetzner Cloud covers Cloud servers, Block storage, Object storage, Load balancers. PlanetScale covers Database Branching, Non-blocking Schema Changes, Insights, Horizontal Scaling. Both handle Cloud deployment, Web support.
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