Softwr

HR & Recruiting · head to head

HiBob vs PlanetScale

HiBob logo

HiBob

HR & Recruiting

Modern HR for modern businesses

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
PlanetScale logo

PlanetScale

Database & Data Management

The MySQL-compatible serverless database

From
$15/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: HiBob pricing not publicly displayed; requires contacting sales for custom quote; PlanetScale eBS High Availability requires 3-node configuration with replication overhead
  • They diverge on capability: HiBob covers Core HR, PlanetScale covers Database Branching.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which HiBob and PlanetScale actually diverge.

Attributes where HiBob and PlanetScale differ
AttributeHiBobPlanetScale
Starting priceOn request$15/month
PlatformsWeb, iOS, AndroidCloud-hosted (AWS, GCP, Azure)
CategoryHR & RecruitingDatabase & Data Management
Founded20152018

Identical on both: pricing model (subscription), free tier (No), 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 HiBob

  • Core HR
  • Onboarding
  • Time Off Management
  • Performance Management
  • Compensation
  • People Analytics
  • Engagement
  • Slack

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.

HiBob

  • Core HR system of record with automated workflowsnot PlanetScale
  • Performance management, learning and skills trackingnot PlanetScale
  • US and UK payroll, benefits and time trackingnot PlanetScale
  • Workforce planning and compensation review cyclesnot PlanetScale
  • Employee self-service for a distributed workforcenot PlanetScale

PlanetScale

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

Where each one falls short

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

HiBob

  • Pricing not publicly displayed; requires contacting sales for custom quote
  • Limited payroll functionality compared to dedicated payroll platforms
  • Smaller integration ecosystem compared to larger HR platforms

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

HiBob

On request
  • Bob$undefined/month
    • Core HR
    • Onboarding
    • Time Off

PlanetScale

$15/month

No published plan breakdown. See the PlanetScale review.

Which should you pick?

Choose HiBob if

  • You need core hr.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want onboarding.
HiBob 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 HiBob or PlanetScale better?
Neither clearly leads. HiBob starts at On request and PlanetScale at $15/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, HiBob or PlanetScale?
HiBob starts at On request and PlanetScale at $15/month.
Does HiBob or PlanetScale run on more platforms?
HiBob runs on Web, iOS, Android. PlanetScale runs on Cloud-hosted (AWS, GCP, Azure).
What is HiBob best used for?
HiBob is most often used for core hr system of record with automated workflows, performance management, learning and skills tracking, us and uk payroll, benefits and time tracking, workforce planning and compensation review cycles. Of those, core hr system of record with automated workflows and performance management, learning and skills tracking are not what PlanetScale is typically brought in for.
What can HiBob do that PlanetScale cannot?
HiBob covers Core HR, Onboarding, Time Off Management, Performance Management. PlanetScale covers Database Branching, Non-blocking Schema Changes, Insights, Horizontal Scaling. Both handle Web support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

HiBob: What modules does HiBob include?

HiBob includes Core HR, Time & Attendance, Performance & Goals, Compensation Management, Global Operations, and Analytics modules that can be selected based on organizational needs.

Source
HiBob: How is HiBob pricing calculated?

HiBob pricing is customized based on company size (1-49, 50-199, 200-999, or 1,000+ employees) and the specific modules selected. Pricing is on a per-employee basis.

Source
HiBob: Does HiBob offer a mobile app?

Yes, HiBob includes mobile app access as part of all plans, allowing employees to manage their HR tasks on the go.

Source
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Related pages

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