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Software · head to head

Neon vs Scaleway

Neon logo

Neon

Software

Serverless Postgres for modern developers

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Scaleway logo

Scaleway

Software

European cloud for developers

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Neon compute pricing at $0.106-$0.222/CU-hour means costs scale directly with workload, unlike fixed-price alternatives; Scaleway scaleway's entry-level cloud instances start at 4.99 EUR per month, and its consumption-based services (serverless jobs, IoT hub, container functions) bill by vCPU-second and GB-second beyond a fixed free-tier allowance per account per month, so costs scale with usage rather than a flat seat price.
  • They diverge on capability: Neon covers Serverless PostgreSQL, Scaleway covers Virtual Instances.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Neon and Scaleway actually diverge.

Attributes where Neon and Scaleway differ
AttributeNeonScaleway
Pricing modelUnknownusage-based
PlatformsCloudWeb, Api, Cli
Founded20211999

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), 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 Neon

  • Serverless PostgreSQL
  • Database Branching
  • Autoscaling
  • Bottomless Storage
  • Point-in-time Recovery
  • Connection Pooling
  • Read Replicas
  • Instant Cloning

Only in Scaleway

  • Virtual Instances
  • Bare Metal
  • Kubernetes Kapsule
  • Object Storage
  • Serverless Functions
  • Managed Databases
  • Container Registry
  • Load Balancer

Both cover

  • SOC2
  • GDPR
  • Cloud deployment
  • Web support

What people use each for

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

Neon

  • Serverless applicationsnot Scaleway
  • Development databasesnot Scaleway
  • Preview environmentsnot Scaleway
  • Testingnot Scaleway

Scaleway

  • Web hostingnot Neon
  • Container orchestrationnot Neon
  • Development environmentsnot Neon
  • Data storagenot Neon

Where each one falls short

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

Neon

  • Compute pricing at $0.106-$0.222/CU-hour means costs scale directly with workload, unlike fixed-price alternatives
  • Separation of compute and storage may add complexity to cost prediction compared to all-in-one plans

Scaleway

  • Scaleway's entry-level cloud instances start at 4.99 EUR per month, and its consumption-based services (serverless jobs, IoT hub, container functions) bill by vCPU-second and GB-second beyond a fixed free-tier allowance per account per month, so costs scale with usage rather than a flat seat price.

Pricing, plan by plan

Neon

Free
  • FreeFree
    • 100 CU-hours/month
    • 0.5 GB storage
    • 1 project
  • Launch$15/month
    • Pay-as-you-go compute
    • $0.35/GB storage
    • Multiple projects
  • Scale$31/month
    • Higher compute rates
    • 99.95% SLA
    • HIPAA compliance

Scaleway

Free
  • DEV1-S$7.99/month
    • 2 vCPU
    • 2GB RAM
    • 20GB SSD

Which should you pick?

Choose Neon if

  • You need serverless postgresql.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Cloud.
  • You also want database branching.
Neon review

Choose Scaleway if

  • You need virtual instances.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Api, Cli.
  • You also want bare metal.
Scaleway review

Questions people ask

Is Neon or Scaleway better?
Neither clearly leads. Neon starts at Free and Scaleway at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Neon or Scaleway?
Neon starts at Free and Scaleway at Free.
Does Neon or Scaleway run on more platforms?
Neon runs on Cloud. Scaleway runs on Web, Api, Cli.
Can I use Neon for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Neon best used for?
Neon is most often used for serverless applications, development databases, preview environments, testing. Of those, serverless applications and development databases are not what Scaleway is typically brought in for.
What can Neon do that Scaleway cannot?
Neon covers Serverless PostgreSQL, Database Branching, Autoscaling, Bottomless Storage. Scaleway covers Virtual Instances, Bare Metal, Kubernetes Kapsule, Object Storage. Both handle SOC2, GDPR, Cloud deployment, Web support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Neon: What is Neon and what makes it different?

Neon is a serverless PostgreSQL database that separates compute and storage, enabling automatic scaling and instant database branching. After acquisition by Databricks in May 2025, pricing has been significantly reduced.

Source
Neon: Does Neon offer a free tier?

Yes, Neon's free tier includes 100 compute units per month and 0.5 GB of storage. This is suitable for development and small projects.

Source
Neon: What are the paid plans and pricing for Neon?

Neon offers consumption-based pricing on Launch ($0.106/CU-hour, approximately $15/month) and Scale ($0.222/CU-hour, approximately $31/month) plans with separate storage billing at $0.35/GB-month. No monthly minimum required.

Source
Neon: What features does Neon provide?

Neon includes git-like branching for database copies, point-in-time recovery, data anonymization for testing, managed authentication, serverless functions, and object storage that branches with projects.

Source
Neon: What compliance and reliability guarantees does Neon provide?

Neon's Scale tier offers 99.95% uptime SLA, HIPAA compliance, SOC2 certification, and private networking via PrivateLink at no extra cost.

Source
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Related pages

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