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Software · head to head

Netlify vs PlanetScale

Netlify logo

Netlify

Software

The fastest way to build the fastest sites

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
PlanetScale logo

PlanetScale

Software

The MySQL-compatible serverless database

From
$15/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Netlify has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Netlify the free tier is an individual account with 300 credits; team members require the Pro plan at $20 a month; PlanetScale eBS High Availability requires 3-node configuration with replication overhead
  • They diverge on capability: Netlify covers Continuous deployment, PlanetScale covers Database Branching.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Netlify and PlanetScale actually diverge.

Attributes where Netlify and PlanetScale differ
AttributeNetlifyPlanetScale
Starting priceFree$15/month
Pricing modelfreemiumsubscription
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWebCloud-hosted (AWS, GCP, Azure)
Founded20142018

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 Netlify

  • Continuous deployment
  • Instant rollbacks
  • Deploy previews
  • Split testing
  • Forms handling
  • Identity/Auth
  • Serverless functions
  • Edge handlers

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.

Netlify

  • Hosting static sites and frontend frameworks with global CDN deliverynot PlanetScale
  • Deploy previews on every pull requestnot PlanetScale
  • Serverless functions alongside a static sitenot PlanetScale
  • Netlify Database and Blob storage for small application statenot PlanetScale

PlanetScale

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

Where each one falls short

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

Netlify

  • The free tier is an individual account with 300 credits; team members require the Pro plan at $20 a month
  • Everything is metered in credits, so bandwidth at 20 credits per GB and production deploys at 15 credits each consume the allowance in ways a bandwidth figure alone would not show
  • Compute is billed at 10 credits per GB-hour, so server-rendered work costs more than static hosting
  • Running past the allowance means buying credit packs, at $5 for 500 on Personal and $10 for 1,500 on Pro
  • AI inference is priced by model rather than at a flat credit rate

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

Netlify

Free
  • StarterFree
    • 100GB bandwidth
    • 300 build minutes
    • 1 concurrent build
  • Pro$19/month
    • 400GB bandwidth
    • 25,000 build minutes
    • 3 concurrent builds
  • Business$99/month
    • 600GB bandwidth
    • 35,000 build minutes
    • 5 concurrent builds
  • Enterprise$undefined/month
    • Custom bandwidth
    • Custom build minutes
    • Unlimited concurrent builds

PlanetScale

$15/month

No published plan breakdown. See the PlanetScale review.

Which should you pick?

Choose Netlify if

  • You need continuous deployment.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want instant rollbacks.
Netlify 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 Netlify or PlanetScale better?
Neither clearly leads. Netlify 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, Netlify or PlanetScale?
Netlify has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Netlify and $15/month for PlanetScale.
Does Netlify or PlanetScale run on more platforms?
Netlify runs on Web. PlanetScale runs on Cloud-hosted (AWS, GCP, Azure).
Can I use Netlify for free?
Yes. Netlify has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. PlanetScale starts at $15/month.
What is Netlify best used for?
Netlify is most often used for hosting static sites and frontend frameworks with global cdn delivery, deploy previews on every pull request, serverless functions alongside a static site, netlify database and blob storage for small application state. Of those, hosting static sites and frontend frameworks with global cdn delivery and deploy previews on every pull request are not what PlanetScale is typically brought in for.
What can Netlify do that PlanetScale cannot?
Netlify covers Continuous deployment, Instant rollbacks, Deploy previews, Split testing. PlanetScale covers Database Branching, Non-blocking Schema Changes, Insights, Horizontal Scaling.
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