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Cloud & Infrastructure · head to head

Packer vs PlanetScale

P

Packer

Cloud & Infrastructure

Build automated machine images

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
PlanetScale logo

PlanetScale

Database & Data Management

The MySQL-compatible serverless database

From
$15/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Packer has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Packer packer 1.10.0 and later is licensed under the Business Source License 1.1 with IBM Corporation as licensor, not an OSI open source licence; PlanetScale eBS High Availability requires 3-node configuration with replication overhead
  • They diverge on capability: Packer covers Image building, PlanetScale covers Database Branching.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Packer and PlanetScale actually diverge.

Attributes where Packer and PlanetScale differ
AttributePackerPlanetScale
Starting priceFree$15/month
Pricing modelopen-sourcesubscription
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsLinux, Windows, MacCloud-hosted (AWS, GCP, Azure)
CategoryCloud & InfrastructureDatabase & Data Management
Founded20132018

Identical on both: 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 Packer

  • Image building
  • Multi-platform support
  • Provisioners
  • Builders
  • Post-processors
  • Variables
  • Data sources
  • Validation

Only in PlanetScale

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

Both cover

  • Cloud deployment

What people use each for

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

Packer

  • Building identical machine images for multiple clouds from one templatenot PlanetScale
  • Baking golden AMIs and VM images into a CI pipelinenot PlanetScale
  • Creating immutable infrastructure artifacts consumed by Terraformnot PlanetScale

PlanetScale

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

Where each one falls short

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

Packer

  • Packer 1.10.0 and later is licensed under the Business Source License 1.1 with IBM Corporation as licensor, not an OSI open source licence
  • The Additional Use Grant forbids offering Packer to third parties on a hosted or embedded basis in a paid product that competes with IBM's paid versions of Packer
  • Each version converts to the MPL 2.0 Change License only four years after that version is first published, and the Change Date is set separately per version
  • Alternative licensing for uses outside the grant must be arranged with the licensor rather than taken under the public licence

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

Packer

Free
  • Open SourceFree
    • Multi-platform image building
    • Template-driven
    • Provisioner support

PlanetScale

$15/month

No published plan breakdown. See the PlanetScale review.

Which should you pick?

Choose Packer if

  • You need image building.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, Windows, Mac.
  • You also want multi-platform support.
Packer 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 Packer or PlanetScale better?
Neither clearly leads. Packer 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, Packer or PlanetScale?
Packer has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Packer and $15/month for PlanetScale.
Does Packer or PlanetScale run on more platforms?
Packer runs on Linux, Windows, Mac. PlanetScale runs on Cloud-hosted (AWS, GCP, Azure).
Can I use Packer for free?
Yes. Packer has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. PlanetScale starts at $15/month.
What is Packer best used for?
Packer is most often used for building identical machine images for multiple clouds from one template, baking golden amis and vm images into a ci pipeline, creating immutable infrastructure artifacts consumed by terraform. Of those, building identical machine images for multiple clouds from one template and baking golden amis and vm images into a ci pipeline are not what PlanetScale is typically brought in for.
What can Packer do that PlanetScale cannot?
Packer covers Image building, Multi-platform support, Provisioners, Builders. PlanetScale covers Database Branching, Non-blocking Schema Changes, Insights, Horizontal Scaling. Both handle Cloud deployment.
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