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PlanetScale vs PostHog

PlanetScale logo

PlanetScale

Software

The MySQL-compatible serverless database

From
$15/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
PostHog logo

PostHog

Software

The single platform to analyze, test, observe, and deploy new features

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only PostHog has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: PlanetScale eBS High Availability requires 3-node configuration with replication overhead; PostHog the free tier covers 1M events, 5K web session recordings and 2.5K mobile recordings per month before usage-based billing starts
  • They diverge on capability: PlanetScale covers Database Branching, PostHog covers Product analytics.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which PlanetScale and PostHog actually diverge.

Attributes where PlanetScale and PostHog differ
AttributePlanetScalePostHog
Starting price$15/monthFree
Pricing modelsubscriptionusage-based
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsCloud-hosted (AWS, GCP, Azure)Web, Ios, Android, Api
Founded20182020

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 PlanetScale

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

Only in PostHog

  • Product analytics
  • Session recording
  • Feature flags
  • A/B testing
  • Heatmaps
  • SQL access
  • Data warehouse
  • Apps platform

Both cover

  • SOC2
  • GDPR
  • Cloud deployment

What people use each for

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

PlanetScale

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

PostHog

  • Product analyticsnot PlanetScale
  • Feature experimentationnot PlanetScale
  • User behavior trackingnot PlanetScale
  • A/B testingnot PlanetScale
  • Debug production issuesnot PlanetScale

Where each one falls short

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

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

PostHog

  • The free tier covers 1M events, 5K web session recordings and 2.5K mobile recordings per month before usage-based billing starts
  • Accounts without a card on file are limited to 1 project; adding one raises it to 6
  • Data retention is 1 year until a card is added, which extends it to 7 years
  • Support is community-only until the account is on a paid plan
  • Error tracking is capped at 100K exceptions and surveys at 1500 responses per month on the free tier

Pricing, plan by plan

PlanetScale

$15/month

No published plan breakdown. See the PlanetScale review.

PostHog

Free
  • FreeFree
    • 1M events/month
    • 5K sessions/month
    • Unlimited users
  • Paid$undefined/month
    • $0.00031/event
    • $0.005/session
    • Advanced permissions
  • Enterprise$undefined/month
    • SAML SSO
    • Advanced security
    • Dedicated support

Which should you pick?

Choose PlanetScale if

  • You need database branching.
  • You work on Cloud-hosted (AWS, GCP, Azure).
  • You also want non-blocking schema changes.
PlanetScale review

Choose PostHog if

  • You need product analytics.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android, Api.
  • You also want session recording.
PostHog review

Questions people ask

Is PlanetScale or PostHog better?
Neither clearly leads. PlanetScale starts at $15/month and PostHog at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, PlanetScale or PostHog?
PostHog has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $15/month for PlanetScale and Free for PostHog.
Does PlanetScale or PostHog run on more platforms?
PlanetScale runs on Cloud-hosted (AWS, GCP, Azure). PostHog runs on Web, Ios, Android, Api.
Can I use PostHog for free?
Yes. PostHog has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. PlanetScale starts at $15/month.
What is PlanetScale best used for?
PlanetScale is most often used for mysql database hosting with automatic failover and replication, vitess-based sharding for horizontal scaling across large datasets, cloud provider flexibility across aws, gcp, azure with 60+ regions, cost-effective database clusters using arm64 architecture options. Of those, mysql database hosting with automatic failover and replication and vitess-based sharding for horizontal scaling across large datasets are not what PostHog is typically brought in for.
What can PlanetScale do that PostHog cannot?
PlanetScale covers Database Branching, Non-blocking Schema Changes, Insights, Horizontal Scaling. PostHog covers Product analytics, Session recording, Feature flags, A/B testing. Both handle SOC2, GDPR, Cloud deployment.
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