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Databases · head to head

PlanetScale vs StackBlitz

PlanetScale logo

PlanetScale

Databases

The MySQL-compatible serverless database

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
StackBlitz logo

StackBlitz

Developer Tools

Browser-based IDE and AI app builder running full Node.js stacks via WebContainers

From
Free
Free plan
Yes

The short version

  • PlanetScale is a MySQL-compatible serverless database platform.
  • StackBlitz is free; PlanetScale starts at $15/mo.
  • Only PlanetScale lists database Branching; only StackBlitz lists bolt.new AI app builder.
  • Where PlanetScale falls short: pricing varies significantly across 17+ AWS and GCP regions.
  • Where StackBlitz falls short: specific Teams and Enterprise pricing figures are not published; visitors must request a quote or infer from the pricing calculator.
  • Prices and features on this page were last checked on 13 November 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which PlanetScale and StackBlitz actually diverge.

Attributes where PlanetScale and StackBlitz differ
AttributePlanetScaleStackBlitz
Pricing modelUsage-basedFreemium
CategoryDatabasesDeveloper Tools

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), platforms (Web).

Not yet recorded: founded for StackBlitz.

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 StackBlitz

  • WebContainers
  • Bolt.new AI app builder
  • Instant boot times
  • GitHub project import
  • Team collaboration
  • Offline functionality

What people use each for

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

PlanetScale

  • MySQL-compatible applications requiring horizontal scalingnot StackBlitz
  • PostgreSQL deployments with custom cluster configurationsnot StackBlitz
  • Multi-region database deployments on AWS or GCPnot StackBlitz
  • Applications requiring transparent sharding via Vitessnot StackBlitz

StackBlitz

  • Editing a GitHub repository instantly in the browser without cloning itnot PlanetScale
  • Generating a working web app from a text prompt with Bolt.newnot PlanetScale
  • Sharing private projects across a team without individual GitHub seats for viewersnot PlanetScale
  • Running lightweight Node.js projects with no local setupnot PlanetScale

Where each one falls short

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

PlanetScale

  • Pricing varies significantly across 17+ AWS and GCP regions
  • Additional costs for EBS storage beyond base tier, backup storage, and egress
  • Dedicated PgBouncer and replicas incur separate charges
  • Metal tier pricing increases sharply with larger configurations

StackBlitz

  • Specific Teams and Enterprise pricing figures are not published; visitors must request a quote or infer from the pricing calculator
  • Browser-based execution via WebContainers has limits on which native/binary dependencies can run compared to a real server-backed environment
  • Heavy or resource-intensive workloads may be constrained by the end user's own browser and machine resources

Pricing, plan by plan

PlanetScale

Free
  • Postgres EBS Single-Node (ARM64 PS-5)$5/mo
    • 512 MiB RAM
    • Single-node configuration
    • EBS storage included
  • Postgres EBS HA (ARM64 PS-5)$15/mo
    • 512 MiB RAM
    • 3-node high-availability setup
    • 1 primary + 2 replicas
  • Postgres Metal (M-10)$50/mo
    • 1/8 vCPU, 1 GiB RAM
    • 3-node HA configuration
    • 10 GiB NVMe storage included
  • Vitess Non-Metal 3-Node$39/mo
    • Sharding-capable database
    • x86-64 architecture
    • 3-node configuration

StackBlitz

Free
  • PersonalFree
    • Unlimited public projects, collections, and GitHub repositories
    • View and edit without a GitHub account
  • TeamsOn request
    • Private collections and repositories for paid members
    • Free and paid member roles
    • Automatic permission mirroring for org-owned repositories

Which should you pick?

Choose PlanetScale if

  • You need database branching.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want non-blocking schema changes.

Choose StackBlitz if

  • You need webcontainers.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want bolt.new ai app builder.

Questions people ask

Is PlanetScale or StackBlitz better?
Neither clearly leads. PlanetScale starts at Free and StackBlitz at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, PlanetScale or StackBlitz?
PlanetScale starts at Free and StackBlitz at Free.
Does PlanetScale or StackBlitz run on more platforms?
Both run on Web, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
Can I use PlanetScale for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is PlanetScale best used for?
PlanetScale is most often used for mysql-compatible applications requiring horizontal scaling, postgresql deployments with custom cluster configurations, multi-region database deployments on aws or gcp, applications requiring transparent sharding via vitess. Of those, mysql-compatible applications requiring horizontal scaling and postgresql deployments with custom cluster configurations are not what StackBlitz is typically brought in for.
What can PlanetScale do that StackBlitz cannot?
PlanetScale covers Database Branching, Non-blocking Schema Changes, Insights, Horizontal Scaling. StackBlitz covers WebContainers, Bolt.new AI app builder, Instant boot times, GitHub project import.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

PlanetScale: How much does a PlanetScale Postgres database cost per month?

PlanetScale Postgres pricing starts at $5/month for single-node ARM64 configurations with 512 MiB RAM and $15/month for the same specs in high-availability mode with 1 primary and 2 replicas. Metal tier starts at $50/month for M-10 configuration (1/8 vCPU, 1 GiB RAM). Exact pricing depends on cluster size, node architecture (ARM64 vs x86-64), storage configuration, and selected AWS/GCP region.

Source
StackBlitz: Is there a free plan, and what are its limits?

Yes, the free Personal plan includes unlimited public StackBlitz projects, collections, and GitHub repositories, and lets anyone view and edit projects without needing a GitHub account.

Source
PlanetScale: Is there a free tier for PlanetScale?

PlanetScale offers a free tier for development and testing workloads. After free tier limits are reached, usage-based pricing applies starting at $5/month for the smallest Postgres single-node configuration, with costs scaling based on cluster size, compute, storage, and additional features like dedicated PgBouncer or replicas.

Source
StackBlitz: What does the Teams plan add?

Teams lets GitHub organizations add free or paid members; paid members get access to private collections and repositories, with permissions mirrored from GitHub-owned repos.

Source
PlanetScale: What is the difference between PlanetScale ARM64 and x86-64 pricing?

ARM64 instances cost significantly less than x86-64 equivalents. For example, a Postgres EBS HA cluster with 512 MiB RAM costs $15/month on ARM64 but $39/month on x86-64. This pricing difference extends across all cluster sizes, with larger x86-64 configurations reaching up to $5,599/month compared to ARM64 alternatives.

Source
StackBlitz: Is there an Enterprise option?

Yes, custom Enterprise plans are available and require contacting StackBlitz directly.

Source
PlanetScale: What is included in a PlanetScale cluster price versus additional costs?

The advertised cluster price covers the base compute and configured storage. Additional charges apply for EBS storage beyond the base allocation, backup storage, data egress, optional dedicated PgBouncer connections, and replicas beyond the base high-availability configuration. Regional pricing varies across 17+ AWS and GCP zones.

Source
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