A detailed comparison of CockroachDB and PlanetScale to help you choose the right tool for your needs.
Distributed SQL database for cloud-native applications.
| Plan | CockroachDB | PlanetScale |
|---|---|---|
| Free Tier | ✓ 10 GiB free | ✗ No |
| Lowest Paid | Usage-based | $39/mo |
| Enterprise | Custom pricing | Custom |
| Feature | CockroachDB | PlanetScale |
|---|---|---|
| Distributed SQL | ✓ | — |
| PostgreSQL Compatible | ✓ | — |
| Horizontal Scaling | ✓ | — |
| Multi-Region | ✓ | — |
| Automatic Replication | ✓ | — |
| Built-in Resilience | ✓ | — |
| Database branching | — | ✓ |
| Non-blocking schema changes | — | ✓ |
| Horizontal scaling | — | ✓ |
| Query insights | — | ✓ |
| Connection pooling | — | ✓ |
| Read replicas | — | ✓ |
| Automated backups | — | ✓ |
| CLI | — | ✓ |
| API | — | ✓ |
| Deploy requests | — | ✓ |
| Open Source | ✓ | ✗ |
| Rating | ⭐ 4.2 | ⭐ 4.4 |
Choose CockroachDB if: You need applications requiring distributed, resilient sql databases. CockroachDB excels with its distributed + sql and postgresql compatible.
Choose PlanetScale if: You need teams wanting a scalable mysql database with git-like branching workflows. PlanetScale stands out with its database branching and infinite scaling.
Best free option: CockroachDB offers a free tier (10 GiB free).
It depends on your needs. CockroachDB is better for applications requiring distributed, resilient sql databases, while PlanetScale is better for teams wanting a scalable mysql database with git-like branching workflows. Both are excellent tools rated 4.2 and 4.4 respectively.
CockroachDB starts at Usage-based while PlanetScale starts at $39/mo. CockroachDB also has a free tier.
Most tools offer import/export features to help you migrate. We recommend trying PlanetScale's trial before fully committing to a switch.
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