What is the difference between PlanetScale and EdgeDB?

PlanetScale is best for Teams running MySQL at scale who need safe schema migrations, while EdgeDB is best for Developers wanting a modern relational database with better DX. PlanetScale starts at $39/mo and EdgeDB starts at Free.

Is PlanetScale or EdgeDB cheaper?

PlanetScale starts at $39/mo. EdgeDB starts at Free with a free tier.

Is there a free alternative to PlanetScale?

Yes, EdgeDB offers a free tier (Free 1 GB).

PlanetScale vs EdgeDB

PlanetScale is Serverless MySQL platform with branching, non-blocking schema changes, and unlimited scalability, while EdgeDB is modern database with a powerful query language, built-in auth, and schema-first design. The biggest difference up front: EdgeDB is free, while PlanetScale starts at $39/mo. PlanetScale is built for teams running mysql at scale who need safe schema migrations, whereas EdgeDB targets developers wanting a modern relational database with better dx.

At a glance

	PlanetScale	EdgeDB
Best for	Teams running MySQL at scale who need safe schema migrations	Developers wanting a modern relational database with better DX
Starting price	$39/mo	Free
Free tier	—	✓
Open source	—	✓
Free tier available	—	✓
Open source	—	✓
Auto-scaling	✓	—
Built-In Auth	—	✓
Database Branching	✓	—
EdgeQL	—	✓
Migrations	—	✓
Query Insights	✓	—
Schema Migrations	✓	—
Schema-First	—	✓

PlanetScale

Strengths

Git-like branching for safe schema changes
Non-blocking schema migrations with zero downtime
Built on Vitess for proven horizontal scalability
Excellent developer experience and CLI tools

Weaknesses

No free tier — minimum $39/month commitment
No foreign key constraint support by default
MySQL only — no Postgres option
Vendor lock-in with proprietary branching features

Try PlanetScale → Full review

EdgeDB

Strengths

Open source and transparent
Includes EdgeQL as a core feature, purpose-built for database workflows
Fully open-source — you can self-host, audit the code, and avoid vendor lock-in
Free 1 GB — generous enough for most small teams to get real work done

Weaknesses

Free plan exists but key features are locked behind the paid upgrade
Fewer built-in features means you may need additional tools to cover gaps
Ecosystem of third-party integrations is smaller than the market leaders in database
Community support can be slower than the dedicated support teams at commercial alternatives

Try EdgeDB → Full review

The bottom line

Pricing: EdgeDB is completely free (Free 1 GB), which makes it the obvious pick if budget is the top concern. PlanetScale starts at $39/mo. That cost buys you a more polished or feature-rich experience, so it comes down to whether the extras justify the spend.

Feature gaps: PlanetScale offers Auto-scaling, Database Branching and Query Insights that EdgeDB lacks. EdgeDB brings Built-In Auth, EdgeQL and Migrations that PlanetScale does not have.

Team fit: Both tools target small teams teams, so the decision hinges on features and workflow fit rather than scale.

Open source: EdgeDB is open source, meaning you can self-host, audit the code, and avoid vendor lock-in. PlanetScale is proprietary — you are trusting the vendor with your data and uptime.

Where each tool shines: PlanetScale's biggest strengths are: git-like branching for safe schema changes. non-blocking schema migrations with zero downtime. EdgeDB's biggest strengths are: open source and transparent. includes edgeql as a core feature, purpose-built for database workflows.

Watch out for: With PlanetScale, users commonly note that no free tier — minimum $39/month commitment. With EdgeDB, the main complaint is that free plan exists but key features are locked behind the paid upgrade.

Choose PlanetScale if...

Your profile matches its sweet spot: teams running mysql at scale who need safe schema migrations
You specifically need Auto-scaling and Database Branching
You care about non-blocking schema migrations with zero downtime

Choose EdgeDB if...

Your profile matches its sweet spot: developers wanting a modern relational database with better dx
Budget is a hard constraint — EdgeDB is free, PlanetScale is not
You need self-hosting, data sovereignty, or the ability to audit source code
You specifically need Built-In Auth and EdgeQL
You care about includes edgeql as a core feature, purpose-built for database workflows