PlanetScale

What is PlanetScale?

PlanetScale is a managed database platform originally built around MySQL on top of Vitess, the sharding layer YouTube built to scale MySQL horizontally, and has since expanded to offer managed Postgres too. Its standout feature is schema branching: you can create a branch of your database schema the same way you'd branch code, make changes, and merge them in with non-blocking migrations that don't lock your production tables. It's built for teams that expect real scale and want database schema changes to be as safe and reviewable as a code deploy.

Key features

• Schema branching and deploy requests, treating schema changes like a pull request workflow
• Non-blocking, online schema migrations that avoid locking production tables during changes
• Built on Vitess for MySQL, giving you horizontal sharding as your data grows
• Now also offers managed Postgres alongside its original MySQL/Vitess offering
• Automatic backups, point-in-time recovery, and connection pooling built in

Who it's for

A strong fit for teams anticipating real scale or who want safer, more code-like schema change workflows from day one. For a small side project with a simple schema that won't need sharding, a simpler managed Postgres option may be less overhead and cheaper.

Pricing

Usage-based paid plans with a limited free tier for small projects. Check the tool's site for current limits and rates.