PlanetScale
Retable
| Feature | PlanetScale | Retable |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | From $39/mo | Free / from $10/mo |
| Free Plan | ✗ No | ✓ Yes |
| Rating | 4.5 / 5 | 4.1 / 5 |
| Best For | saas-companies, startups, developer-teams, high-traffic-apps | small-businesses, project-managers, teams, data-management |
| Founded | 2018 | 2020 |
| Database Branching | ✓ | ✗ |
| Schema Changes | ✓ | ✗ |
| Auto Scaling | ✓ | ✗ |
| Read Replicas | ✓ | ✗ |
| Insights Dashboard | ✓ | ✗ |
| Cli Tools | ✓ | ✗ |
| Connection Pooling | ✓ | ✗ |
| Spreadsheet Database | ✗ | ✓ |
| Multiple Views | ✗ | ✓ |
| Forms | ✗ | ✓ |
| Automations | ✗ | ✓ |
| Api Access | ✗ | ✓ |
| Collaboration | ✗ | ✓ |
| Templates | ✗ | ✓ |
✓ PlanetScale Pros
- Git-like branching for database schema changes
- Non-blocking schema changes with no downtime
- Built on Vitess (powers YouTube's database)
- Excellent developer experience and CLI
✗ PlanetScale Cons
- Free tier was removed in 2024
- MySQL-compatible only (no PostgreSQL)
- Foreign key constraints not supported in traditional way
✓ Retable Pros
- Familiar spreadsheet interface with database capabilities
- Multiple view types (grid, kanban, calendar, gallery)
- Built-in forms and automations
- Good alternative to Airtable at lower cost
✗ Retable Cons
- Smaller ecosystem than Airtable
- Limited third-party integrations
- Less mature automation capabilities
The Verdict
PlanetScale is built for saas companies and startups, with a focus on database-branching and schema-changes. Retable targets small businesses and project managers and leads with spreadsheet-database and multiple-views.
On pricing, Retable is the clear winner for budget-conscious users — starting at $10/mo compared to $39/mo for PlanetScale. That $29/mo difference adds up quickly for growing teams.
Retable has a free plan, which gives it a meaningful edge for individuals and small teams exploring their options. PlanetScale requires a paid subscription from day one.
PlanetScale edges out on user ratings (4.5 vs 4.1). While both are well-regarded, that gap reflects real differences in user satisfaction worth considering.
Bottom line: PlanetScale has a slight overall edge — but if familiar spreadsheet interface with database capabilities matters most to you, Retable may still be the right call.