PlanetScale
Stackby
| Feature | PlanetScale | Stackby |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | From $39/mo | Free / from $5/mo |
| Free Plan | ✗ No | ✓ Yes |
| Rating | 4.5 / 5 | 4.1 / 5 |
| Best For | saas-companies, startups, developer-teams, high-traffic-apps | small-businesses, solopreneurs, budget-conscious-teams, non-technical-users |
| Founded | 2018 | 2019 |
| Database Branching | ✓ | ✗ |
| Schema Changes | ✓ | ✗ |
| Auto Scaling | ✓ | ✗ |
| Read Replicas | ✓ | ✗ |
| Insights Dashboard | ✓ | ✗ |
| Cli Tools | ✓ | ✗ |
| Connection Pooling | ✓ | ✗ |
| Api Columns | ✗ | ✓ |
| Column Types | ✗ | ✓ |
| Views | ✗ | ✓ |
| Forms | ✗ | ✓ |
| Automations | ✗ | ✓ |
| Pre Built 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
✓ Stackby Pros
- Very affordable pricing
- API column type for live data
- Pre-built templates for common use cases
- Good Airtable alternative
✗ Stackby Cons
- Smaller user community
- UI less polished than competitors
- Limited automation capabilities
The Verdict
PlanetScale is built for saas companies and startups, with a focus on database-branching and schema-changes. Stackby targets small businesses and solopreneurs and leads with api-columns and column-types.
On pricing, Stackby is the clear winner for budget-conscious users — starting at $5/mo compared to $39/mo for PlanetScale. That $34/mo difference adds up quickly for growing teams.
Stackby 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.
Feature-wise, PlanetScale offers broader built-in capabilities (7 features vs 6), while Stackby takes a more focused approach — which can mean a simpler, faster onboarding experience.
Bottom line: PlanetScale has a slight overall edge — but if very affordable pricing matters most to you, Stackby may still be the right call.