PlanetScale
Turso
| Feature | PlanetScale | Turso |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | From $39/mo | Free / from $29/mo |
| Free Plan | ✗ No | ✓ Yes |
| Rating | 4.5 / 5 | 4.4 / 5 |
| Best For | saas-companies, startups, developer-teams, high-traffic-apps | edge-applications, serverless-developers, jamstack-apps, multi-tenant-saas |
| Founded | 2018 | 2022 |
| Database Branching | ✓ | ✗ |
| Schema Changes | ✓ | ✗ |
| Auto Scaling | ✓ | ✗ |
| Read Replicas | ✓ | ✗ |
| Insights Dashboard | ✓ | ✗ |
| Cli Tools | ✓ | ✓ |
| Connection Pooling | ✓ | ✗ |
| Edge Replication | ✗ | ✓ |
| Embedded Replicas | ✗ | ✓ |
| Sqlite Compatible | ✗ | ✓ |
| Branching | ✗ | ✓ |
| Point In Time Recovery | ✗ | ✓ |
| Multi Tenancy | ✗ | ✓ |
✓ 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
✓ Turso Pros
- Sub-millisecond reads from edge locations
- SQLite-compatible with embedded replicas
- Generous free tier (9GB storage, 500 databases)
- Embedded replicas for zero-latency local reads
✗ Turso Cons
- Write operations still route to primary region
- Newer platform with smaller ecosystem
- SQLite limitations apply (no stored procedures)
The Verdict
PlanetScale is built for saas companies and startups, with a focus on database-branching and schema-changes. Turso targets edge applications and serverless developers and leads with edge-replication and embedded-replicas.
On pricing, Turso is the clear winner for budget-conscious users — starting at $29/mo compared to $39/mo for PlanetScale. That $10/mo difference adds up quickly for growing teams.
Turso 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.
This is a genuinely close comparison. If you can, sign up for both free trials (where available) and run a one-week test with your actual team tasks before deciding.