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The clearest reason to leave PlanetScale is cost: its listing says there’s no free plan and usage drives the bill, despite a $5 Postgres entry point. Reddit users looking for free Postgres options mention Neon, while others question the end of PlanetScale’s Hobby plan for new customers. These six alternatives cover Postgres, MySQL and narrower workloads. A Reddit thread criticizing PlanetScale’s website redesign is about the site, not evidence of database problems, so we wouldn’t treat it as a reason to switch.
01Why people leave PlanetScale
No free plan
PlanetScale’s listing says there is no free plan. Reddit users also report that the Hobby plan is no longer available to new customers.
Usage-based bills
The listed $5 Postgres entry point is not a bill guarantee: PlanetScale’s pricing summary says usage drives costs.
Free Postgres alternatives
One Reddit thread asks for free alternatives, preferably Postgres. Commenters point to Neon and say PlanetScale’s former Hobby plan is unavailable to new customers.
02The alternatives, ranked by fit
- Best for Postgres
NeonNeonNeon is the closest fit in this list if you want to stay on Postgres and want a free plan to evaluate. Its listing also calls out database branching and projects with variable load. The published starting price is $15, but the free plan gives cost-conscious teams another entry point to compare with PlanetScale’s $5 Postgres option.
Trade-off: Usage-based pricing needs budgeting; the free plan’s limits aren’t published here.
7.0/10from
$15/mofree plan - Best for open source
PostgreSQLPostgreSQLChoose PostgreSQL if you want an open-source relational database and are comfortable planning your schema. Its listing highlights relational data with JSON needs and a free plan. Unlike PlanetScale’s listed $5 hosted entry point, PostgreSQL’s starting price is not published here, so compare your deployment and operating costs before deciding it is cheaper.
Trade-off: You’ll need to choose a deployment; pricing is not published here.
8.0/10from
Freefree plan - Best for MySQL apps
MySQLMySQLMySQL makes sense when your existing application already depends on MySQL or you need a free database option. Its listing names compatibility with existing MySQL applications as a fit, so this is a more relevant comparison for PlanetScale MySQL workloads than a move to a different database family. The listing also shows a free plan and a $178.33 starting price.
Trade-off: The published paid starting price is far above PlanetScale’s $5 Postgres entry point.
6.8/10from
$178.33/mofree plan - Best for document apps
MongoDB AtlasMongoDB AtlasMongoDB Atlas is worth considering when the application’s data model is document-first, rather than when you simply want another relational database. Its listing includes a free tier, an $8 starting price, and vector search among its use cases. That makes it a different kind of switch from PlanetScale; check that the workload fits before planning a migration.
Trade-off: A document database is not a like-for-like relational replacement.
7.3/10from
$8/mofree plan - Best for analytics
ClickHouseClickHouseClickHouse fits teams whose PlanetScale workload is really SQL analytics over large datasets. Its listing describes real-time analytics and local and cloud options. That’s a targeted workload switch, not a default replacement for an application database. The listed starting price is not available, and its summary flags engineering demands and variable cloud costs.
Trade-off: Not a general-purpose app database choice; pricing is not published here.
7.8/10from
Custom - Best for free SQL
FirebirdFirebirdFirebird is an option to investigate if your priority is a free SQL database and you can verify that its drivers fit your application. Its listing also names deployments with large databases as a use case. The tradeoff deserves scrutiny: the same listing gives a $575 starting price for paid plans, so don’t assume paid use will stay cheap.
Trade-off: Paid plans start at $575; check driver fit before switching.
6.5/10from
$575/mofree plan
03Side by side
| Tool | Score | From | Free plan | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 PlanetScale PlanetScale (current) | 8.0 | $5/mo | No | Teams scaling MySQL or Postgres workloads |
| Neon Neon | 7.0 | $15/mo | Yes | Teams building on Postgres |
| PostgreSQL PostgreSQL | 8.0 | Free | Yes | Teams choosing an open-source database |
| MySQL MySQL | 6.8 | $178.33/mo | Yes | Teams maintaining existing MySQL applications |
| MongoDB Atlas MongoDB Atlas | 7.3 | $8/mo | Yes | Teams building document-based applications |
| ClickHouse ClickHouse | 7.8 | Custom | No | Teams building real-time analytics |
| Firebird Firebird | 6.5 | $575/mo | Yes | Teams seeking a free SQL database |
Questions people ask
What is the best free alternative to PlanetScale?
Among the options here, Neon is the most direct free-plan alternative for teams building on Postgres; its listing also includes database branching. PostgreSQL is another open-source option with a free plan, but its listing does not publish a starting price. Compare deployment and operating costs before choosing either.
Does PlanetScale still have a free plan?
The published PlanetScale listing says there is no free plan. Reddit users also report that the Hobby plan is no longer available to new customers. The available material does not specify current plan limits or a date for that change, so check PlanetScale’s pricing page before making a migration decision.
Is Neon cheaper than PlanetScale?
Not necessarily. PlanetScale’s listing gives a $5 Postgres entry point and says usage drives the bill. Neon’s listing gives a $15 starting price and a free plan, but also says pricing is usage-based. The published material doesn’t publish enough limits or usage rates to calculate which will cost less for your workload.