🗄️ databases

PlanetScale costs $25/mo.
These cost $0.

8 free alternatives to PlanetScale, checked for license, recent activity and real adoption. Each one tells you the catch, so you can switch with your eyes open.

⚡ Quick Verdict · 2027 Guide

The top-rated free, open-source replacement for PlanetScale is Supabase (Apache-2.0 Open Source). Across this category, 1 self-hostable tool is available (including Supabase). Switching a 5-person team saves up to $1,500/year compared to PlanetScale's $25/mo subscription.

The catch: Supabase replaces Convex's document/function runtime with PostgreSQL, SQL migrations, row-level security, and separate services, so the application architecture must be rewritten rather than simply moved.

See the 8 picks ↓

PlanetScale vs Free Alternatives

Quick side-by-side comparison · $0/mo vs $25/mo

Alternative	Type	License	Where It Runs	Stars	Head-to-Head
Supabase	open source	Apache-2.0	Self-host	★ 114.6k	PlanetScale vs Supabase →
TiDB	open source	Open Source	Local	★ 40.7k	PlanetScale vs TiDB →
Neon Postgres	open source	Open Source	Local	★ 23.3k	PlanetScale vs Neon Postgres →
Turso	open source	Open Source	Local	★ 17.3k	PlanetScale vs Turso →
Instant	open source	Open Source	Local	★ 10.6k	PlanetScale vs Instant →
OceanBase	open source	Open Source	Local	★ 10.4k	PlanetScale vs OceanBase →
SlateDB	open source	Open Source	Local	★ 3.6k	PlanetScale vs SlateDB →
CrateDB	open source	Open Source	Local	★ 4.5k	PlanetScale vs CrateDB →

The picks

8 open source · ranked by fit

01
Supabase
open sourceApache-2.0Self-host
114.6knov 2026
Provides a full backend stack built on Postgres: authentication, auto-generated APIs, edge functions, realtime subscriptions, file storage, and vector search.
The catch vs PlanetScale
Supabase replaces Convex's document/function runtime with PostgreSQL, SQL migrations, row-level security, and separate services, so the application architecture must be rewritten rather than simply moved.
Install, platforms & data +
platforms
webself-hostedcliself-host, real ops
install
Hosted Supabase project, or the official Docker Compose stack; `supabase start` runs the local stack
setup
Self-hosting is not 'just Postgres': the Compose stack needs many secrets and services, plus SMTP, object storage, TLS, backups, observability, and coordinated upgrades.
your data
Relational data, auth records, and platform metadata live in PostgreSQL; Realtime consumes the Postgres replication stream; object data lives in the configured storage backend with metadata in Postgres; edge-function and migration source stays in project files. Supabase Cloud stores and operates the managed copy.
checked
2026-11-07
Visit supabase.com ↗Source Compare vs PlanetScale →also replaces 7 other apps →
02
TiDB
open sourceOpen SourceLocal
40.7knov 2026
Distributed SQL database combining OLTP and OLAP capabilities, offering horizontal scalability, high availability, and real-time analytics.
The catch vs PlanetScale
Community-driven open source project without dedicated enterprise SLAs.
Install, platforms & data +
platforms
desktopcross-platformone-click install
install
Clone https://github.com/pingcap/tidb or deploy with Docker Compose
setup
Download the native package or installer for your operating system.
your data
All application data lives locally on your own machine.
checked
2026-11-07
Visit tidb.cloud ↗Source Compare vs PlanetScale →also replaces 3 other apps →
03
Neon Postgres
open sourceOpen SourceLocal
23.3knov 2026
Cloud-native, auto-scaling Postgres with instant branching, bottomless storage, and pay-per-use pricing
The catch vs PlanetScale
Community-driven open source project without dedicated enterprise SLAs.
Install, platforms & data +
platforms
desktopcross-platformone-click install
install
Clone https://github.com/neondatabase/neon or deploy with Docker Compose
setup
Download the native package or installer for your operating system.
your data
All application data lives locally on your own machine.
checked
2026-11-07
Visit neon.com ↗Source Compare vs PlanetScale →also replaces 3 other apps →
04
Turso
open sourceOpen SourceLocal
17.3knov 2026
Turso provides a simple developer experience with SQLite compatibility, allowing you to build and scale multi-tenant applications with unlimited databases.
The catch vs PlanetScale
Community-driven open source project without dedicated enterprise SLAs.
Install, platforms & data +
platforms
desktopcross-platformone-click install
install
Clone https://github.com/tursodatabase/libsql or deploy with Docker Compose
setup
Download the native package or installer for your operating system.
your data
All application data lives locally on your own machine.
checked
2026-11-07
Visit turso.tech ↗Source Compare vs PlanetScale →also replaces 5 other apps →
05
Instant
open sourceOpen SourceLocal
10.6knov 2026
Instant is a database solution for building real-time and offline-enabled applications, simplifying the development of collaborative products.
The catch vs PlanetScale
Community-driven open source project without dedicated enterprise SLAs.
Install, platforms & data +
platforms
desktopcross-platformone-click install
install
Clone https://github.com/instantdb/instant or deploy with Docker Compose
setup
Download the native package or installer for your operating system.
your data
All application data lives locally on your own machine.
checked
2026-11-07
Visit instantdb.com ↗Source Compare vs PlanetScale →also replaces 4 other apps →
06
OceanBase
open sourceOpen SourceLocal
10.4knov 2026
Scalable, high-availability database system supporting OLTP, OLAP, and hybrid transactional/analytical processing workloads.
The catch vs PlanetScale
Community-driven open source project without dedicated enterprise SLAs.
Install, platforms & data +
platforms
desktopcross-platformone-click install
install
Clone https://github.com/oceanbase/oceanbase or deploy with Docker Compose
setup
Download the native package or installer for your operating system.
your data
All application data lives locally on your own machine.
checked
2026-11-07
Visit en.oceanbase.com ↗Source Compare vs PlanetScale →also replaces 4 other apps →
07
SlateDB
open sourceOpen SourceLocal
3.6knov 2026
SlateDB is an embedded storage engine that leverages object storage for durability, scalability, and simplified replication without the need for disk management.
The catch vs PlanetScale
Community-driven open source project without dedicated enterprise SLAs.
Install, platforms & data +
platforms
desktopcross-platformone-click install
install
Clone https://github.com/slatedb/slatedb or deploy with Docker Compose
setup
Download the native package or installer for your operating system.
your data
All application data lives locally on your own machine.
checked
2026-11-07
Visit slatedb.io ↗Source Compare vs PlanetScale →also replaces 6 other apps →
08
CrateDB
open sourceOpen SourceLocal
4.5knov 2026
Distributed SQL database designed for high-speed ingestion and complex queries on massive datasets, ideal for IoT and time-series data.
The catch vs PlanetScale
Community-driven open source project without dedicated enterprise SLAs.
Install, platforms & data +
platforms
desktopcross-platformone-click install
install
Clone https://github.com/crate/crate or deploy with Docker Compose
setup
Download the native package or installer for your operating system.
your data
All application data lives locally on your own machine.
checked
2026-11-07
Visit cratedb.com ↗Source Compare vs PlanetScale →also replaces 4 other apps →

PlanetScale Head-to-Head Comparisons (2027)

Side-by-side trade-off breakdowns · 8 free alternatives

PlanetScale vs SupabaseApache-2.0 · Self-host →

PlanetScale vs TiDBOpen Source · Local →

PlanetScale vs Neon PostgresOpen Source · Local →

PlanetScale vs TursoOpen Source · Local →

PlanetScale vs InstantOpen Source · Local →

PlanetScale vs OceanBaseOpen Source · Local →

PlanetScale vs SlateDBOpen Source · Local →

PlanetScale vs CrateDBOpen Source · Local →

Frequently Asked Questions

Direct answers · PlanetScale open-source replacements

What is the best free alternative to PlanetScale?+

The top free alternative to PlanetScale is Supabase (open source, Apache-2.0). Provides a full backend stack built on Postgres: authentication, auto-generated APIs, edge functions, realtime subscriptions, file storage, and vector search. Other popular PlanetScale replacements include TiDB, Neon Postgres, Turso.

Can I self-host a free replacement for PlanetScale?+

Yes. Of the 8 free alternatives to PlanetScale, 1 can be self-hosted on your own server or local machine: Supabase (Apache-2.0).

How much does switching from PlanetScale to a free alternative save?+

PlanetScale starts at $25/month per seat ($300/year). Switching a 5-person team to a free alternative like Supabase saves $1,500 per year in software subscription fees.

Should I vibe-code or build my own PlanetScale clone from scratch?+

Our build verdict for PlanetScale is NO (use a free alternative, save the tokens). Instead of paying recurring SaaS fees for PlanetScale or rebuilding it from scratch, deploy one of the 8 battle-tested open-source alternatives like Supabase.

What is the catch when switching from PlanetScale to Supabase?+

Supabase replaces Convex's document/function runtime with PostgreSQL, SQL migrations, row-level security, and separate services, so the application architecture must be rewritten rather than simply moved.