Upstash
Serverless Redis + Kafka + QStash, billed per-request. Generous free tier. The default rate-limit / queue / cache layer for serverless apps.
PlanetScale
Serverless MySQL with branching, non-blocking schema changes (Vitess). Acquired by Vercel (rumored). Killed free tier in 2024 — entry plan now $39.
Upstash vs PlanetScale
A side-by-side breakdown of Upstash and PlanetScale — pricing in INR and USD, regional coverage, who each is best for, and the honest call on which to pick.
Side-by-side
| Dimension | Upstash | PlanetScale |
|---|---|---|
| Category | database | database |
| Entry pricing (USD) | — | $39/mo |
| Entry pricing (INR) | — | — |
| Regions covered | IN · US · GLOBAL | IN · US · GLOBAL |
Which one should you pick?
Pick Upstash if…
- Your customer base is concentrated in IN / US / GLOBAL.
- Serverless Redis + Kafka + QStash, billed per-request. Generous free tier. The default rate-limit / queue / cache layer for serverless apps. 0
Pick PlanetScale if…
- Your customer base is concentrated in IN / US / GLOBAL.
- Serverless MySQL with branching, non-blocking schema changes (Vitess). Acquired by Vercel (rumored). Killed free tier in 2024 — entry plan now $39. 0
FAQ
›Is Upstash or PlanetScale cheaper?
Pricing varies by tier and usage; both vendors publish current rates on their websites.
›When should I pick Upstash over PlanetScale?
Both compete in the same database space. Pick Upstash if your stack is closer to its native integrations, your team already uses sister products from the same vendor, or its regional coverage matches your customer base. Pick PlanetScale for the inverse.
›Can I migrate from Upstash to PlanetScale later?
Most modern SaaS supports CSV/JSON export for the core data model. The migration cost is integration work — every Zapier workflow, every webhook URL, every API token has to be re-wired. Budget 2-4 weeks of engineering time for a non-trivial production migration.
›Are there alternatives to both Upstash and PlanetScale?
Yes — browse the full database category at /tools/category/database for every tool we cover.
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