Compare / Comparison / Backends, databases and auth

Neon vs PlanetScale

Matt Turley, Continuum. Updated 2026-11-05.

We sell Continuum Supabase Security Review, so we say where the other options fit better. Links to other companies go to their own sites and carry no affiliate codes.

The short answer

Neon vs PlanetScale

Neither is better for everyone. Neon suits developers who want plain Postgres with scale-to-zero and branching-style workflows and usage-based billing. PlanetScale suits teams that need a paid managed MySQL or Postgres database.

Neon vs PlanetScale at a glance

This page compares Neon and PlanetScale using only what the sources below say about each. Where one is the better pick for a situation, we say which and why.

Neon and PlanetScale side by side, from the cited sources.
Neon and PlanetScale side by side, from the cited sources.
QuestionNeonPlanetScale
What it isNeon provides serverless Postgres with usage-based pricing across Free, Launch and Scale plans. [1]PlanetScale is a managed database service whose pricing page announces Neki, sharded Postgres, as now available. [2]
Confirmed priceFree $0 [1]; Launch $0.106 per CU-hour [1]No confirmed price. See the entry below.
Free planYes, per the sourcesNot shown in the sources we read
SuitsDevelopers who want plain Postgres with scale-to-zero and branching-style workflows and usage-based billing.Teams that need a paid managed MySQL or Postgres database.

We read each source on 2026-11-05. Prices and limits change often, so confirm on the vendor's own page before you buy. A figure marked "one source only" was not matched by a second publisher.

When to pick each one

Pick Neon if it matches your situation

Choose Neon over PlanetScale for developers who want plain Postgres with scale-to-zero and branching-style workflows and usage-based billing.

Pick PlanetScale if it matches your situation

Choose PlanetScale over Neon for teams that need a paid managed MySQL or Postgres database.

What the sources say about PlanetScale:

  • PlanetScale's pricing page carries a banner stating Neki, sharded Postgres, is now available.[2]

Limits and things to check

Neon

  • Hitting any Free monthly limit (100 CU-hours, 0.5 GB storage, 5 GB egress) suspends compute until the next billing month, and upgrading to Launch or Scale resumes it immediately.[1]
  • Free plan autoscaling goes up to 2 CU; Launch and Scale go up to 16 CU.[1]
  • Storage is $0.35 per GB-month on both paid plans, per search summary.[1]

PlanetScale

  • PlanetScale removed its free Hobby plan (reported in 2024).[3] One source only.
  • Toolradar reports PlanetScale starts at $5 per month on the Postgres (Single Node) plan.[4] One source only.

Pricing as reported

Neon

Pricing as reported for Neon:

  • Free: $0 [1]
  • Launch: $0.106 per CU-hour [1]
  • Scale: $0.222 per CU-hour (Usage-based, autoscaling up to 16 CU, storage $0.35 per GB-month; SOC 2 and HIPAA features sit on this plan) [1]

Plan limits are longer than fit here and some sources disagree on them, so read the limits on the vendor pricing page.

PlanetScale

Pricing as reported for PlanetScale:

  • Postgres (Single Node): $5 per month (Entry price per Toolradar, verified October 2026; not confirmed on the vendor page) [4] One source only, so confirm it on the vendor page.

Where Continuum fits

We make Continuum Supabase Security Review. Weigh what we say here with that in mind. The tools above are the better choice when you want software you run yourself; ours is the better choice when you want a person to do or read the work.

Continuum Supabase Security Review (ours)

A human review of a Supabase app covering row level security policies, key exposure, storage rules, auth config and service-role usage.[5]

What our own page says:

  • It returns ranked findings with corrected SQL and a proof for each, in 48 hours.[5]

Limits and things to check:

  • It is a manual review of one app, not a continuous monitor.[5]

Pricing as reported for Continuum Supabase Security Review:

  • Supabase Security Review: Quoted on the page (48 hour turnaround) [5]

Suits a team running on Supabase that wants a person to read its policies and keys before launch.

Details on Continuum Supabase Security Review.

Running on Supabase?

Row level security and key handling are where most AI-built Supabase apps leak. A person can read yours. See the Supabase Security Review
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FAQ

Straight answers

Is Neon or PlanetScale better?
Neither is better in general. Neon suits developers who want plain Postgres with scale-to-zero and branching-style workflows and usage-based billing. PlanetScale suits teams that need a paid managed MySQL or Postgres database.
Do Neon and PlanetScale have free plans?
Neon has a free plan or tier per the sources we read. Check limits on the vendor page.
When were these sources read?
All sources on this page were read on 2026-11-05. Prices and limits change, so confirm on the vendor page before you buy.
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Sources
  1. 1. Neon Pricing Plans, Neon, 2026-11-05: Neon's own page
  2. 2. PlanetScale pricing, PlanetScale, 2026-11-05: PlanetScale's own page
  3. 3. PlanetScale removes Hobby plan, GeekNews, 2026-11-05: third-party page
  4. 4. PlanetScale pricing (Toolradar), Toolradar, 2026-11-05: third-party page
  5. 5. Continuum Supabase Security Review on uxcontinuum.com, Continuum, 2026-11-05: Continuum Supabase Security Review's own page
Neon vs PlanetScale | Continuum