PlanetScale vs Turso for Solo Developers

Quick Comparison

PlanetScale Overview

PlanetScale is serverless MySQL powered by Vitess, the same technology YouTube uses for its database layer. The core feature is database branching with non-blocking schema changes. You create a branch, modify your schema, test it, and merge it to production without locking tables or causing downtime. For applications with large tables under heavy traffic, this is a genuine operational advantage.

The developer experience is clean. A modern dashboard, a CLI for branch management, and standard MySQL compatibility mean your existing tools and ORMs work without modification. The schema change workflow feels like a pull request for your database.

The significant drawback for solo developers is pricing. PlanetScale no longer offers a free tier. The Scaler plan starts at $39/month. You're paying from day one. For prototyping, side projects, or anything in the experimentation phase, that monthly cost adds up quickly when alternatives offer free tiers.

Turso Overview

Turso distributes SQLite across global edge locations using libSQL, a fork of SQLite. Your database lives close to your users. Reads are served from the nearest edge replica with minimal latency. Writes go to the primary and replicate outward. The result is a globally distributed database that feels as fast as a local file.

The embedded replica feature is Turso's standout capability. You can embed a read-only copy of your database directly inside your application. Reads hit the local copy with zero network latency. For read-heavy applications (content sites, blogs, API backends that mostly serve data), this delivers performance that client-server databases physically cannot match.

Turso's free tier includes 9GB of storage, 500 databases, and 25 million row reads per month. That's generous enough to build, test, and run small production workloads. The Scaler plan at $29/month unlocks higher limits and more edge locations.

Key Differences

Database engine. PlanetScale runs MySQL. Turso runs libSQL (SQLite-compatible). These are fundamentally different databases with different strengths. MySQL is a traditional client-server relational database. libSQL is an embedded database that runs at the edge. MySQL has a larger feature set and ecosystem. libSQL is simpler, lighter, and designed for edge deployment.

Architecture philosophy. PlanetScale takes a traditional database (MySQL) and adds modern features (branching, serverless). Turso takes a simple database (SQLite) and extends it with distribution (edge replicas, embedded replicas). PlanetScale modernizes the old. Turso distributes the simple. Both approaches have merit.

Edge distribution. Turso's entire value proposition is global edge distribution. Your data lives in multiple locations, and reads come from the nearest one. PlanetScale runs in your selected region. For applications serving a global audience, Turso's architecture delivers better read latency. For applications where most users are in one region, the edge distribution adds complexity without clear benefit.

Embedded replicas. Turso lets you embed a SQLite replica in your application for zero-network-latency reads. PlanetScale has no equivalent. For read-heavy applications, this is a unique and powerful capability.

Free tier. Turso has one. PlanetScale doesn't. For solo developers evaluating tools, this matters. You can experiment with Turso at zero cost. PlanetScale costs $39/month from the start.

Schema changes. PlanetScale's non-blocking schema changes are the best in the MySQL world. Alter tables on multi-terabyte databases without locking. Turso uses standard SQLite DDL. For solo developers with small databases, table alterations are fast regardless. PlanetScale's advantage here is real but rarely matters at small scale.

Concurrency. MySQL (PlanetScale) handles concurrent reads and writes efficiently. libSQL (Turso) inherits SQLite's single-writer limitation. Writes go through the primary node. For write-heavy applications with many concurrent users, PlanetScale is more robust. For read-heavy applications with moderate writes, Turso's architecture works well.

Pricing comparison. Turso's free tier handles small projects at zero cost. Turso Scaler at $29/month is cheaper than PlanetScale Scaler at $39/month. At every price point, Turso costs less.

Ecosystem. MySQL has decades of tooling support. Every ORM, every framework, every monitoring tool works with MySQL. libSQL is newer and its ecosystem is growing but smaller. If you rely on specific MySQL tools or ORMs, PlanetScale has better compatibility. If you can work with SQLite-compatible tools, Turso is fine.

When to Choose PlanetScale

• You need MySQL compatibility for your project
• Non-blocking schema changes are a hard requirement
• Your application is write-heavy with high concurrency
• You have existing MySQL expertise and tooling
• Database branching with MySQL-specific workflow matters to you

When to Choose Turso

• You're building an edge-first application and global read latency matters
• Your application is read-heavy and would benefit from embedded replicas
• You want a free tier for experimentation and side projects
• You prefer SQLite's simplicity for your data layer
• Budget matters and you want lower costs at every tier

The Verdict

Turso wins for solo developers. The 8/10 vs 6/10 rating reflects Turso's better fit for the solo developer workflow.

Turso gives you a free tier, edge distribution, embedded replicas, and a simpler database model at a lower price. PlanetScale gives you MySQL with excellent branching and schema change tooling but no free tier and a higher starting price.

For solo developers, Turso's strengths align better with common use cases. Side projects, content sites, APIs, and read-heavy applications all benefit from Turso's edge distribution and embedded replicas. PlanetScale's strengths (non-blocking DDL, MySQL ecosystem) matter more for large, write-heavy production databases managed by teams.

The simplicity argument favors Turso too. SQLite (libSQL) is a simpler mental model than MySQL. Less configuration, fewer concepts to learn, less that can go wrong. For a solo developer managing everything alone, simpler is better.

My recommendation: use Turso for read-heavy, edge-friendly applications. If you need a more traditional database with strong write concurrency, skip both and use Neon (serverless PostgreSQL with a free tier) or Supabase. PlanetScale makes sense only if MySQL is a hard requirement for your project.