Google Cloud SQL vs PlanetScale comparison

Google and PlanetScale are both solutions in the Relational Databases Tools category. Additionally, 100% of Google users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 100% of PlanetScale users who would recommend it.

Google Cloud SQL

Read 23 Google Cloud SQL reviews

100% willing to recommend

PlanetScale

Read 6 PlanetScale reviews

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312 Comparison Views

100% willing to recommend

Google Cloud SQL

PlanetScale

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Executive Summary

We performed a comparison between Google Cloud SQL and PlanetScale based on real PeerSpot user reviews.

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Relational Databases Tools

November 2025

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Review summaries and opinions

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:

Categories and Ranking

Google Cloud SQL

Average Rating

8.2

Reviews Sentiment

6.9

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

Database as a Service (DBaaS) (6th), Database Management Systems (DBMS) (9th)

PlanetScale

Average Rating

8.2

Reviews Sentiment

8.3

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

Relational Databases Tools (17th)

Featured Reviews

Prathap Sankar

Analytics Delivery Manager at Tredence Inc.

Gain control and flexibility with customizable tools but has slower performance

I am majorly working in Google Cloud SQL for building my applications Google Cloud SQL provides complete customization options, along with a dashboarding tool and a comprehensive suite of tools that can be used to customize and build any application needed. The deployment model allows for…

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Arpita Bahedia

Software Engineer at Bit & Binary

Database management becomes seamless with automatic command execution

One feature I appreciate about PlanetScale is its ability to handle migrations and commands without the need to run them manually in the database. I can enter commands locally, connect with the database, and the changes will automatically be applied to the server, making debugging easier. Additionally, I use PlanetScale with Prisma, and it integrates well for my needs.

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Quotes from Members

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:

Pros

"It directly provides robust data safety. It also offers various other storage options, such as Google Cloud Storage. These services ensure data security and redundancy. Furthermore, it includes different storage classes, allowing flexible data management tailored to specific needs."

"The initial setup is straightforward."

"Ease of management and the ability to oversee the statistics of your SQL."

"It's SQL. SQL is so easy if you know something about databases. It's easy to learn."

"What I like the most about Google Cloud SQL is that it handles the management, which allows us to concentrate on our applications."

"The setup was straightforward. Just a couple of clicks, and we were done."

"The product is scalable."

"The most valuable feature for us is the Postgres on Google Cloud SQL since it supports most of the features we need."

More Google Cloud SQL pros

"The solution is beginner-friendly. Like any new platform, it can be a bit confusing at first. But after spending about an hour with it, you can get a clear idea of what everything is for. It's not very confusing; I think they've improved it recently."

"The branching feature is also good for developer experience."

"I like the solution's developer experience. When you deploy changes to the database in the portal, you can use different deployment strategies and see how things work. You can put changes into different branches, like deployment and staging. This is built into the product, allowing you to navigate changes through different branches."

"The database is accessible 24/7, ensuring my project runs smoothly without interruptions."

"I did not face any downtime when using the product."

"One feature I appreciate about PlanetScale is its ability to handle migrations and commands without the need to run them manually in the database."

Cons

"It is hard to do logging with the solution."

"The overall documentation and the connectors need improvement."

"I would like to see better integration with all the different tools on the platform."

"For data analysis, the AI area of the product has certain shortcomings where improvements are required."

"Google Cloud SQL needs to improve its support for high-end I/O operations. On-prem systems with high I/O capabilities perform better, as Google Cloud SQL takes more time to handle the same tasks."

"Google Cloud SQL still needs better connectivity to outside, existing data sources."

"Google Cloud SQL needs to improve its support for high-end I/O operations."

"The monitoring part could be better."

More Google Cloud SQL cons

"We encountered some initial issues during the product deployment, which required me to search for solutions on forums."

"The main thing I didn't like about PlanetScale was that we couldn't run analytical queries on it."

"I used PlanetScale for hobby projects, so my perspective differs from someone using it commercially. Unfortunately, they've removed the free tier in recent months and pivoted to a business-to-business model. This is sad for hobby developers like me because it's a great product, but I understand they have costs to cover."

"I am not sure, but I think recently, the tool removed the free version."

"When I tried to integrate the solution with Firebase for authentication, I faced some interruptions. Also, when using it with Next.js and NextAuth.js for Google and social logins, I had some troubles."

Pricing and Cost Advice

"It is not expensive, especially considering the significant reduction in database management time."

"The solution is affordable."

"From a financial perspective, Google Cloud SQL is on the cheaper side."

"The pricing is very much an important factor as to why we use this solution."

"It's really cheap. It wouldn't be more than, I believe it's around 50 euro per month for running a cloud SQL."

"You need to pay extra costs for backup and replication."

"While the platform’s pricing may be higher, it aligns with industry standards, considering the quality of service and features provided."

"I am currently using the product's free version, which has been sufficient for my portfolio project."

"Last time, when I wanted to use the tool in a project, I could see it was only paid, so I didn't use the service."

"The solution is expensive for beginners. That's why I wasn't motivated to use it more. But they were already providing many features for free for beginners, which was great."

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Financial Services Firm

14%

Computer Software Company

13%

Educational Organization

University

No data available

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	9
Midsize Enterprise	4
Large Enterprise	9

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	7
Large Enterprise	2

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about Google Cloud SQL?

The implementation part of the product was easy.

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Google Cloud SQL?

We have set up automated patch management for Google Cloud SQL, and it does on a daily basis what needs to be done, so it is pretty good overall for maintaining our database security.

See all answers

What needs improvement with Google Cloud SQL?

Sometimes the sharing with third parties or configuring that in Google Cloud SQL is not the most intuitive. From a user perspective, if Google Cloud SQL integrated AI directly into the query so tha...

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What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for PlanetScale?

I am currently using the product's free version, which has been sufficient for my portfolio project. The paid version ranges from $39 to $1,000, depending on the features and scale required.

See all answers

What needs improvement with PlanetScale?

I would like PlanetScale to have a feature where the database can be accessed in the cloud with a link, allowing for a more user-friendly interface compared to the terminal. This would make it easi...

See all answers

What is your primary use case for PlanetScale?

I have used PlanetScale as it is an advanced version of MySQL. It functions as a platform where MySQL is live, similar to AWS. I use PlanetScale to store data in a live environment where queries ca...

See all answers

Comparisons

Microsoft Azure SQL Database vs Google Cloud SQL

Compared 32% of the time

Amazon RDS vs Google Cloud SQL

Compared 29% of the time

MongoDB Atlas vs Google Cloud SQL

Compared 16% of the time

Oracle Database as a Service vs Google Cloud SQL

Compared 6% of the time

Google Cloud Spanner vs Google Cloud SQL

Compared 5% of the time

More Google Cloud SQL Competitors

Amazon Aurora Serverless vs PlanetScale

Compared 82% of the time

Citus Data vs PlanetScale

Compared 18% of the time

More PlanetScale Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

Google Cloud SQL

December 2025

Download Google Cloud SQL product report

Buyer's Guide

Relational Databases Tools

November 2025

Download PlanetScale product report

Overview

Google Cloud SQL is a fully-managed database service that makes it easy to set up, maintain, manage, and administer your relational PostgreSQL and MySQL databases in the cloud. Google Cloud SQL offers high performance, scalability, and convenience. Hosted on Google Cloud Platform, Cloud SQL provides a database infrastructure for applications running anywhere.

Google

PlanetScale offers seamless database management with features tailored for modern development environments, enabling enhanced project operations through efficient integration and ease of use.

PlanetScale is designed to support modern developer workflows through features like automated connection pooling and constant availability, making it ideal for serverless applications. Its integration with tools like GitHub and Prisma enhances the developer experience, allowing fast setup and effortless database interactions. However, users note challenges with analytical queries due to row-based billing and the absence of foreign key constraints. Integration with platforms such as Firebase and Next.js presents additional hurdles. Recent changes, such as the removal of the free tier, have impacted adoption by hobby developers, highlighting a need for more accessible pricing plans.

What are the most important features of PlanetScale?

Automated Connection Pooling: Optimizes database connections for serverless environments.
Constant Availability: Ensures uninterrupted operations and workflow efficiency.
Developer-Friendly: Integrates seamlessly with GitHub and Prisma for enhanced project management.
Quick Setup: Simplifies setup processes in corporate environments, allowing immediate use.

What benefits should users consider when evaluating PlanetScale?

Uninterrupted Project Operations: Facilitates constant availability for high-performance applications.
Enhanced Developer Experience: Offers intuitive integrations and project management capabilities.
Ease of Integration: Works well with popular tools like Prisma and MySQL for efficient workflows.

PlanetScale finds significant use in hosting databases for portfolios, company websites, and academic projects. Its compatibility with Prisma facilitates seamless MySQL database management online. Users leverage its capabilities for analytical queries and manage data environments effectively. Teams value the platform for specialized tasks such as URL shortening and social media automation, which are crucial in rapidly evolving digital industries.

PlanetScale

Sample Customers

BeDataDriven, CodeFutures, Daffodil, GenieConnect, KiSSFLOW, LiveHive, SulAm_rica, Zync

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November 2025

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