IBM Db2 Database vs PlanetScale comparison

IBM and PlanetScale are both solutions in the Relational Databases Tools category. IBM is ranked #5 with an average rating of 8.4, while PlanetScale is ranked #18 with an average rating of 8.2. IBM holds a 6.6% mindshare in SQL, compared to PlanetScale’s 1.0% mindshare. Additionally, 90% of IBM users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 100% of PlanetScale users who would recommend it.

IBM Db2 Database

Read 75 IBM Db2 Database reviews

3,607 Views
3,463 Comparison Views

90% willing to recommend

PlanetScale

Read 6 PlanetScale reviews

393 Views
389 Comparison Views

100% willing to recommend

IBM Db2 Database

PlanetScale

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Mar 4, 2025

IBM Db2 Database and PlanetScale compete in the database solutions market. PlanetScale appears to have the upper hand due to its modern features and perceived value, while IBM Db2 offers robust support and competitive pricing.

Features: IBM Db2 Database includes advanced data management, scalability, and comprehensive SQL and NoSQL workload support. PlanetScale is known for its flexible schema management, non-blocking schema changes, and cloud-native capabilities.

Room for Improvement: IBM Db2 could enhance its interface and user experience and improve cloud-native support. PlanetScale could strengthen its structured query capabilities, improve relational database features, and expand its enterprise support system.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: IBM Db2 provides traditional deployment and enterprise support suitable for large-scale organizations. PlanetScale offers a modern deployment model favoring startups and tech-savvy businesses with agile customer service.

Pricing and ROI: IBM Db2 requires up-front investment with a promise of solid ROI through stability and support. PlanetScale's flexible pricing offers potential for quicker ROI, appealing to businesses focusing on flexibility and growth.

To learn more, read our detailed IBM Db2 Database vs. PlanetScale Report (Updated: December 2025).

Buyer's Guide

IBM Db2 Database vs. PlanetScale

December 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

IBM Db2 Database

Ranking in Relational Databases Tools

5th

Average Rating

8.2

Reviews Sentiment

6.7

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

PlanetScale

Ranking in Relational Databases Tools

18th

Average Rating

8.2

Reviews Sentiment

8.3

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

Mindshare comparison

As of January 2026, in the Relational Databases Tools category, the mindshare of IBM Db2 Database is 6.6%, down from 6.8% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of PlanetScale is 1.0%, up from 0.1% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Relational Databases Tools Market Share Distribution
Product	Market Share (%)
IBM Db2 Database	6.6%
PlanetScale	1.0%
Other	92.4%

Relational Databases Tools

Featured Reviews

reviewer2708292

Associate Director, Data Architecture at a financial services firm with 10,001+ employees

Support improves setup and maintenance while pricing influences decision

If you have a similar use case and the same deal with IBM as our company, it is definitely a good option and choice. The company I work with has more than 50,000 people and more than 500 support staff. We are not locked into one database vendor. We typically work with multiple database vendors simultaneously, selecting the top choice based on the deals we make and other considerations. We do not use IBM Db2 Database related to AI at this moment because our AI project PLC is still very small scale. We may consider it in the future if we have enough scale. Overall rating for IBM Db2 Database is 8.5 out of 10.

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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 has a good feature called pureScale, which is just for scalability. It is a perfect solution for environments where scalability is going to be an issue."

"Its robustness, scalability, availability, and performance are valuable. All these are the major attributes of a relational database for supporting a very high-volume business, and Db2 is very good in all those areas and in all those attributes."

"The scalability and availability of this solution are the most valuable features."

"The initial setup was easy."

"The solution is stable."

"It is a scalable solution."

"The self-management and optimization features are probably the best on the market"

"Your iOS, your throughputs, your performance cycles, you cannot touch it with Microsoft or with Oracle scalability-wise. That is far and away the most scalable systems and the highest performing systems of the set of them."

More IBM Db2 Database pros

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

"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."

"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."

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

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

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

Cons

"The solution's data retrieval speed could be improved, especially for heavy queries. Better optimization or indexing might also be involved."

"Some of the internal rearrangement in the administration is not as straightforward as it is in competing products."

"The vendor should offer a free version"

"The price should be lower."

"Also, the website could be more intuitive. I didn't find it easy to find documentation on the website."

"We just want a bit more integration with Linux. That said, we are already seeing Linux more readily available on the mainframe environment."

"The product’s user interface is not easy to use."

"The technical support can be faster."

More IBM Db2 Database cons

"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."

"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."

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

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

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

Pricing and Cost Advice

"They are competitive and honest (compared to how peer firms approach licensing conversations). "

"Among Microsoft SQL Server, Oracle, and Db2, Microsoft SQL Server is the cheapest one, and Oracle is the most expensive one. Db2 is in the middle. As compared to SQL Server, its price could go down. It will be good for customers."

"It is expensive."

"I rate the product pricing a nine out of ten."

"Clients are required to purchase a license."

"It's very expensive."

"I would rate the pricing a five out of ten. It's not super expensive, but also not cheap."

"I rate the price of the IBM Db2 Database an eight out of ten."

More IBM Db2 Database pricing and cost advice

"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."

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

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Financial Services Firm

18%

Manufacturing Company

Computer Software Company

Government

No data available

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	20
Midsize Enterprise	13
Large Enterprise	48

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	7
Large Enterprise	2

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about IBM Db2 Database?

Db2 database scalability and performance capabilities match our database needs. It covers pretty much everything a database administrator or engineer might need.

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for IBM Db2 Database?

IBM Db2 is an expensive solution. While I am not heavily involved with pricing, additional companies provide capabilities or products like those from BMC, which many installations might also purchase.

See all answers

What needs improvement with IBM Db2 Database?

The IBM Db2 Database is a good solution, but now there is a high maintenance charge. The IBM Db2 Database needs improved support, and there are many difficulties in using it. We tend to use the clo...

See all answers

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

SQL Server vs IBM Db2 Database

Compared 40% of the time

Oracle Database vs IBM Db2 Database

Compared 17% of the time

SAP HANA vs IBM Db2 Database

Compared 9% of the time

Teradata vs IBM Db2 Database

Compared 9% of the time

MySQL vs IBM Db2 Database

Compared 5% of the time

More IBM Db2 Database Competitors

Amazon Aurora Serverless vs PlanetScale

Compared 85% of the time

Citus Data vs PlanetScale

Compared 15% of the time

More PlanetScale Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

IBM Db2 Database

January 2026

Download IBM Db2 Database product report

Buyer's Guide

Relational Databases Tools

January 2026

Download PlanetScale product report

Also Known As

DB2

No data available

Overview

DB2 Enterprise for Linux, UNIX, and Windows is the ideal data server for the most demanding workloads. New XML support is designed to help firms minimize the time and effort it takes to persist and use their XML data reducing development costs and improving business agility.

IBM

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

Knorr-Bremse, Mizuho Bank Ltd., Australian Government Department of Defence, SCHWENK Zement, Friedhelm Loh Group, YAZAKI Europe Limited, Ekornes ASA, Baldor Electric, VSN Systemen BV, Lion Brewery (Ceylon) PLC, PLANSEE Group, TE Connectivity, Hansgrohe SE, Openmatics, University of Toronto

Information Not Available

Buyer's Guide

IBM Db2 Database vs. PlanetScale

December 2025

Free Report: IBM Db2 Database vs. PlanetScale

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