MariaDB vs PlanetScale comparison

MariaDB and PlanetScale are both solutions in the Relational Databases Tools category. MariaDB is ranked #8 with an average rating of 8.4, while PlanetScale is ranked #17 with an average rating of 8.2. MariaDB holds a 3.7% mindshare in SQL, compared to PlanetScale’s 1.1% mindshare. Additionally, 96% of MariaDB users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 100% of PlanetScale users who would recommend it.

MariaDB

Read 61 MariaDB reviews

5,950 Views
3,273 Comparison Views

96% willing to recommend

PlanetScale

Read 6 PlanetScale reviews

814 Views
806 Comparison Views

100% willing to recommend

MariaDB

PlanetScale

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Mar 4, 2025

MariaDB and PlanetScale are competing in the database solutions category. Data comparisons indicate that PlanetScale has the upper hand due to its advanced features which many find justify its cost.

Features: MariaDB offers comprehensive open-source capabilities, scalability, and advanced analytics. PlanetScale features a powerful serverless architecture, simplified workflows, and seamless scaling without requiring database maintenance.

Room for Improvement: MariaDB could enhance its serverless and modern architecture features, which currently lag behind PlanetScale. Additionally, more intuitive workflows and maintenance-free scaling could benefit MariaDB. PlanetScale could improve affordability, increase open-source capabilities, and strengthen its analytics features to compete better in areas where MariaDB excels.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: MariaDB provides straightforward on-premise and cloud deployments with robust support services. PlanetScale offers a fully-managed, serverless deployment model that emphasizes ease and automation, reducing operational overhead.

Pricing and ROI: MariaDB is known for its low upfront costs, making it appealing for budget-conscious users and often resulting in a high perceived ROI. PlanetScale may have higher initial costs but promises significant returns through innovative features and reduced administrative complexities.

To learn more, read our detailed MariaDB vs. PlanetScale Report (Updated: April 2026).

Buyer's Guide

MariaDB vs. PlanetScale

April 2026

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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

MariaDB

Ranking in Relational Databases Tools

8th

Average Rating

8.2

Reviews Sentiment

6.9

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

Open Source Databases (8th)

PlanetScale

Ranking in Relational Databases Tools

17th

Average Rating

8.2

Reviews Sentiment

8.3

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

Mindshare comparison

As of May 2026, in the Relational Databases Tools category, the mindshare of MariaDB is 3.7%, down from 6.6% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of PlanetScale is 1.1%, up from 0.2% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Relational Databases Tools Mindshare Distribution
Product	Mindshare (%)
MariaDB	3.7%
PlanetScale	1.1%
Other	95.2%

Relational Databases Tools

Featured Reviews

Anand Bandi

Co-Founder at Vsigma IT Labs Pvt Ltd

Has supported web application data needs but requires design adjustments to manage complex queries efficiently

Complex queries in MariaDB where the query needs to parse thousands of lines or data values face some performance issues. For small and medium-size volume, it is pretty good. If it goes beyond certain data and complex queries, we see performance issues. We tried the advanced replication feature between different regions, replicating data specifically residing on MariaDB to two different regions of MariaDB data, and there were some technical snags in terms of slowness and longer processing time. Point-in-time recovery in MariaDB is good for small databases. When data volume increases beyond 5 GB or 10 GB per day or runs into double-digit GBs, we found some performance issues. For data below 10 GB, it works fine. Performance is the primary focus area for MariaDB, particularly during transactions or complex query jobs where slow performance is observed. MariaDB is scalable and easy to scale.

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Neeraj Sameer Allu

Founder at Tuft

Manages databases in serverless environments and easy to get started with

The main thing I didn't like about PlanetScale was that we couldn't run analytical queries on it. They bill based on the number of rows read, so even a simple count query could easily use up our allocated resources. Apart from that, I actually loved it. It's based on MySQL, so it doesn't have foreign key constraints or cascades. We have to delete manually or use an ORM. As it's based on MySQL, we can use log posters for complex queries, but it only supports MySQL. I feel like Postgres is more useful for custom or complex queries.

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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

"A valuable feature is that we can use it for quite a few things, all the things you'd expect from a server—along the lines of Linux's Lightweight Directory."

"The most valuable features of the solution stem from the fact that it is a cloud-based tool, so it is pretty fast."

"It is an absolutely stable solution."

"The most valuable feature of MariaDB is the power it provides."

"Our use of MariaDB is very basic, so it's a good platform compared to many others."

"The technical support of MariaDB is very helpful, and they came and tuned our queries with one-to-one assistance."

"It is a scalable solution. It easily scales up and scales down."

"The solution is stable and the performance is good."

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

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

"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."

"I recommend using PlanetScale as it provides ease of access and control over database changes using commands from the local terminal."

"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 branching feature is also good for developer experience."

Cons

"The only potential area for improvement could be the pricing model, which might benefit from being more flexible or a bit cheaper."

"The stability of the solution isn't perfect."

"Master-master replication is something that needs to be simplified."

"The maintenance and performance could be a bit better."

"MariaDB has to improve from a management perspective."

"The license should be cheaper and closer to that offered by MySQL, Oracle and other products."

"The solution should do some fine-tuning on maybe the transaction per second so that users can get more than they can on the Microsoft SQL Server."

"Document caching is an area of concern in the product, where improvements are required to help MariaDB improve on the previous queries as they are retained, and you can roll back to them."

More MariaDB cons

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

"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."

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

"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."

"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."

Pricing and Cost Advice

"MariaDB is open-source and self-hosted."

"We use the solution's free version."

"It's an open-source solution."

"I used the open-source version, which is available free of charge."

"I rate the product's price a three on a scale of one to ten, where one is low price, and ten is high price since there are some support costs involved, even though it isn't an open-source solution."

"The tool is open-source."

"When it comes to MariaDB, it should have a more cost-effective license."

"The cost is quite good. You can have the open source, free version, which has adequate capacity."

More MariaDB 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."

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

"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

Computer Software Company

10%

Comms Service Provider

10%

Financial Services Firm

University

No data available

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	27
Midsize Enterprise	12
Large Enterprise	26

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	7
Large Enterprise	2

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about MariaDB?

The integration with other products is seamless.

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for MariaDB?

MariaDB is in the pricey range, especially for huge databases handling terabytes of data. The cost depends on the volume of data and different features enabled during configuration, such as backup ...

See all answers

What needs improvement with MariaDB?

Sometimes, complex queries that were supported in Oracle are not available in MariaDB. Advanced indexing is not available. Oracle is very advanced compared to MariaDB, and those advanced features a...

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

Firebird SQL vs MariaDB

Compared 13% of the time

PostgreSQL vs MariaDB

Compared 11% of the time

MySQL vs MariaDB

Compared 10% of the time

SQL Server vs MariaDB

Compared 10% of the time

Oracle Database vs MariaDB

Compared 6% of the time

More MariaDB Competitors

Amazon Aurora Serverless vs PlanetScale

Compared 57% of the time

Citus Data vs PlanetScale

Compared 19% of the time

SQL Server vs PlanetScale

Compared 7% of the time

Google Cloud SQL vs PlanetScale

Compared 6% of the time

Amazon Aurora vs PlanetScale

Compared 6% of the time

More PlanetScale Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

MariaDB

April 2026

Download MariaDB product report

Buyer's Guide

Relational Databases Tools

April 2026

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Overview

MariaDB is a robust database solution known for its scalability, speed, and user-friendliness. It supports seamless integration and provides reliable performance in handling large datasets, offering strong community backing alongside its open-source nature.

MariaDB is renowned for efficiently managing large databases and complex relationships while being stable and easy to integrate. With advanced features like replication, encryption, and SQL compatibility, it offers fast query processing. Its straightforward installation and management processes facilitate seamless enterprise integrations and ensure high performance in real-time data scenarios. However, enhancements in enterprise integration, clustering, and scalability are necessary. Addressing challenges with complex queries, security, and user experience would be advantageous, alongside offering robust technical support and a competitive pricing model.

What are the key features of MariaDB?

Scalability: Handles large databases and complex relationships effectively.
User-Friendliness: Offers easy integration and management.
Speed: Provides fast query processing using multi-core processing efficiently.
Advanced Features: Includes replication, encryption, and SQL compatibility.
Open-Source: Encourages strong community support and continuous improvement.

What benefits should users consider when evaluating MariaDB?

Performance: High performance in real-time data processing.
Integration: Seamless integration with enterprise systems and SaaS applications.
Community Support: Strong open-source community for troubleshooting and development.
Cost-Effectiveness: Competitive pricing compared to proprietary databases.
Compatibility: MySQL compatibility for easier transitions and migrations.

MariaDB is extensively utilized in backend support for cloud telephony platforms, ERP systems, and financial software, being crucial for web application development and data storage. Entities favor its compatibility with MySQL for complex join queries and its support for structured data management in SaaS applications.

MariaDB

PlanetScale offers seamless database management for Postgres and MySQL 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 PgBouncer connection pooling and constant availability, making it ideal for serverless applications. Its integration with tools like Cloudflare and DrizzleORM enhances the developer experience, allowing fast setup and effortless database interactions.

What are the most important features of PlanetScale?

PgBouncer connection pooling: Optimizes database connections for serverless environments.
Constant availability: Ensures uninterrupted operations and workflow efficiency.
Developer-friendly: Integrates seamlessly with Cloudflare hyperdrive and DrizzleORM for enhanced project management.
Quick setup: Simplifies setup processes in corporate environments, allowing immediate use.
Local NVMe storage: PlanetScale Metal lets your database run with locally attached NVMe storage, giving you faster reads and writes.
Database branching: Teams can set up independent branches for CICD tests and staging environments, simplifying the development process.

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 Cloudflare hyperdrive and DrizzleORM for efficient workflows.

PlanetScale finds significant use in hosting databases for enterprise companies, other infrastructure providers, chat applications, and hobby projects. Its compatibility with DrizzleORM facilitates seamless MySQL and Postgres database management online. Users leverage its capabilities for OLTP workloads and manage data environments effectively.

PlanetScale

Sample Customers

Google, Wikipedia, Tencent, Verizon, DBS Bank, Deutsche Bank, Telefónica, Huatai Securities

Block, Intercom, Convex, MyFitnessPal

Buyer's Guide

MariaDB vs. PlanetScale

April 2026

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