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Nhost vs PlanetScale
Side-by-side comparison of Nhost and PlanetScale.
Quick summary
Nhost — Open source Firebase alternative with GraphQL. Nhost is an open-source backend platform combining PostgreSQL, Hasura GraphQL, authentication, and storage.
PlanetScale — The MySQL-compatible serverless database. PlanetScale is a MySQL-compatible serverless database built on Vitess with branching and non-blocking schema changes.
Feature comparison
| Feature | Nhost | PlanetScale |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | Freemium | Paid |
| Starting price | $25/mo | $39/mo |
| Free tier | Yes | No |
| Open source | Yes | No |
| Auth | Yes | — |
| Storage | Yes | — |
| Database | PostgreSQL | — |
| Realtime | Yes | — |
| Free Tier | Yes | Discontinued |
| Self-hosted | Yes | — |
| Edge Functions | Yes | — |
| Row Level Security | Yes | — |
| Engine | — | MySQL (Vitess) |
| Branching | — | Yes |
| Serverless | — | Yes |
| Scale-to-zero | — | No |
| Point-in-time Recovery | — | Yes |
Nhost
Open source Firebase alternative with GraphQL
Pros
- GraphQL-first via Hasura
- Postgres + open source
- Good developer experience
Cons
- Smaller community
- GraphQL learning curve
PlanetScale
The MySQL-compatible serverless database
Pros
- Horizontal scaling via Vitess
- Schema branching workflow
- Non-blocking migrations
Cons
- No free tier
- No foreign key constraints by default
- MySQL only
Which should you choose?
Choose Nhost if you value open source and want the option to self-host, and a free tier is important for your stage. Choose PlanetScale if you need production-grade features and are ready to pay.
Frequently asked questions
Which is better, Nhost or PlanetScale?
There is no universal “better.” For most teams, Nhost is the safer default because Nhost is open source, which means you can self-host and avoid vendor lock-in. PlanetScale is proprietary. For edge cases, the comparison table above highlights where each tool wins.
Is Nhost cheaper than PlanetScale?
Nhost starts at $25/mo, while PlanetScale starts at $39/mo. Exact costs depend on usage — check both vendors' calculators before committing.
Can I migrate from Nhost to PlanetScale?
Migration difficulty depends on how deeply Nhost-specific features (APIs, SDK conventions, data schemas) are baked into your app. Most backend as a service migrations take days to weeks. Both vendors typically publish migration guides — check their docs.
Is Nhost or PlanetScale open source?
Nhost is open source; PlanetScale is a proprietary managed service.
Does Nhost or PlanetScale have a free tier?
Nhost has a free tier; PlanetScale does not.
Which is best for startups and indie hackers?
Startups usually optimize for the lowest friction to ship and the cheapest possible free tier. The one with the most generous free tier here is Nhost. For production workloads, revisit the trade-offs in the feature table above.