Sylphx vs PlanetScale
MySQL scaling vs. full-stack data platform
PlanetScale offers exceptional MySQL scaling with branching and schema management features. But it's a single-service provider. Sylphx delivers a complete data platform — Postgres database, KV store, full-text search, realtime, and automated backups — plus the full SaaS stack on top.
Feature comparison
Side-by-side look at what each platform includes out of the box.
Key differences
Full data platform vs. MySQL specialist
PlanetScale's core innovation is MySQL's Vitess-powered horizontal scaling with database branching. Sylphx provides managed Postgres, a global KV store, full-text search, realtime pub/sub, and automated backups — a complete data layer without needing separate vendors.
Application services
PlanetScale is purely a database provider — it has no auth, billing, analytics, AI, or other application services. Sylphx bundles 18 services so you never need to integrate a separate auth provider, billing platform, or analytics tool.
Pricing after hobby tier
PlanetScale removed its free tier in 2024, with the Scaler plan starting at $39/month. Sylphx maintains a genuine free tier for all services, with usage-based scaling that grows with your application's actual needs.
Developer experience
PlanetScale's branching model is powerful but adds workflow overhead for small teams. Sylphx's database service uses managed Postgres with standard migration workflows and a TypeScript query client — familiar and productive from day one.