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PlanetScale Alternative: Vela vs PlanetScale

Postgres + extensions in your cloud—with enterprise RBAC, instant storage‑level cloning, and predictable pricing.

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Looking for a PlanetScale alternative? Keep the branching speed—but add Postgres features, BYOC, and instant copy‑on‑write clones for large datasets in CI/QA.

At a Glance

Branch fast, keep full SQL features, run in your cloud

BYOC / On‑prem

Data stays in your account & region. Simplify residency.

Instant Branching

Copy‑on‑write clones for production‑like data in seconds.

Enterprise RBAC

Org‑wide roles, SSO, quotas, and guardrails.

Feature‑by‑Feature Comparison

See how Vela compares across what matters

Data Model & Ecosystem

V

Vela (PlanetScale Alternative)

  • PostgreSQL (relational, ACID) with extensions
  • SQL joins, functions, triggers, pgvector, FDWs
  • Supabase‑style APIs & Studio (enterprise‑modified)
  • Great fit for analytics + app workloads
P

PlanetScale (Cloud)

  • MySQL (Vitess) with branching
  • No triggers/foreign keys (by design) in many flows
  • Great developer DX, strong branching story
  • Excellent for globally‑sharded MySQL apps

Hosting Model & Control

V

Vela (PlanetScale Alternative)

  • BYOC / on‑prem in your account
  • Self‑hosted control plane (Kubernetes)
  • Data residency & compliance control
  • Portable across hyperscalers and EU tier‑2 clouds
P

PlanetScale (Cloud)

  • Managed SaaS only
  • Runs in provider accounts
  • Private networking on higher tiers
  • Not self‑hosted

Developer & QA Workflows

V

Vela (PlanetScale Alternative)

  • Instant copy‑on‑write database cloning
  • Git‑style branching for feature environments
  • Ephemeral DB per PR / pipeline
  • Large dataset clones for CI/QA
P

PlanetScale (Cloud)

  • Branches and deploy requests (MySQL)
  • Schema workflows with non‑blocking changes
  • Great for app iteration speed
  • Large test datasets require imports/seeding

Performance & Scaling

V

Vela (PlanetScale Alternative)

  • Independently scale vCPU / RAM / IOPS
  • Low‑latency storage (Simplyblock) + fast snapshots
  • Live migration & cluster rebalancing
  • Optimized for heavy CI/QA + staging
P

PlanetScale (Cloud)

  • Serverless MySQL atop Vitess
  • Global scalability and autoscaling
  • Throughput depends on plan/resources
  • No BYO storage engine

Pricing & Cost Predictability

V

Vela (PlanetScale Alternative)

  • Flat $/vCPU (no per‑seat fees)
  • Unlimited developers
  • No egress fees inside your cloud
  • Encourages many short‑lived branches
P

PlanetScale (Cloud)

  • Usage‑based SaaS pricing
  • Seats/features vary by plan
  • Data transfer & storage billed
  • Great for small teams and spiky workloads

Security & Governance

V

Vela (PlanetScale Alternative)

  • Org‑wide RBAC, LDAP/SAML SSO
  • Org defaults for backups/limits
  • BYOC simplifies residency mandates
  • Audit/K8s‑native controls
P

PlanetScale (Cloud)

  • SaaS org roles & SSO (tiers)
  • Backups/replication managed
  • Residency depends on offered regions
  • SaaS compliance posture

Cost Predictability for Growing Teams

Encourage more testing without surprise bills

ScenarioVela (BYOC)PlanetScale (Cloud)Notes
5 devs, 10 test DBsPredictable $/vCPUUsage‑based SaaSBranch‑heavy CI prefers flat infra cost
20 devs, CI per PRLarge clones instantlySeed/import requiredStorage‑level clones save time
Strict residencyData in your account/regionRegions by providerBYOC eases audits
Model Costs for Your Team

Which One Fits Your Situation?

A quick guide for choosing

Choose Vela if…

  • • You need Postgres features & extensions.
  • • You want BYOC/on‑prem with strict residency.
  • • You run heavy CI/QA with many ephemeral branches.
  • • You prefer predictable $/vCPU and unlimited seats.

Choose PlanetScale if…

  • • You want managed MySQL with branching.
  • • Your team prefers usage‑based SaaS.
  • • You’re fine with provider‑managed accounts.
  • • You’re building MySQL‑native global apps.

FAQ: PlanetScale Alternative

When pick Vela vs PlanetScale?

Choose Vela if you need Postgres + extensions, BYOC/on‑prem control, and frequent large dataset cloning for CI/QA with predictable $/vCPU. Choose PlanetScale if you want managed serverless MySQL with a strong branching workflow.

Does PlanetScale support foreign keys and triggers?

PlanetScale’s workflow encourages designs without FK/trigger coupling in many cases; Vela supports full Postgres features including FK/constraints and triggers.

Can we migrate from PlanetScale to Vela?

Yes—migrate MySQL data into Postgres, validate in parallel, then cut over. Some SQL and feature differences require mapping.

More Reasons to Move to Vela

Beyond branching, here’s what stands out

BenefitVelaPlanetScaleDetails
Postgres Extensions✓MySQLpgvector, FDWs, triggers, constraints, etc.
Self‑Hosting & Residency✓–Run in your own accounts & regions for compliance.
Instant DB Branching✓✓Vela uses storage‑level CoW for huge datasets.
Predictable $/vCPU Pricing✓Usage‑basedUnlimited seats; fewer surprises from spikes.
Enterprise RBAC✓TiersOrg‑wide roles, SSO, quotas, guardrails.
Analytics Without ETL✓MySQLRun BI on SQL with Postgres features.

Bring Postgres Branching to Your Cloud

See how Vela’s BYOC model, instant cloning, and enterprise RBAC reduce production mistakes and speed up releases.

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