Inngest vs PlanetScale: Full Comparison (2026)
Pricing, features, scores, and a clear verdict on which one is right for you.
The bottom line
Inngest positions itself as "durable workflows for serverless" while PlanetScale goes after "serverless mysql platform with branching" — so the right pick depends on which problem you're actually solving. They take different commercial approaches — Inngest uses a freemium approach and PlanetScale a subscription-based model, which affects how costs scale as your team grows. Inngest lets you start for free, which means you can validate the fit before committing budget. PlanetScale requires a paid commitment upfront, so make sure it matches your workflow before signing.
At a glance
| Inngest | PlanetScale | |
|---|---|---|
| Our score | 85/100 | 73/100 |
| Starting price | Free | $39/mo |
| Free tier | Yes | No |
| Best for | Durable workflows for serverless | Serverless MySQL platform with branching |
Pricing comparison
Calculate your cost
Feature comparison
core
| Feature | Inngest | PlanetScale |
|---|---|---|
| Durable workflows | Yes | No |
| Step functions | Yes | No |
| Scheduled jobs | Yes | No |
| Event-driven triggers | Yes | No |
| Fan-out | Yes | No |
| MySQL compatible | No | Yes |
| Database branching | No | Yes |
| Non-blocking schema changes | No | Yes |
| Connection pooling | No | Yes |
| Auto-scaling | No | Yes |
advanced
| Feature | Inngest | PlanetScale |
|---|---|---|
| Retries with backoff | Yes | No |
| Cancellation | Yes | No |
| Concurrency controls | Yes | No |
| Batching | Yes | No |
| Sleep/wait for event | Yes | No |
| Vitess-powered sharding | No | Yes |
| Rewind (time travel) | No | Yes |
| Query analytics | No | Yes |
| Read replicas | No | Enterprise |
| Private networking | No | Enterprise |
integrations
| Feature | Inngest | PlanetScale |
|---|---|---|
| Next.js | Yes | No |
| Vercel | Yes | Yes |
| Netlify | Yes | No |
| AWS Lambda | Yes | No |
| Express | Yes | No |
| Prisma | No | Yes |
| Drizzle | No | Yes |
| Laravel | No | Yes |
| Rails | No | Yes |
| Railway | No | Yes |
Ratings breakdown
What the data tells us
Key capabilities you'd miss
Choosing Inngest means going without MySQL compatible, Database branching, Non-blocking schema changes (which PlanetScale offers). Choosing PlanetScale means losing Durable workflows, Step functions, Scheduled jobs. These are the features that typically drive the final decision — check whether your workflow depends on any of them before committing.
What company size tells you
PlanetScale (51-200 employees) has the engineering bench to ship features across many fronts but may iterate slower on individual requests. Inngest (1-10 employees) typically ships faster on its core product but may lag on peripheral features. Consider which matters more for your roadmap.
Choose Inngest if...
- You want a free tier to get started
- You value an intuitive, easy-to-use interface
- Getting strong value for money is a priority
Choose PlanetScale if...
- You're ready to invest from $39/mo
- You value powerful features over simplicity
- You need enterprise-grade capabilities
Frequently asked questions
Is Inngest or PlanetScale better?
Inngest scores 85/100 compared to PlanetScale's 73/100 on VendorVS. However, the best choice depends on your needs — Inngest excels at ease of use (9/10) while PlanetScale scores 7/10.
How much does Inngest cost compared to PlanetScale?
Inngest starts at free (free tier available). PlanetScale starts at $39/mo. Inngest is the more affordable option.
Does Inngest or PlanetScale have a free plan?
Inngest offers a free tier. PlanetScale does not — its cheapest plan starts at $39/mo.
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