PlanetScale vs Sanity: Full Comparison (2026)
Pricing, features, scores, and a clear verdict on which one is right for you.
The bottom line
PlanetScale positions itself as "serverless mysql platform with branching" while Sanity goes after "developer-first headless cms with real-time collaboration" — so the right pick depends on which problem you're actually solving. They take different commercial approaches — PlanetScale uses a subscription-based model and Sanity a freemium approach, which affects how costs scale as your team grows. Sanity 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
| PlanetScale | Sanity | |
|---|---|---|
| Our score | 73/100 | 82/100 |
| Starting price | $39/mo | Free |
| Free tier | No | Yes |
| Best for | Serverless MySQL platform with branching | Developer-first headless CMS with real-time collaboration |
Pricing comparison
Calculate your cost
Feature comparison
core
| Feature | PlanetScale | Sanity |
|---|---|---|
| MySQL compatible | Yes | No |
| Database branching | Yes | No |
| Non-blocking schema changes | Yes | No |
| Connection pooling | Yes | No |
| Auto-scaling | Yes | No |
| Content modeling (schema) | No | Yes |
| GROQ query language | No | Yes |
| Real-time collaboration | No | Yes |
| Custom Studio | No | Yes |
| Portable Text | No | Yes |
advanced
| Feature | PlanetScale | Sanity |
|---|---|---|
| Vitess-powered sharding | Yes | No |
| Rewind (time travel) | Yes | No |
| Query analytics | Yes | No |
| Read replicas | Enterprise | No |
| Private networking | Enterprise | No |
| TypeScript support | No | Yes |
| Live preview | No | Yes |
| Scheduled publishing | No | Yes |
| AI Assist | No | Yes |
| Image transformations | No | Yes |
integrations
| Feature | PlanetScale | Sanity |
|---|---|---|
| Prisma | Yes | No |
| Drizzle | Yes | No |
| Laravel | Yes | No |
| Rails | Yes | No |
| Vercel | Yes | Yes |
| Railway | Yes | No |
| Next.js | No | Yes |
| Astro | No | Yes |
| Shopify | No | Yes |
| Cloudflare | No | Yes |
| Algolia | No | Yes |
Ratings breakdown
What the data tells us
Key capabilities you'd miss
Choosing PlanetScale means going without Content modeling (schema), GROQ query language, Real-time collaboration (which Sanity offers). Choosing Sanity means losing MySQL compatible, Database branching, Non-blocking schema changes. 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. Sanity (201-500 employees) typically ships faster on its core product but may lag on peripheral features. Consider which matters more for your roadmap.
Choose PlanetScale if...
- You're ready to invest from $39/mo
- You value powerful features over simplicity
- You need enterprise-grade capabilities
Choose Sanity if...
- You want a free tier to get started
- You value powerful features over simplicity
- Getting strong value for money is a priority
Frequently asked questions
Is PlanetScale or Sanity better?
Sanity scores 82/100 compared to PlanetScale's 73/100 on VendorVS. However, the best choice depends on your needs — PlanetScale excels at ease of use (7/10) while Sanity scores 7/10.
How much does PlanetScale cost compared to Sanity?
PlanetScale starts at $39/mo. Sanity starts at free (free tier available). Sanity is the more affordable option.
Does PlanetScale or Sanity have a free plan?
Sanity offers a free tier. PlanetScale does not — its cheapest plan starts at $39/mo.
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