PlanetScale vs Temporal: 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 Temporal goes after "durable execution at any scale" — so the right pick depends on which problem you're actually solving. They take different commercial approaches — PlanetScale uses a subscription-based model and Temporal a freemium approach, which affects how costs scale as your team grows. Temporal 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 | Temporal | |
|---|---|---|
| Our score | 73/100 | 82/100 |
| Starting price | $39/mo | Free |
| Free tier | No | Yes |
| Best for | Serverless MySQL platform with branching | Durable execution at any scale |
Pricing comparison
Calculate your cost
Feature comparison
core
| Feature | PlanetScale | Temporal |
|---|---|---|
| MySQL compatible | Yes | No |
| Database branching | Yes | No |
| Non-blocking schema changes | Yes | No |
| Connection pooling | Yes | No |
| Auto-scaling | Yes | No |
| Durable workflows | No | Yes |
| Activity functions | No | Yes |
| Signals and queries | No | Yes |
| Long-running workflows | No | Yes |
| State persistence | No | Yes |
advanced
| Feature | PlanetScale | Temporal |
|---|---|---|
| Vitess-powered sharding | Yes | No |
| Rewind (time travel) | Yes | No |
| Query analytics | Yes | No |
| Read replicas | Enterprise | No |
| Private networking | Enterprise | No |
| Custom retry policies | No | Yes |
| Child workflows | No | Yes |
| Saga pattern | No | Yes |
| Versioning | No | Yes |
| Visibility/search | No | Yes |
integrations
| Feature | PlanetScale | Temporal |
|---|---|---|
| Prisma | Yes | No |
| Drizzle | Yes | No |
| Laravel | Yes | No |
| Rails | Yes | No |
| Vercel | Yes | No |
| Railway | Yes | No |
| Go | No | Yes |
| Java | No | Yes |
| Python | No | Yes |
| TypeScript | No | Yes |
| PHP | No | Yes |
Ratings breakdown
What the data tells us
Key capabilities you'd miss
Choosing PlanetScale means going without Durable workflows, Activity functions, Signals and queries (which Temporal offers). Choosing Temporal 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. Temporal (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 Temporal 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 Temporal better?
Temporal 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 Temporal scores 6/10.
How much does PlanetScale cost compared to Temporal?
PlanetScale starts at $39/mo. Temporal starts at free (free tier available). Temporal is the more affordable option.
Does PlanetScale or Temporal have a free plan?
Temporal offers a free tier. PlanetScale does not — its cheapest plan starts at $39/mo.
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