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Firebase vs PlanetScale
Firebase is a NoSQL backend focused on realtime data, not a relational sharded SQL database.
Which to pick
Pick Firebase if you want…
- Integrated backend services for apps
- Realtime NoSQL backend
- A free plan to start with (Spark (Free))
- Integrations with iOS, Android or Web (on Firebase's list, not PlanetScale's)
Pick PlanetScale if you want…
- Sharded MySQL/Postgres with unlimited IOPS
- Integrations with Fivetran, Airbyte or Hightouch (on PlanetScale's list, not Firebase's)
Side by side
- What it is
- Firebase:Firebase is Google’s platform of services for building, running and scaling mobile and web apps.
- PlanetScale:PlanetScale provides managed, horizontally-sharded MySQL, Vitess, and Postgres databases with unlimited IOPS and high-availability.
- Best for
- Firebase:Integrated backend services for apps
- PlanetScale:Sharded MySQL/Postgres with unlimited IOPS
- Who it’s for
- Firebase:Mobile and web developers building modern applications.
- PlanetScale:Developers and teams needing scalable, high-performance cloud databases.
- Pricing
- Firebase:Freemium
- PlanetScale:Paid
- Plans
- Firebase:Spark (Free) $0
- PlanetScale:Single-node Postgres $5 per month · PlanetScale Metal $50 per month
- Works with
- Firebase:iOS, Android, Web, Flutter, Unity, C++, Google Ads, AdMob
- PlanetScale:Fivetran, Airbyte, Hightouch, Datadog, Vantage, Debezium, Prometheus, pganalyze
Firebase features
- Authentication. Provides user sign-in, phone auth and identity platform with generous free limits.
- Realtime Database & Firestore. Scalable NoSQL databases with real-time sync and offline support.
- Hosting & Cloud Functions. Static web hosting with SSL and serverless functions for backend logic.
- Crashlytics & Performance Monitoring. Live crash reporting and performance metrics to improve app quality.
- Remote Config & A/B Testing. Feature flagging and experiments to personalize user experiences.
- Firebase AI Logic. Generative AI integration powered by Gemini and Google Cloud pricing.
PlanetScale features
- Horizontal sharding. Vitess and Neki enable explicit sharding for MySQL and Postgres across thousands of nodes.
- Branch-per-environment. Each branch runs on its own isolated cluster for safe schema changes.
- Unlimited IOPS on NVMe. PlanetScale Metal uses blazing-fast NVMe drives with unlimited IOPS.
- High-availability clusters. One primary and two replicas across three availability zones with automated failover.
- Built-in connection pooling. PgBouncer for Postgres and similar pooling for MySQL reduce connection overhead.
- Query Insights & observability. Integrated monitoring dashboards for Vitess, Neki, and Postgres workloads.
- Database Traffic Control™. Set flexible budgets on query traffic to prevent runaway queries.
- Security & compliance. SOC 1/2, PCI DSS, HIPAA compliance with IP restrictions and private link options.
Firebase vs PlanetScale FAQ
Is Firebase or PlanetScale free?+
Firebase has a free plan (Spark (Free)) and paid plans. PlanetScale is paid, from $5/month (Single-node Postgres).
Do Firebase and PlanetScale integrate with the same tools?+
Their integration lists don't overlap: Firebase lists iOS, Android, Web, Flutter and 9 more; PlanetScale lists Fivetran, Airbyte, Hightouch, Datadog and 8 more.
On DevHunt
Based on each tool's website and DevHunt data. Details may change; check the official sites.