Compare
Model first vs PlanetScale
Short answer: Pick Model first if you want visual modeling with auto code generation; pick PlanetScale if you want sharded MySQL/Postgres with unlimited IOPS. Model first is free; PlanetScale starts at $5/month.
Which to pick
Pick Model first if you want…
- Visual modeling with auto code generation
- Integrations with multiple ORMs or 29 SQL dialects (on Model first's list, not PlanetScale's)
Pick PlanetScale if you want…
- Sharded MySQL/Postgres with unlimited IOPS
- Scalable MySQL hosting
- Integrations with Fivetran, Airbyte or Hightouch (on PlanetScale's list, not Model first's)
Side by side
- What it is
- Model first:Model First lets developers design visual domain models and automatically generate production-ready code for their chosen stack.
- PlanetScale:PlanetScale provides managed, horizontally-sharded MySQL, Vitess, and Postgres databases with unlimited IOPS and high-availability.
- Best for
- Model first:Visual modeling with auto code generation
- PlanetScale:Sharded MySQL/Postgres with unlimited IOPS
- Who it’s for
- Model first:Developers building data-centric applications who want to sync design and implementation.
- PlanetScale:Developers and teams needing scalable, high-performance cloud databases.
- Pricing
- Model first:Free
- PlanetScale:Paid
- Starting price
- Model first:—
- PlanetScale:$5/month (Single-node Postgres)
- Plans
- Model first:—
- PlanetScale:Single-node Postgres $5 per month · PlanetScale Metal $50 per month
- Works with
- Model first:multiple ORMs, 29 SQL dialects
- PlanetScale:Fivetran, Airbyte, Hightouch, Datadog, Vantage, Debezium, Prometheus, pganalyze
Model first features
- Visual diagram editor. Create intuitive diagrams that represent entity relationships and domain structures.
- Automatic code generation. Generate production-ready code tailored to your selected technology stack.
- SQL dialect support. Works with 29 different SQL dialects for broad database compatibility.
- Extensive generator library. Access 76 code generators covering various languages and frameworks.
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.
Model first vs PlanetScale FAQ
What is the difference between Model first and PlanetScale?+
PlanetScale is a scalable MySQL service; it does not include modeling or code generation tools.
Should I use Model first or PlanetScale?+
Pick Model first if you want visual modeling with auto code generation or integrations with multiple ORMs or 29 SQL dialects (on Model first's list, not PlanetScale's). Pick PlanetScale if you want sharded MySQL/Postgres with unlimited IOPS, scalable MySQL hosting or integrations with Fivetran, Airbyte or Hightouch (on PlanetScale's list, not Model first's).
Is Model first or PlanetScale free?+
Model first is listed as free on DevHunt. PlanetScale is paid, from $5/month (Single-node Postgres).
Do Model first and PlanetScale integrate with the same tools?+
Their integration lists don't overlap: Model first lists multiple ORMs and 29 SQL dialects; 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.