Best 8 PlanetScale Alternatives in 2026

Convex is a backend platform that gives you everything needed to build modern web and mobile applications. It includes a real-time database, serverless functions, file storage, and built-in features like authentication and scheduling. Unlike traditional backend setups, Convex updates your app automatically whenever data changes, without requiring complex code.

The platform is built around TypeScript, which means you get full type safety from your frontend to your backend. This reduces errors and makes development faster. Convex also includes vector search for AI applications, webhooks for integrations, and components that add functionality with simple commands.

There is a free plan for individual developers and small projects, plus paid plans for teams that need more resources and support. Self-hosting is also possible with the open-source version.

Appwrite is a backend platform that handles all the technical work behind your apps. Instead of building everything yourself, you get pre-made systems for common needs like storing user data, managing files, and handling authentication. Think of it as a toolbox filled with everything your app needs to work properly.

The platform works with many programming languages and frameworks, so you can use the tools you already know. You can add features like user sign-up, password recovery, database storage, and file uploads with just a few lines of code.

Appwrite can be installed on your own servers or used through their cloud service. Both options give you the same features, but self-hosting means you keep complete control over your data and how everything runs.

Supabase is a complete backend platform that gives you all the tools needed to build modern applications. At its core is a Postgres database, which is known for being stable and feature-rich. You can store data, create tables, and manage relationships without writing complex code.

Beyond the database, Supabase includes user authentication with support for email, social logins, and phone numbers. It also has file storage for images and documents, real-time features for live updates, and edge functions to run custom code. Everything connects through simple APIs that are automatically created from your database structure.

What makes Supabase different is that it is completely open-source. You can host it yourself or use their cloud service, and you never get locked into their platform.

Neon is a cloud database service built on Postgres, the most trusted open source database. It separates storage and computing power into two independent parts, allowing each to scale separately. This design means your database can grow or shrink automatically based on your needs, and it can even scale down to zero when not in use to save money.

The standout feature is database branching. Just like creating a branch in Git to test new code, you can create a branch of your database to test changes without affecting your main data. These branches are created instantly and use minimal extra storage thanks to a copy-on-write system. Neon is perfect for developers who want a powerful database without the complexity of traditional database management.

SurrealDB is a database that handles multiple types of data storage without needing different database systems. Think of it as one tool that can work like a traditional database with rows and columns, a document store like MongoDB, and a graph database for connected data—all at the same time.

It is built with Rust programming language, which makes it fast and reliable. You can use it directly from web browsers, mobile apps, or servers. The database includes built-in security features, so you can control who sees what data without writing extra code.

SurrealDB supports real-time updates, meaning your application sees changes instantly without constantly checking for updates. This makes it perfect for chat apps, live dashboards, and similar tools.

Turso is a database service that takes SQLite and makes it ready for large-scale production use. You can create as many databases as you need, and they work just like SQLite but with added cloud features. Each database can be replicated to different parts of the world, making your app faster for users everywhere.

It includes native vector search, which is important for AI applications that use language models. You can also create database branches for testing, similar to how you branch code in Git. The embedded replicas feature lets you run a local copy of your database inside your app, giving you super-fast data access even when offline. This makes Turso ideal for modern apps that need both speed and reliability.

SlateDB is an embedded storage engine that uses a log-structured merge-tree design and writes everything to cloud object storage. You include it as a library in your Rust applications, and it handles data storage through services like S3 or Google Cloud Storage.

The main advantage is unlimited storage capacity. Cloud storage can hold any amount of data without you managing servers or disks. It also provides automatic backups and can handle multiple readers at once, though only one writer at a time.

The trade-off is slightly higher response times compared to local disk storage. Write operations typically take 50-100 milliseconds. This makes SlateDB perfect for applications where cost and reliability matter more than ultra-fast response times.

Hydra is a serverless analytics database that runs on Postgres. It uses columnar storage to compress your data by up to 15 times, which makes queries much faster and storage much cheaper. The platform automatically scales computing power up or down based on your needs, so you never pay for resources you're not using.

Unlike traditional databases that store data row by row, Hydra organizes data in columns. This makes it extremely fast for analytical queries that need to scan large amounts of data. It also includes automatic caching and read replicas to handle high traffic without slowing down.

The service works with your existing Postgres tools and applications, so you don't need to learn new technologies or rewrite your code to get started.