GitHub vs PlanetScale — Pricing, Plans, and Verified Costs (2026)
GitHub starts at $4/mo. PlanetScale starts at $5/mo. GitHub is $1/mo cheaper on the entry tier than PlanetScale.
See price history: GitHub · PlanetScale
The dominant developer platform (source control + code review + CI/CD + package registry), owned by Microsoft ($7.5B acquisition, 2018). Positioned as the alternative to GitLab and Bitbucket for the vast majority of open-source and enterprise software teams. Distinctive for its Copilot AI product ($10-$39/user/mo) that became Microsoft's fastest-growing AI SKU. Priced free (unlimited public + private repos) up to $21/user/mo Enterprise. Real cost bloat: GitHub Actions minutes and Copilot seats scale with team activity.
Serverless MySQL platform built on Vitess (YouTube's original scaling infra). Positioned as the alternative to Amazon Aurora for teams that need horizontal scale with zero downtime schema changes. PS-5 cluster starts at $39/mo, HA clusters from $59/mo. Distinctive for branching + deploy requests (git-like workflow for schema changes). Killed its free tier in April 2024 — controversial move that drove users to Neon + Turso.
All plans compared
| Tier role | Plan | GitHub monthly | GitHub annual | PlanetScale monthly | PlanetScale annual |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free / starter | Free / Hobby | Free | Free | Free | Free |
| Entry paid | — / $5 PlanetScale | — | — | $5 | $5 |
| Teams | Team / — | $4 | $4 | — | — |
| Enterprise | Enterprise | $21 | $21 | Custom | Custom |
Tier names differ across vendors. Rows are aligned by tier role, not name. Full tier structures on each tool's page.
What each is best for
GitHub is worth it if… GitHub is still the default Git host in 2026 for any team that wants industry-standard PR workflows, code review, CI/CD (Actions), and native Copilot AI. Free for public repos; Team is the entry paid tier, Enterprise for larger orgs.
PlanetScale is worth it if… developers who want serverless MySQL with branching (Git-like schema changes) and read replicas — particularly for high-traffic apps that outgrow shared Postgres. New $5/mo tier launched 2026 undercutting AWS RDS on entry pricing; Scaler adds more resources; Enterprise custom.
Bottom line: Similar positioning, closer to a preference call than a strategic one.
Choose GitHub over PlanetScale if…
Choose GitHub if…
- You want fixed-price predictability (per seat, from $4/mo).
- You match the profile GitHub is built for: still the default Git host in 2026 for any team that wants industry-standard PR workflows, code review, CI/CD (Actions), and native Copilot AI.
- You need a general-purpose developer & infrastructure option rather than a vertical-specific one.
Choose PlanetScale if…
- You're comfortable with PlanetScale's from $5/mo entry point.
- You match the profile PlanetScale is built for: developers who want serverless MySQL with branching (Git-like schema changes) and read replicas — particularly for high-traffic apps that outgrow shared Postgres.
- You need a general-purpose developer & infrastructure option rather than a vertical-specific one.
At a glance
| GitHub | PlanetScale | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Entry price | $4/mo | $5/mo |
| Enterprise available | Yes | Yes |
| Pricing model | Per Seat | — |
| Last verified | September 14, 2026 | September 11, 2026 |
| Full pricing | View full pricing | View full pricing |
Pricing last verified September 14, 2026. Tracked daily.
Frequently asked questions
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