Serverless Databases Compared: Neon, PlanetScale, Supabase, and More

Databases That Scale to Zero

Serverless databases scale compute automatically — from zero connections to thousands — and charge based on actual usage. They eliminate database server management, capacity planning, and idle resource costs. At Nexis Limited, we evaluate serverless databases for cost-effective solutions in our SaaS products.

Neon — Serverless PostgreSQL

Neon provides fully managed PostgreSQL with automatic scaling, branching, and scale-to-zero. Key features:

• Branching: Create instant copies of your database for development, testing, or preview deployments — similar to Git branches but for your database.
• Scale to zero: Compute scales down to zero when not in use and starts up in milliseconds on the first connection.
• Autoscaling: Compute scales up automatically based on workload.
• Standard PostgreSQL: Full PostgreSQL compatibility — use any PostgreSQL client, extension, or tool.

Best for: Teams that want standard PostgreSQL with serverless scaling and database branching for development workflows.

PlanetScale — Serverless MySQL

PlanetScale is built on Vitess (the technology that scales MySQL at YouTube). Key features:

• Schema branching: Deploy schema changes through a branch-based workflow similar to pull requests.
• Non-blocking schema changes: Alter tables without locking or downtime.
• Horizontal scaling: Automatic sharding for large datasets.
• Connection pooling: Built-in connection management for serverless functions.

Best for: Teams that need MySQL with safe schema migration workflows and horizontal scaling.

Supabase — PostgreSQL Platform

Supabase is more than a database — it is a Firebase alternative built on PostgreSQL. Key features:

• Full PostgreSQL: Managed PostgreSQL with extensions, functions, and triggers.
• Authentication: Built-in auth with social login, email/password, and magic links.
• Real-time subscriptions: Listen to database changes in real time via WebSockets.
• Storage: Object storage with access policies.
• Edge Functions: Deno-based serverless functions for custom backend logic.

Best for: Teams that want a full backend platform with PostgreSQL at its core, especially for prototyping and MVPs.

CockroachDB Serverless

CockroachDB Serverless provides distributed SQL with automatic scaling:

• Distributed: Data automatically distributed across multiple regions for low-latency global access.
• PostgreSQL compatible: Wire-compatible with PostgreSQL.
• Survivable: No single point of failure — survives node, zone, and region failures.

Best for: Applications requiring multi-region data distribution and extreme resilience.

Comparison Matrix

Choosing the Right Option

• Need PostgreSQL with developer-friendly branching → Neon
• Need MySQL with safe schema changes at scale → PlanetScale
• Need a full backend platform (auth, storage, real-time) → Supabase
• Need multi-region distributed SQL → CockroachDB

Conclusion

Serverless databases eliminate infrastructure management and scale with your application. Choose based on your database preference (PostgreSQL vs MySQL), scaling needs (single region vs global), and feature requirements (database-only vs full platform). For most web applications, any of these options provides better developer experience and lower cost than self-managed databases.

Choosing your database architecture? Our team can help evaluate options for your specific requirements.