Start with MySQL-oriented scaling patterns
If your application is built on MySQL or an ORM that generates MySQL-compatible queries, and you anticipate the need for horizontal sharding as data volume grows, PlanetScale's Vitess-based architecture provides MySQL-compatible branching and sharding without requiring application changes. PlanetScale's database branching workflow (similar to Git branches for schema changes) is a strong fit for teams that do frequent schema migrations and want safe, zero-downtime deployments.
- Recommendation: PlanetScale
Recommended starting points
Based on your constraints, these products typically fit best. Read each decision brief to confirm pricing behavior and limits match your reality.
PlanetScale
Serverless MySQL platform (Vitess-based) evaluated when teams want MySQL compatibility plus modern workflows and horizontal scaling patterns.
Why this recommendation
If your application is built on MySQL or an ORM that generates MySQL-compatible queries, and you anticipate the need for horizontal sharding as data volume grows, PlanetScale's Vitess-based architecture provides MySQL-compatible branching and sharding without requiring application changes. PlanetScale's database branching workflow (similar to Git branches for schema changes) is a strong fit for teams that do frequent schema migrations and want safe, zero-downtime deployments.