Serverless PostgreSQL Database Cost Comparison 2026
PostgreSQL + Auth + Realtime + Storage; includes vector extensions.
MySQL-only (not PostgreSQL). Reads/writes billed separately at scale.
PostgreSQL only. Generous free tier: 10GB storage, autosuspend. Cheapest at scale.
| Platform | Monthly Cost | Annual Cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Supabase Free | $0 | $0 | 1GB storage, slow CPU, unlimited reads/writes |
| PlanetScale Free | $0 | $0 | 5GB storage, unlimited reads/writes (MySQL only) |
| Neon Free | $0 | $0 | 10GB storage (most generous), autosuspend, 100 compute hours/month |
| Winner: Neon | $0 | $0 | Biggest free tier for prototyping |
| Platform | Compute | Storage | Monthly Cost | Annual |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Supabase Pro | $25/month (Standard compute) | Included (50GB) | $25 | $300 |
| PlanetScale Pro | $49/month + usage | Included (50GB) | $49 + $30 reads/writes | $948 |
| Neon Pro | $19/month (Pro compute) | $0.10 per GB (50GB = $5) | $24 | $288 |
| Winner: Neon | Cheapest compute | $5/month storage | $24/month |
| Platform | Monthly Cost | Annual | Gotchas |
|---|---|---|---|
| Supabase Business ($120+) | $120 (compute) + storage (500GB = $250) | $4,440 | No metered usage; Business tier required |
| PlanetScale Plus ($249+) | $249 + $150–$300 (read/write overage at high scale) | $4,788–$5,388 | Writes billed at $0.065 per 1M; reads cheaper |
| Neon Business ($39+) | $39 (compute) + storage (500GB = $50) | $1,068 | Cheapest at scale; storage unlimited |
| Winner: Neon | $89/month savings vs Supabase | $3,372/year savings |
| Feature | Supabase | PlanetScale | Neon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Database Type | PostgreSQL | MySQL | PostgreSQL |
| Built-in Auth | ✅ Yes (included) | ❌ No (external) | ❌ No (external) |
| Realtime Subscriptions | ✅ Yes (included) | ❌ No | ❌ No |
| Vector Support (pgvector) | ✅ Yes | ❌ No (MySQL limitation) | ✅ Yes (via extension) |
| Autosuspend (Free Tier) | ❌ No (always on) | ❌ No | ✅ Yes (saves compute cost) |
| Branching | ❌ No | ✅ Yes (dev branches) | ✅ Yes (git-like) |
Neon's free tier (10GB, 100 compute hours) covers most development. Autosuspend keeps costs down. Reserve paid tier for production only.
Neon Pro ($19) is cheaper than Supabase Pro ($25) and PlanetScale Pro ($49). If using PostgreSQL, Neon wins on compute cost alone.
PlanetScale bills reads/writes separately. At scale (high write volume), usage charges explode. Budget: 200M reads + writes = $150–$300/month extra on top of plan.
Supabase bundles Auth + Realtime + Database. If you need all three, bundle saves vs separate services. Otherwise, cheaper to use Neon + Auth0 / separate auth service.
If your team is deeply invested in MySQL (legacy app, team expertise), PlanetScale's sharding + branching are worth the 2–3x cost premium vs PostgreSQL alternatives. Otherwise, choose Neon/Supabase.
Initial: Supabase Pro ($25/month) + manual scaling. Hits limits at 100GB storage.
Problem: Upgrade path unclear. Supabase Business ($120+/month) or self-host?
Migration to Neon: Pro tier ($19) + storage overage ($50/month at 500GB). Scale 10x without leaving Neon.
Cost: $25 → $69/month = $44/month increase vs $120+ Supabase Business = $51/month savings
Savings: $612/year by switching to Neon
Current: RDS MySQL, $200/month (self-managed).
Considering: PlanetScale or migration to PostgreSQL + Neon.
Option A: PlanetScale Professional ($49) + reads/writes ($100/month at scale) = $149/month
Option B: Migrate to Neon PostgreSQL + rewrite queries = $39/month (Business) + storage
Decision: Migration effort 2 weeks. ROI breakeven at 3 months ($192 savings).
Savings: $1,872/year by staying on PlanetScale vs RDS, but $1,920/year more by switching to Neon
Requirements: PostgreSQL, Auth, Realtime subscriptions, Vector search (AI features).
Supabase Pro: $25/month = $300/year. Includes Auth, Realtime, Vectors. All-in-one.
Alternative (Neon + Auth0 + Pusher): Neon $19 + Auth0 $15 + Pusher Realtime $10 = $44/month = $528/year
Verdict: Supabase saves $228/year if you need all three features bundled. Worth it.
| Scenario | Best Choice | Annual Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Prototype, < 10GB storage | Neon Free | $0 |
| Early SaaS, PostgreSQL needed | Neon Pro | $228–$300 |
| SaaS needing Auth + Realtime | Supabase Pro | $300–$600 |
| Enterprise PostgreSQL | Neon Business | $468–$2K |
| MySQL-only shop | PlanetScale Pro | $588–$1,500+ |
Neon wins on cost: Cheapest compute ($19/mo Pro), cheapest storage ($0.10/GB), best free tier. Ideal if you need PostgreSQL only.
Supabase wins on features: All-in-one (Auth, Realtime, Database). Bundle value justifies higher price if you need all three. Best for rapid prototyping.
PlanetScale wins only for MySQL: Rare in 2026. Only if legacy MySQL shop or team expertise. Otherwise 2–3x more expensive than PostgreSQL alternatives.
Savings Potential: Switching from Supabase to Neon = 20–40% cost reduction. Switching from self-managed RDS = 50–80% reduction. Neon free tier covers 95% of development.
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