PlanetScale is a Serverless MySQL Database Platform Designed for Developers Building Scalable and Resilient Applications

PlanetScale is a MySQL-compatible database that delivers scale, performance, and reliability without compromising the developer experience. The platform offers advanced features such as horizontal sharding, non-blocking schema changes, and other powerful capabilities while removing the complexity typically associated with implementing them manually.

Founded by Sam Lambert, Jitendra Vaidya, and Sugu Sougoumarane, PlanetScale draws on the experience of engineers who built infrastructure at YouTube, PayPal, Dropbox, and GitHub. The startup has raised over $100 million and is backed by leading investors, including a16z, SignalFire, Insight Partners, and Kleiner Perkins.

“We wanted to create a database that grows with your application without slowing down your team,” Sam says. “Our focus is on letting developers build products, not manage infrastructure.”

Simplifying Database Management

PlanetScale makes managing databases straightforward and reliable. Developers can make schema changes without downtime, create branches to test features safely, and deploy updates without disrupting users. These capabilities reduce risk, accelerate development cycles, and allow teams to focus on innovation.

“Non-blocking schema changes and branching give developers the freedom to experiment,” Sam explains. “They can iterate quickly without worrying about breaking production.”

The platform also automates operational tasks such as replication, failover, and scaling. Monitoring tools provide insights into query performance and resource usage, helping teams spot potential bottlenecks before they become problems. Developers can see trends in traffic, database load, and application performance, allowing them to proactively optimize and maintain a high-quality user experience.

Scaling Without Bottlenecks

PlanetScale supports projects of all sizes, from prototypes to enterprise-grade applications. Teams can adjust compute resources, add databases, and manage workloads without complex configurations or downtime.

“Scaling shouldn’t be a bottleneck,” Sam says. “We want applications to grow naturally while developers stay focused on building value.”

The platform accommodates both containerized and cloud-native workloads, offering flexibility while maintaining consistent performance and reliability for every project. This approach removes the traditional headaches of database management, letting teams focus on building features, not fixing infrastructure.

PlanetScale also offers global distribution, so applications can serve users anywhere without sacrificing speed or reliability. Developers no longer need to build complex replication systems themselves; the platform handles it automatically.

Delivering Reliable Performance and Uptime

Performance and uptime are top priorities for PlanetScale. Features like automated health checks, redundancy, and global distribution ensure applications remain fast and accessible even under heavy traffic.

“Developers need to trust that their applications will perform consistently,” Sam emphasizes. “PlanetScale provides the reliability teams need so they can focus on delivering value.”

The platform also provides detailed analytics and monitoring, giving developers a complete view of database performance. Teams can track query latency, resource utilization, and scaling events in real time. This visibility allows them to make informed decisions and avoid potential issues before they affect users.

Putting Developers in the Driver’s Seat

PlanetScale places the developer experience at the center of its platform. Features like automated backups, high availability, observability, and simple interfaces reduce operational overhead and make complex tasks straightforward.

“Our goal is to give developers a platform they can trust,” Sam says. “We take care of scaling and reliability so teams can focus on their products.”

Serverless architecture ensures developers don’t have to manage servers, while the platform’s branching and schema management tools enable rapid testing and deployment. Developers can create production-ready environments with minimal setup and confidence that changes won’t disrupt users.

Driving Innovation Through Flexibility

PlanetScale continues to expand its capabilities to meet the evolving needs of developers. Recent additions like Postgres compatibility give teams more flexibility to choose the database system that fits their needs.

“We are always looking for ways to support new use cases and make databases easier to work with,” Sam explains. “Our aim is to let developers focus on their applications, not the infrastructure behind them.”

The platform’s open architecture also allows for integration with a variety of developer tools and CI/CD pipelines. Teams can automate deployment, monitoring, and scaling while maintaining full control and visibility over their data.

Helping Teams Build Anywhere

With a growing customer base spanning startups to Fortune 500 companies, PlanetScale is helping developers worldwide adopt scalable, reliable databases. The platform’s ability to handle large-scale workloads without downtime makes it a go-to choice for businesses looking to innovate quickly and securely.

Sam emphasizes that the company’s approach combines the reliability of traditional databases with the flexibility of cloud-native infrastructure. "We want developers everywhere to feel confident that their applications will perform, scale, and stay secure no matter what," he says.

PlanetScale’s focus on developer empowerment, automation, and global scalability is shaping the way modern applications are built. By removing the friction of database management, the company enables teams to experiment, grow, and deliver products faster.

Advancing the Way Databases Work

PlanetScale is committed to continuous innovation, exploring new features and improvements to further simplify database operations. The company aims to support developers with tools that not only scale but also enhance productivity and reduce operational burden.

“Our mission is to empower developers by providing a platform that is both powerful and easy to use,” Sam concludes. “We handle the complex infrastructure so teams can focus on building the applications of tomorrow.”

With its combination of reliability, scalability, and developer-focused design, PlanetScale is positioning itself as a key player in the modern database landscape, helping companies of all sizes build applications that can grow without limits.

Sam Lambert, Co-Founder & CEO, PlanetScale

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