TL;DR
PlanetScale (MySQL) and Neon (PostgreSQL) are both serverless databases with strong security defaults. PlanetScale offers unique branching workflows with safe schema migrations. Neon provides RLS support for application-level security. Both encrypt data at rest and in transit. Choose PlanetScale for MySQL workloads, Neon for PostgreSQL with RLS needs.
Platform Overview
Both platforms offer serverless, scalable databases designed for modern applications, but with different underlying engines:
| Feature | PlanetScale | Neon |
|---|---|---|
| Database Engine | MySQL (Vitess) | PostgreSQL |
| Serverless Model | Yes | Yes (with autoscaling) |
| Branching | Yes (core feature) | Yes |
| Row Level Security | No (MySQL limitation) | Yes (PostgreSQL feature) |
| Connection Pooling | Yes | Yes (serverless driver) |
Authentication and Access Control
PlanetScale
- Organization-based access control with SSO support
- Database passwords with fine-grained permissions
- Branch-level access control
- IP restrictions for production databases
- Audit logs for compliance tracking
Neon
- Project-based access control
- PostgreSQL native roles and permissions
- Row Level Security for application-level access control
- IP Allow lists on paid plans
- Branch-level access control
Key Difference: Neon's PostgreSQL supports Row Level Security, letting you enforce access rules at the database level. PlanetScale's MySQL doesn't have this feature, so you must handle access control in your application.
Connection Security
| Security Feature | PlanetScale | Neon |
|---|---|---|
| TLS Encryption | Required (always on) | Required (always on) |
| Connection Strings | Generated per password | Generated per branch |
| Serverless Driver | @planetscale/database | @neondatabase/serverless |
| IP Restrictions | Yes (Scaler Pro+) | Yes (Scale plan+) |
Both platforms require TLS for all connections. There's no option to connect without encryption, which is a security best practice.
Data Encryption
| Encryption | PlanetScale | Neon |
|---|---|---|
| At Rest | AES-256 | AES-256 |
| In Transit | TLS 1.2+ | TLS 1.2+ |
| Backup Encryption | Yes | Yes |
| Customer-Managed Keys | Enterprise only | Not available |
Safe Schema Changes
PlanetScale Branching
PlanetScale's branching feature is specifically designed for safe database changes:
- Create development branches without affecting production
- Deploy requests show schema diffs before merging
- Non-blocking schema changes in production
- Automatic rollback capabilities
Security Benefit: PlanetScale prevents developers from running direct DDL on production. All schema changes go through deploy requests with review, reducing accidental damage.
Neon Branching
Neon also supports branching with instant copy-on-write:
- Create branches for testing and development
- Branches include data at point of creation
- Reset branches to any point in time
- No built-in deploy request workflow
Row Level Security (Neon Advantage)
Since Neon uses PostgreSQL, you get access to Row Level Security:
- Define policies that filter rows based on user context
- Integrate with authentication systems using JWT claims
- Enforce multi-tenant data isolation at database level
- Works well with Supabase-style direct frontend access
PlanetScale's MySQL doesn't support RLS, so multi-tenant applications need to implement data isolation in the application layer.
Compliance and Certifications
| Compliance | PlanetScale | Neon |
|---|---|---|
| SOC 2 Type II | Yes | Yes |
| HIPAA | Enterprise (BAA) | Not available |
| GDPR | Yes | Yes |
| Data Regions | Multiple regions | Multiple regions |
Which Should You Choose?
Choose PlanetScale If:
You need MySQL compatibility, want a robust schema migration workflow with mandatory review, need HIPAA compliance, or prefer a mature branching system designed for database DevOps.
Choose Neon If:
You prefer PostgreSQL, need Row Level Security for multi-tenant apps, want instant branching with time travel, or are building with Supabase-style patterns that leverage RLS.
Which is more secure by default?
Both platforms have strong security defaults. TLS is required on both, and data is encrypted at rest. The main difference is that Neon supports RLS for application-level security, while PlanetScale has better schema change controls to prevent accidental production issues.
Can I use PlanetScale with Supabase-style direct frontend access?
Not safely. Without RLS, you can't enforce per-user access rules in the database. You'd need a backend API to filter data. If you want direct frontend database access, Neon (or Supabase) with RLS is a better choice.
Are connection strings safe to expose?
No, connection strings for both platforms should be kept secret. They contain credentials that give database access. Store them in environment variables, not in client-side code.
Which has better audit logging?
PlanetScale provides comprehensive audit logs on paid plans, tracking who did what in your organization. Neon's audit capabilities are more limited. For compliance-heavy environments, PlanetScale's audit features are more mature.