PlanetScale is a serverless database platform built on Vitess, an open-source project created at YouTube to scale MySQL. It provides a fully managed database service that offers the scalability and resilience of a distributed system with the familiarity of a traditional relational database. PlanetScale is designed to be developer-friendly, with features like database branching, non-blocking schema changes, and a powerful CLI. The company is a great place to work for those who are passionate about databases, distributed systems, and building tools for developers. They have a strong engineering culture and a team of experts with experience scaling some of the largest systems in the world.
Tech Stack
PlanetScale is built on a foundation of Go and Vitess. They are heavy users of Kubernetes and other cloud-native technologies. Their frontend is built with React and TypeScript. They are also active contributors to the open-source community, particularly in the Vitess ecosystem.
Growth & Funding
PlanetScale has raised over $105 million in funding from top investors like Andreessen Horowitz, Insight Partners, and Kleiner Perkins. Their latest funding round in October 2025 valued the company at over $1 billion. With a growing customer base and a strong team, PlanetScale is well-positioned to become a leader in the database market.
Work Environment
PlanetScale has a hybrid work model, with an office in San Francisco and a distributed team across the globe. They have a strong culture of collaboration and transparency, with a focus on empowering their employees to do their best work. They offer competitive salaries, great benefits, and a supportive work environment.
Who Thrives Here
Engineers who are passionate about databases, distributed systems, and building high-performance infrastructure will thrive at PlanetScale. The company is looking for individuals who are self-motivated, have a strong sense of ownership, and are comfortable working in a fast-paced, collaborative environment. Those who are eager to learn, solve challenging problems, and contribute to a growing company will find a rewarding career at PlanetScale.
Founded
2018
Employees
51-200
Valuation
$1B+ / Series D
Work Model
Hybrid
The interview process at PlanetScale typically consists of a recruiter screen, a technical phone screen, and a series of onsite (or virtual) interviews. The technical interviews may include coding challenges, system design questions, and deep dives into past projects. The process is designed to be challenging but fair, with a focus on assessing a candidate's technical skills and problem-solving abilities.
Career Guides at PlanetScale
Detailed salary, interview, and career guides by role