Software · head to head
Amazon Aurora vs Google Cloud SQL
Amazon Aurora
Software
MySQL and PostgreSQL-compatible relational database built for the cloud
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
Google Cloud SQL
Software
Fully managed relational database service for MySQL, PostgreSQL, and SQL Server
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Each has a real cost: Amazon Aurora aurora requires AWS ecosystem knowledge and integration with other AWS services; Google Cloud SQL locked into Google Cloud ecosystem with limited cross-cloud portability
- They diverge on capability: Amazon Aurora covers MySQL/PostgreSQL Compatible, Google Cloud SQL covers High Availability.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Amazon Aurora and Google Cloud SQL actually diverge.
| Attribute | Amazon Aurora | Google Cloud SQL |
|---|---|---|
| Platforms | AWS Cloud | Google Cloud Platform |
| Founded | 2006 | 2008 |
Identical on both: starting price (Free), pricing model (usage-based), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).
What each one covers
Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.
Only in Amazon Aurora
- MySQL/PostgreSQL Compatible
- 5x MySQL Performance
- Auto-scaling Storage
- Global Database
- Serverless v2
- Multi-master
- Fault Tolerant
- AWS Lambda
Only in Google Cloud SQL
- High Availability
- Automated Backups
- Point-in-time Recovery
- Encryption
- Regional/Zonal Instances
- Read Replicas
- Private IP
- BigQuery
Both cover
- Web support
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Amazon Aurora
- Transaction processing
- Data storage
- Application backend
- Reporting
- Data analytics
Google Cloud SQL
- Transaction processing
- Data storage
- Application backend
- Reporting
- Data analytics
Both are used for transaction processing, data storage, application backend, reporting, data analytics, on those jobs the choice comes down to price and fit rather than capability.
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Amazon Aurora
- Aurora requires AWS ecosystem knowledge and integration with other AWS services
- Pricing can become expensive with high-traffic applications using many read replicas
- Limited support for non-relational data types compared to NoSQL alternatives
Google Cloud SQL
- Locked into Google Cloud ecosystem with limited cross-cloud portability
- Pay-as-you-go pricing can become expensive with unpredictable workloads
- Limited customization options compared to self-managed databases
Pricing, plan by plan
Amazon Aurora
Free- Serverless v2$0.12/hour
- Auto-scaling
- Pay per ACU
- Instant scaling
- Provisioned$29/month
- Dedicated instances
- Predictable performance
- Reserved capacity
Google Cloud SQL
Free- Free TierFree
- db-f1-micro instance
- 30GB storage
- Limited usage
- Standard$25/month
- High availability
- Automated backups
- Point-in-time recovery
Which should you pick?
Choose Amazon Aurora if
- You need mysql/postgresql compatible.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on AWS Cloud.
- You also want 5x mysql performance.
Choose Google Cloud SQL if
- You need high availability.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Google Cloud Platform.
- You also want automated backups.
Questions people ask
- Is Amazon Aurora or Google Cloud SQL better?
- Neither clearly leads. Amazon Aurora starts at Free and Google Cloud SQL at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Amazon Aurora or Google Cloud SQL?
- Amazon Aurora starts at Free and Google Cloud SQL at Free.
- Does Amazon Aurora or Google Cloud SQL run on more platforms?
- Amazon Aurora runs on AWS Cloud. Google Cloud SQL runs on Google Cloud Platform.
- Can I use Amazon Aurora for free?
- Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
- What is Amazon Aurora best used for?
- Amazon Aurora is most often used for transaction processing, data storage, application backend, reporting.
- What can Amazon Aurora do that Google Cloud SQL cannot?
- Amazon Aurora covers MySQL/PostgreSQL Compatible, 5x MySQL Performance, Auto-scaling Storage, Global Database. Google Cloud SQL covers High Availability, Automated Backups, Point-in-time Recovery, Encryption. Both handle Web support.
Answered from the vendors’ own pages
Amazon Aurora: Is Amazon Aurora compatible with MySQL and PostgreSQL?
Yes, Amazon Aurora offers MySQL and PostgreSQL compatibility with full compatibility to their open-source counterparts, allowing you to migrate existing databases with standard tools.
SourceGoogle Cloud SQL: What database engines does Google Cloud SQL support?
Google Cloud SQL supports MySQL, PostgreSQL, and SQL Server. Users can choose their preferred engine when provisioning an instance and Google handles automated backups, replication, patching, and scaling.
SourceAmazon Aurora: What uptime SLA does Amazon Aurora provide?
Aurora is designed for up to 99.99% single-region uptime and 99.999% multi-region uptime with automatic failover.
SourceGoogle Cloud SQL: Does Google Cloud SQL have a free tier?
Google Cloud SQL does not have a free tier, though new users receive free trial credits from Google Cloud Platform. Pricing is based on compute resources (CPU and memory) and storage used, with options for committed use discounts.
SourceAmazon Aurora: How much does Amazon Aurora cost?
Aurora uses serverless, usage-based pricing where you pay only for consumed capacity. Typical pricing ranges from $50-70 per month for minimal setups to $400-600 per month for small production clusters.
SourceGoogle Cloud SQL: Can Google Cloud SQL scale automatically?
Yes. Cloud SQL automatically scales database storage and compute resources to handle increased workloads without manual intervention, and includes automated backups and high availability configurations.
SourceAmazon Aurora: Can Amazon Aurora scale automatically?
Yes, Aurora automatically scales to match workload demands without performance degradation, supporting both read and write scaling.
SourceAmazon Aurora: How many read replicas does Aurora support?
Aurora supports up to 15 low-latency read replicas for distributing read traffic across your application.
Source