Database & Data Management · head to head
Apache Pinot vs Google Cloud SQL
Apache Pinot
Database & Data Management
Real-time distributed OLAP datastore for analytics
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
Google Cloud SQL
Database & Data Management
Fully managed relational database service for MySQL, PostgreSQL, and SQL Server
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Each has a real cost: Apache Pinot self-hosted and distributed, so running it means operating a cluster rather than consuming a service; Google Cloud SQL locked into Google Cloud ecosystem with limited cross-cloud portability
- They diverge on capability: Apache Pinot covers Real-time Analytics, Google Cloud SQL covers High Availability.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Apache Pinot and Google Cloud SQL actually diverge.
| Attribute | Apache Pinot | Google Cloud SQL |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | open-source | usage-based |
| Platforms | Linux, Docker, Kubernetes | Google Cloud Platform |
| Category | Database & Data Management | Unknown |
| Founded | 1999 | 2008 |
Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated).
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 Apache Pinot
- Real-time Analytics
- Column-oriented
- Distributed Processing
- SQL Support
- Pluggable Indexing
- Star-tree Index
- Upsert Support
- Kafka
Only in Google Cloud SQL
- High Availability
- Automated Backups
- Point-in-time Recovery
- Encryption
- Regional/Zonal Instances
- Read Replicas
- Private IP
- BigQuery
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Apache Pinot
- Sub-second analytics queries on freshly ingested datanot Google Cloud SQL
- User-facing dashboards inside a productnot Google Cloud SQL
- Real-time metrics at high ingest ratesnot Google Cloud SQL
- Petabyte-scale analytics as run at LinkedIn and Ubernot Google Cloud SQL
Google Cloud SQL
- Transaction processingnot Apache Pinot
- Data storagenot Apache Pinot
- Application backendnot Apache Pinot
- Reportingnot Apache Pinot
- Data analyticsnot Apache Pinot
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Apache Pinot
- Self-hosted and distributed, so running it means operating a cluster rather than consuming a service
- Managed hosting comes from third parties such as StarTree rather than from the project
- Built for user-facing real-time OLAP, so it is not a general purpose database
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
Apache Pinot
Free- Open SourceFree
- Real-time analytics
- SQL queries
- Horizontal scaling
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 Apache Pinot if
- You need real-time analytics.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Linux, Docker, Kubernetes.
- You also want column-oriented.
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 Apache Pinot or Google Cloud SQL better?
- Neither clearly leads. Apache Pinot 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, Apache Pinot or Google Cloud SQL?
- Apache Pinot starts at Free and Google Cloud SQL at Free.
- Does Apache Pinot or Google Cloud SQL run on more platforms?
- Apache Pinot runs on Linux, Docker, Kubernetes. Google Cloud SQL runs on Google Cloud Platform.
- Can I use Apache Pinot for free?
- Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
- What is Apache Pinot best used for?
- Apache Pinot is most often used for sub-second analytics queries on freshly ingested data, user-facing dashboards inside a product, real-time metrics at high ingest rates, petabyte-scale analytics as run at linkedin and uber. Of those, sub-second analytics queries on freshly ingested data and user-facing dashboards inside a product are not what Google Cloud SQL is typically brought in for.
- What can Apache Pinot do that Google Cloud SQL cannot?
- Apache Pinot covers Real-time Analytics, Column-oriented, Distributed Processing, SQL Support. Google Cloud SQL covers High Availability, Automated Backups, Point-in-time Recovery, Encryption.
Answered from the vendors’ own pages
Google 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.
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.
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.
Source