Machine Learning · head to head
BigQuery ML vs LlamaIndex
The short version
- Each has a real cost: BigQuery ML not available in BigQuery's Standard edition, so the cheapest tier cannot use it; LlamaIndex the free LlamaCloud plan includes 10K credits and has no pay as you go option, so work stops when credits run out
- They diverge on capability: BigQuery ML covers SQL-based ML, LlamaIndex covers Data connectors.
- Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which BigQuery ML and LlamaIndex actually diverge.
| Attribute | BigQuery ML | LlamaIndex |
|---|---|---|
| Platforms | Web | Linux, Mac, Windows |
| Founded | 2008 | 2022 |
Identical on both: starting price (Free), pricing model (usage-based), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Machine Learning).
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 BigQuery ML
- SQL-based ML
- AutoML Tables
- Model export
- Prediction functions
- Feature preprocessing
- BigQuery
- Vertex AI
- TensorFlow
Only in LlamaIndex
- Data connectors
- Indexing
- Query engine
- RAG pipelines
- Agents
- OpenAI
- Anthropic
- Pinecone
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
BigQuery ML
- Training models in SQL without exporting datanot LlamaIndex
- Linear and logistic regression on warehouse datanot LlamaIndex
- K-means clustering and matrix factorisation for recommendationsnot LlamaIndex
- Time series forecasting with ARIMA_PLUSnot LlamaIndex
- Running imported ONNX, TensorFlow or XGBoost models against BigQuery datanot LlamaIndex
LlamaIndex
- Parsing PDFs and complex documents into structured text for RAGnot BigQuery ML
- Building retrieval augmented generation pipelines over private datanot BigQuery ML
- Indexing and querying enterprise documents from an LLM applicationnot BigQuery ML
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
BigQuery ML
- Not available in BigQuery's Standard edition, so the cheapest tier cannot use it
- Billed through BigQuery compute and storage rather than as its own product, so training cost tracks data scanned
- Remote models incur extra Agent Platform charges on top
- Externally trained model types such as boosted trees and AutoML run through Agent Platform rather than inside BigQuery
LlamaIndex
- The free LlamaCloud plan includes 10K credits and has no pay as you go option, so work stops when credits run out
- Concurrent parse jobs are capped at 5 on Free and Starter, 20 on Pro and 100 on Enterprise
- Pay as you go spend is capped at $500 per month on Starter and $5,000 per month on Pro
- Enterprise SSO is Enterprise plan only
- Volume discounts on credits and 5x higher rate limits are Enterprise only
- SaaS or hybrid cloud deployment choice and a dedicated account manager are Enterprise only
- Enterprise pricing is by quote with no published rate
Pricing, plan by plan
BigQuery ML
Free- Free TierFree
- 10GB storage
- 1TB queries
- On-Demand$5/TB
- Pay per TB scanned
- ML training costs
LlamaIndex
Free- FreeFree
- 10K monthly credits
- Basic parsing
- 5 concurrent jobs
- Starter$50/month
- 40K credits + pay-as-you-go
- Up to 400K credits
- 5 concurrent jobs
- Pro$500/month
- 400K credits + limited-time bonus
- 20 concurrent jobs
- Priority Slack support
- Enterprise$null/custom
- Custom volume discounts
- 5x higher rate limits
- SSO
Which should you pick?
Choose BigQuery ML if
- You need sql-based ml.
- You want to start without paying.
- You also want automl tables.
Choose LlamaIndex if
- You need data connectors.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Linux, Mac, Windows.
- You also want indexing.
Questions people ask
- Is BigQuery ML or LlamaIndex better?
- Neither clearly leads. BigQuery ML starts at Free and LlamaIndex at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, BigQuery ML or LlamaIndex?
- BigQuery ML starts at Free and LlamaIndex at Free.
- Does BigQuery ML or LlamaIndex run on more platforms?
- BigQuery ML runs on Web. LlamaIndex runs on Linux, Mac, Windows.
- Can I use BigQuery ML for free?
- Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
- What is BigQuery ML best used for?
- BigQuery ML is most often used for training models in sql without exporting data, linear and logistic regression on warehouse data, k-means clustering and matrix factorisation for recommendations, time series forecasting with arima_plus. Of those, training models in sql without exporting data and linear and logistic regression on warehouse data are not what LlamaIndex is typically brought in for.
- What can BigQuery ML do that LlamaIndex cannot?
- BigQuery ML covers SQL-based ML, AutoML Tables, Model export, Prediction functions. LlamaIndex covers Data connectors, Indexing, Query engine, RAG pipelines.
Answered from the vendors’ own pages
BigQuery ML: How much does Google Cloud BigQuery ML cost?
BigQuery ML pricing is not specified separately on Google Cloud's pricing page. It follows the same pay-as-you-go model as BigQuery, charging per terabyte of data scanned during analysis. Customers receive $300 in free credits and can use 20+ products free up to monthly limits.
SourceLlamaIndex: How much does LlamaIndex (LlamaParse) cost?
LlamaIndex offers a Free plan with 10K monthly credits at $0/month. The Starter plan is $50/month for 40K credits plus pay-as-you-go overage up to 400K total. The Pro plan is $500/month for 400K credits. Credits are priced at 1,000 credits for $1.25.
SourceBigQuery ML: Does Google Cloud offer a free trial?
Yes, new customers get $300 in free credits and all customers can use 20+ Google Cloud products free up to their monthly usage limits.
SourceLlamaIndex: Is LlamaIndex free?
Yes, LlamaIndex offers a free plan with 10K monthly credits, basic parsing, 5 concurrent jobs, and support for up to 100 users with no upfront payment required.
SourceLlamaIndex: What are LlamaIndex's concurrent job limits?
The Free and Starter plans allow 5 concurrent jobs. The Pro plan increases this to 20 concurrent jobs. Enterprise plans offer custom configurations with 5x higher rate limits.
SourceRelated pages
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