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BigQuery ML vs MariaDB

BigQuery ML logo

BigQuery ML

Machine Learning

Machine learning in BigQuery using SQL

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
MariaDB logo

MariaDB

Databases

The open source relational database for the enterprise

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: BigQuery ML not available in BigQuery's Standard edition, so the cheapest tier cannot use it; MariaDB jSON support using text fields rather than native binary type; lacks MySQL's JSON syntax and functions
  • They diverge on capability: BigQuery ML covers SQL-based ML, MariaDB covers MySQL Compatibility.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which BigQuery ML and MariaDB actually diverge.

Attributes where BigQuery ML and MariaDB differ
AttributeBigQuery MLMariaDB
Pricing modelusage-basedUnknown
PlatformsWebLinux, Unix, Windows, macOS
CategoryMachine LearningDatabases
Founded20082009

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 BigQuery ML

  • SQL-based ML
  • AutoML Tables
  • Model export
  • Prediction functions
  • Feature preprocessing
  • BigQuery
  • Vertex AI
  • TensorFlow

Only in MariaDB

  • MySQL Compatibility
  • Aria Storage Engine
  • ColumnStore
  • Galera Cluster
  • MaxScale
  • Spider Engine
  • Temporal Tables
  • phpMyAdmin

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 MariaDB
  • Linear and logistic regression on warehouse datanot MariaDB
  • K-means clustering and matrix factorisation for recommendationsnot MariaDB
  • Time series forecasting with ARIMA_PLUSnot MariaDB
  • Running imported ONNX, TensorFlow or XGBoost models against BigQuery datanot MariaDB

MariaDB

  • Transaction processingnot BigQuery ML
  • Data storagenot BigQuery ML
  • Application backendnot BigQuery ML
  • Reportingnot BigQuery ML
  • Data analyticsnot 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

MariaDB

  • JSON support using text fields rather than native binary type; lacks MySQL's JSON syntax and functions
  • Galera Cluster maximum performance limited to the slowest node in cluster
  • InnoDB tables limited to 1,017 columns and 64 secondary indexes
  • Transaction size limits in Galera (128K rows and 2GB by default)
  • Less strict SQL type checking than PostgreSQL; allows implicit conversions

Pricing, plan by plan

BigQuery ML

Free
  • Free TierFree
    • 10GB storage
    • 1TB queries
  • On-Demand$5/TB
    • Pay per TB scanned
    • ML training costs

MariaDB

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the MariaDB review.

Which should you pick?

Choose BigQuery ML if

  • You need sql-based ml.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want automl tables.
BigQuery ML review

Choose MariaDB if

  • You need mysql compatibility.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, Unix, Windows, macOS.
  • You also want aria storage engine.
MariaDB review

Questions people ask

Is BigQuery ML or MariaDB better?
Neither clearly leads. BigQuery ML starts at Free and MariaDB at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, BigQuery ML or MariaDB?
BigQuery ML starts at Free and MariaDB at Free.
Does BigQuery ML or MariaDB run on more platforms?
BigQuery ML runs on Web. MariaDB runs on Linux, Unix, Windows, macOS.
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 MariaDB is typically brought in for.
What can BigQuery ML do that MariaDB cannot?
BigQuery ML covers SQL-based ML, AutoML Tables, Model export, Prediction functions. MariaDB covers MySQL Compatibility, Aria Storage Engine, ColumnStore, Galera Cluster.

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.

Source
MariaDB: Is MariaDB completely free and open source?

Yes. MariaDB Server is licensed under GPLv2 and guaranteed to remain perpetually free and open source, independent of any commercial entities.

Source
BigQuery 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.

Source
MariaDB: Is MariaDB backward compatible with MySQL?

Yes. MariaDB was designed as a drop-in replacement for MySQL. Every application, driver, and configuration that worked with MySQL works with MariaDB without code changes.

Source
MariaDB: What are the storage engine options in MariaDB?

MariaDB supports multiple storage engines including InnoDB (transactional, default), Aria (crash-safe, good for read-heavy workloads), and MyISAM. The Aria engine is faster than InnoDB for certain read-heavy queries and full table scans.

Source
MariaDB: How much does MariaDB cost?

MariaDB Community Server is completely free to download and use. MariaDB offers paid enterprise support and managed cloud services for organizations needing professional support.

Source
MariaDB: Does MariaDB support native JSON storage?

MariaDB stores JSON using text fields (the JSON type is an alias for LONGTEXT), not as a native binary type like MySQL does. JSON support exists but is less sophisticated than MySQL's JSON functions and syntax.

Source
MariaDB: What scaling options does MariaDB provide?

MariaDB supports both scaling up (more cores, memory, storage) and scaling out (read replication, Galera Cluster with multi-node replication). However, Galera Cluster performance cannot exceed the slowest node in the cluster.

Source
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