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Machine Learning · head to head

BigQuery ML vs Poolside

BigQuery ML logo

BigQuery ML

Machine Learning

Machine learning in BigQuery using SQL

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Full reviewWebsite
Poolside logo

Poolside

AI

Open-weight foundation models built for agentic software engineering

From
$0.06/month
Free plan
No
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only BigQuery ML has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: BigQuery ML not available in BigQuery's Standard edition, so the cheapest tier cannot use it; Poolside no self-serve public application; access is largely through enterprise sales or third-party model gateways
  • They diverge on capability: BigQuery ML covers SQL-based ML, Poolside covers Laguna S 2.1.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where BigQuery ML and Poolside differ
AttributeBigQuery MLPoolside
Starting priceFree$0.06/month
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWebweb, api, mac, windows, linux
CategoryMachine LearningAI
Founded20082023

Identical on both: pricing model (usage-based), 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 Poolside

  • Laguna S 2.1
  • Laguna XS 2.1
  • Desktop and CLI tools
  • Open-weight models
  • Third-party gateway access

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

Poolside

  • Enterprises deploying AI coding assistance across large developer organizationsnot BigQuery ML
  • Government and defense agencies needing on-premise or sovereign coding modelsnot BigQuery ML
  • Teams building custom coding agents on open-weight foundation modelsnot BigQuery ML
  • Organizations wanting on-device lightweight coding modelsnot 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

Poolside

  • No self-serve public application; access is largely through enterprise sales or third-party model gateways
  • Pricing for the flagship enterprise and government offering is not public and requires a sales conversation
  • Targets organizations with large (5,000+) developer headcounts, making it a poor fit for individuals or small teams
  • Documentation and product surface area are thin compared to consumer-facing coding assistants

Pricing, plan by plan

BigQuery ML

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

Poolside

$0.06/month
  • Laguna XS 2.1$undefined/month
    • $0.06 per 1M input tokens
    • $0.12 per 1M output tokens
    • Available via OpenRouter and Vercel AI Gateway
  • Laguna S 2.1$undefined/month
    • $0.10 per 1M input tokens
    • $0.20 per 1M output tokens
    • 1M token context window
  • Enterprise / Government$undefined/month
    • Custom contracts for large engineering organizations
    • Sales-quoted pricing
    • On-premise or dedicated deployment options

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 Poolside if

  • You need laguna s 2.1.
  • You work on web, api, mac, windows, linux.
  • You also want laguna xs 2.1.
Poolside review

Questions people ask

Is BigQuery ML or Poolside better?
Neither clearly leads. BigQuery ML starts at Free and Poolside at $0.06/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, BigQuery ML or Poolside?
BigQuery ML has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for BigQuery ML and $0.06/month for Poolside.
Does BigQuery ML or Poolside run on more platforms?
BigQuery ML runs on Web. Poolside runs on web, api, mac, windows, linux.
Can I use BigQuery ML for free?
Yes. BigQuery ML has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Poolside starts at $0.06/month.
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 Poolside is typically brought in for.
What can BigQuery ML do that Poolside cannot?
BigQuery ML covers SQL-based ML, AutoML Tables, Model export, Prediction functions. Poolside covers Laguna S 2.1, Laguna XS 2.1, Desktop and CLI tools, Open-weight models.

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
Poolside: How is Poolside's Laguna model usage priced?

Laguna XS 2.1 is priced at $0.06 per 1M input tokens and $0.12 per 1M output tokens; Laguna S 2.1 is $0.10 per 1M input tokens and $0.20 per 1M output tokens.

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
Poolside: Where can I access Poolside's models?

Laguna models are available through third-party gateways OpenRouter and Vercel AI Gateway, as well as via Poolside's own desktop and CLI tools.

Source
Poolside: Does Poolside offer enterprise or government pricing?

Yes, Poolside offers custom, sales-quoted contracts for large enterprises and government/defense customers, including on-premise or dedicated deployment options.

Source
Poolside: How do I get started building with Poolside's models?

Poolside's documentation provides a quickstart guide for installing the `pool` CLI and running an agent task, alongside API documentation for custom integrations.

Source
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