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Blacksmith vs Google Cloud SQL

Blacksmith logo

Blacksmith

Developer Tools

2x faster GitHub Actions with 60% cost savings

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Visit BlacksmithFull review
Google Cloud SQL logo

Google Cloud SQL

Databases

Fully managed relational database service for MySQL, PostgreSQL, and SQL Server

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Visit Google Cloud SQLFull review

The short version

  • Blacksmith is a GitHub Actions runner service.
  • Free plans on both; paid from $0.004/mo and $25/mo.
  • Only Blacksmith lists bare metal runners; only Google Cloud SQL lists high Availability.
  • Where Blacksmith falls short: per-minute pricing model requires estimating usage to predict costs.
  • Where Google Cloud SQL falls short: locked into Google Cloud ecosystem with limited cross-cloud portability.
  • Prices and features on this page were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Blacksmith and Google Cloud SQL actually diverge.

Attributes where Blacksmith and Google Cloud SQL differ
AttributeBlacksmithGoogle Cloud SQL
PlatformsGitHub Actions, Linux, Windows, macOSWeb
CategoryDeveloper ToolsDatabases

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes).

Not yet recorded: pricing model for Blacksmith, founded for Blacksmith.

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 Blacksmith

  • Bare metal runners
  • Multiple OS support
  • ARM support
  • Docker layer caching
  • Sticky disks
  • GitHub Actions observability
  • Free tier
  • Static IPs

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.

Blacksmith

  • Replacing GitHub Actions runners with faster, cheaper infrastructurenot Google Cloud SQL
  • Accelerating CI build times for organizations with heavy CI loadnot Google Cloud SQL
  • Reducing cloud spend on GitHub Actions by 60% or morenot Google Cloud SQL
  • Supporting ARM architecture builds without GitHub runnersnot Google Cloud SQL

Google Cloud SQL

  • Transaction processingnot Blacksmith
  • Data storagenot Blacksmith
  • Application backendnot Blacksmith
  • Reportingnot Blacksmith
  • Data analyticsnot Blacksmith

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Blacksmith

  • Per-minute pricing model requires estimating usage to predict costs
  • macOS M4 pricing ($0.08/min) is significantly higher than GitHub Actions
  • Docker layer caching and sticky disks are paid add-ons at $0.50/GB/mo
  • Static IP add-on costs $100/IP/mo

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

Blacksmith

Free
  • Ubuntu x64$0.004/minute
    • 3,000 free minutes per month
    • 2x faster hardware
    • 4x faster cache downloads
  • Ubuntu ARM$0.0025/minute
    • 3,000 free minutes per month
    • 2x faster hardware
    • 4x faster cache downloads
  • Windows x64$0.008/minute
    • 3,000 free minutes per month
    • 2x faster hardware
    • 4x faster cache downloads
  • macOS M4$0.08/minute
    • 3,000 free minutes per month
    • 2x faster hardware
    • 4x faster cache downloads

Google Cloud SQL

Free
  • Free TierFree
    • db-f1-micro instance
    • 30GB storage
    • Limited usage
  • Standard$25/mo
    • High availability
    • Automated backups
    • Point-in-time recovery

Which should you pick?

Choose Blacksmith if

  • You need bare metal runners.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on GitHub Actions, Linux, Windows, macOS.
  • You also want multiple os support.
Blacksmith review

Choose Google Cloud SQL if

  • You need high availability.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want automated backups.
Google Cloud SQL review

Questions people ask

Is Blacksmith or Google Cloud SQL better?
Neither clearly leads. Blacksmith 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, Blacksmith or Google Cloud SQL?
Blacksmith starts at Free and Google Cloud SQL at Free.
Does Blacksmith or Google Cloud SQL run on more platforms?
Blacksmith runs on GitHub Actions, Linux, Windows, macOS. Google Cloud SQL runs on Web.
Can I use Blacksmith for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Blacksmith best used for?
Blacksmith is most often used for replacing github actions runners with faster, cheaper infrastructure, accelerating ci build times for organizations with heavy ci load, reducing cloud spend on github actions by 60% or more, supporting arm architecture builds without github runners. Of those, replacing github actions runners with faster, cheaper infrastructure and accelerating ci build times for organizations with heavy ci load are not what Google Cloud SQL is typically brought in for.
What can Blacksmith do that Google Cloud SQL cannot?
Blacksmith covers Bare metal runners, Multiple OS support, ARM support, Docker layer caching. Google Cloud SQL covers High Availability, Automated Backups, Point-in-time Recovery, Encryption.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Blacksmith: How much do Blacksmith runners cost compared to GitHub Actions?

Blacksmith offers 60-75% cost savings depending on OS. Ubuntu x64 costs $0.004/min vs GitHub at $0.012/min. All plans include 3,000 free minutes monthly.

Source
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.

Source
Blacksmith: Can I use Docker layer caching with Blacksmith?

Yes, Docker layer caching is available as an add-on at $0.50/GB/mo. Managed Docker layer persistence is included with the base service.

Source
Google 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.

Source
Blacksmith: What is the SLA for Enterprise plans?

Enterprise Blacksmith plans include a 99.9% SLA guarantee along with 24/7 priority support, dedicated Slack channels, white-glove onboarding, and CI optimization support.

Source
Google 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
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