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Google Cloud Platform vs HCP Terraform

Google Cloud Platform logo

Google Cloud Platform

Cloud

Trusted by millions of enterprises

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Full reviewWebsite
HCP Terraform logo

HCP Terraform

Developer Tools

Infrastructure as code provisioning and management, formerly Terraform Cloud

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Google Cloud Platform the $300 Free Trial credit expires 90 days from signup, whichever comes first with spending it; HCP Terraform legacy free version deprecated; no current freemium tier
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Google Cloud Platform and HCP Terraform actually diverge.

Attributes where Google Cloud Platform and HCP Terraform differ
AttributeGoogle Cloud PlatformHCP Terraform
PlatformsWeb, Api, CliWeb
CategoryCloudDeveloper Tools
Founded2008Unknown

Identical on both: starting price (Free), pricing model (usage-based), 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 Google Cloud Platform

  • Compute Engine
  • App Engine
  • Cloud Run
  • Cloud Storage
  • Cloud SQL
  • BigQuery
  • Dataflow
  • Cloud Pub/Sub

Only in HCP Terraform

Nothing recorded that Google Cloud Platform does not also cover.

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Google Cloud Platform

  • Cloud infrastructure and computing servicesnot HCP Terraform
  • Machine learning and data analyticsnot HCP Terraform
  • Enterprise application hostingnot HCP Terraform

HCP Terraform

  • Infrastructure as Code managementnot Google Cloud Platform
  • Cloud resource provisioningnot Google Cloud Platform

Where each one falls short

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

Google Cloud Platform

  • The $300 Free Trial credit expires 90 days from signup, whichever comes first with spending it
  • Free Tier Compute Engine is limited to one non-preemptible e2-micro instance per month and only in the us-west1, us-central1 or us-east1 regions
  • Free Tier Compute Engine includes only 30 GB-months of standard persistent disk and 1 GB of outbound North America data transfer per month
  • Free Tier Cloud Storage covers 5 GB-months of regional storage in US regions only, 5,000 Class A and 50,000 Class B operations per month
  • Free Tier outbound data transfer allowances exclude destinations in China and Australia
  • Compute Engine resources are governed by allocation quotas that require a quota increase request to exceed

HCP Terraform

  • Legacy free version deprecated; no current freemium tier
  • New users receive $500 credit but still require usage to continue service
  • Terraform Enterprise requires custom pricing

Pricing, plan by plan

Google Cloud Platform

Free
  • Free TierFree
    • Compute Engine 744 hours/month
    • Cloud Storage 5GB
    • Cloud SQL 250MB storage

HCP Terraform

Free
  • Essentials$0.1/month
    • Per resource pricing
    • Remote state storage
    • VCS connection
  • Standard$0.47/month
    • Per resource pricing
    • Essentials features plus unlimited modules
    • Module deprecation
  • Premium$0.99/month
    • Per resource pricing
    • Standard features plus module revocation
    • Waypoint actions

Which should you pick?

Choose Google Cloud Platform if

  • You need compute engine.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Api, Cli.
  • You also want app engine.
Google Cloud Platform review

Choose HCP Terraform if

  • You want to start without paying.
HCP Terraform review

Questions people ask

Is Google Cloud Platform or HCP Terraform better?
Neither clearly leads. Google Cloud Platform starts at Free and HCP Terraform at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Google Cloud Platform or HCP Terraform?
Google Cloud Platform starts at Free and HCP Terraform at Free.
Does Google Cloud Platform or HCP Terraform run on more platforms?
Google Cloud Platform runs on Web, Api, Cli. HCP Terraform runs on Web.
Can I use Google Cloud Platform for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Google Cloud Platform best used for?
Google Cloud Platform is most often used for cloud infrastructure and computing services, machine learning and data analytics, enterprise application hosting. Of those, cloud infrastructure and computing services and machine learning and data analytics are not what HCP Terraform is typically brought in for.
What can Google Cloud Platform do that HCP Terraform cannot?
Google Cloud Platform covers Compute Engine, App Engine, Cloud Run, Cloud Storage.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Google Cloud Platform: What is Google Cloud Platform's pricing model?

Google Cloud uses usage-based pay-as-you-go pricing with options for committed use discounts at 1-year or 3-year terms, which can reduce costs by 25-70%. Pricing varies by region, service, and usage volume.

Source
HCP Terraform: How much does HCP Terraform cost?

HCP Terraform uses per-resource pricing starting at $0.10/month/resource for Essentials, $0.47/month/resource for Standard, and $0.99/month/resource for Premium.

Source
Google Cloud Platform: Does Google Cloud offer a free tier?

Yes, Google Cloud offers an always-free tier with generous free allowances for development, plus $300 in free credits for new customers during their first 90 days.

Source
HCP Terraform: Does HCP Terraform offer a free tier?

No, the legacy free version has been deprecated. However, new users receive $500 credit to try the service.

Source
Google Cloud Platform: How do committed use discounts work?

Users can commit to 1-year or 3-year usage of specific services to receive discounts of 25-70% compared to on-demand pricing. These discounts apply to compute, storage, and other services.

Source
HCP Terraform: What does the Standard plan include?

Standard plan at $0.47/month/resource includes unlimited modules, module deprecation, team notifications, no-code provisioning, and Waypoint templates.

Source
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