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Google Cloud Platform vs Keycloak

Google Cloud Platform logo

Google Cloud Platform

Cloud

Trusted by millions of enterprises

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Full reviewWebsite
Keycloak logo

Keycloak

Developer Tools

Open-source identity and access management server.

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; Keycloak requires self-hosted deployment and operational expertise to install, configure and maintain
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Google Cloud Platform and Keycloak differ
AttributeGoogle Cloud PlatformKeycloak
Pricing modelusage-basedopen-source
PlatformsWeb, Api, CliSelf-hosted, Docker, Kubernetes, Linux, Windows, API
CategoryCloudDeveloper Tools
Founded2008Unknown

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 Google Cloud Platform

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

Only in Keycloak

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 Keycloak
  • Machine learning and data analyticsnot Keycloak
  • Enterprise application hostingnot Keycloak

Keycloak

  • Organisations requiring self-hosted identity infrastructure for compliance or data residencynot Google Cloud Platform
  • Companies with existing LDAP/Active Directory systems needing federated authenticationnot Google Cloud Platform
  • Open-source projects and communities requiring free IAM without licensing costsnot Google Cloud Platform
  • Enterprises building custom identity workflows requiring fine-grained authorisationnot Google Cloud Platform
  • Teams with sufficient operational expertise to manage infrastructurenot 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

Keycloak

  • Requires self-hosted deployment and operational expertise to install, configure and maintain
  • No managed cloud option provided by Red Hat; organisations must operate infrastructure themselves or use third-party distributions
  • Clustering and high-availability configurations require additional operational knowledge
  • Community support only; commercial support requires third-party vendors or distributions

Pricing, plan by plan

Google Cloud Platform

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

Keycloak

Free
  • Open-sourceFree
    • Full platform functionality
    • Self-hosted deployment
    • Community support

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 Keycloak if

  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Self-hosted, Docker, Kubernetes, Linux, Windows, API.
Keycloak review

Questions people ask

Is Google Cloud Platform or Keycloak better?
Neither clearly leads. Google Cloud Platform starts at Free and Keycloak at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Google Cloud Platform or Keycloak?
Google Cloud Platform starts at Free and Keycloak at Free.
Does Google Cloud Platform or Keycloak run on more platforms?
Google Cloud Platform runs on Web, Api, Cli. Keycloak runs on Self-hosted, Docker, Kubernetes, Linux, Windows, API.
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 Keycloak is typically brought in for.
What can Google Cloud Platform do that Keycloak 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
Keycloak: What protocols does Keycloak support?

Keycloak supports OpenID Connect, OAuth 2.0 and SAML 2.0 protocols for authentication and authorisation.

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
Keycloak: Can Keycloak integrate with existing user directories?

Yes. Keycloak supports user federation with LDAP and Active Directory systems, allowing organisations to leverage existing user directories.

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
Keycloak: Is Keycloak free?

Yes. Keycloak is fully open-source and free to deploy and use. No licensing fees are required.

Source
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