Software · head to head
Google Cloud SQL vs Apache Pinot
Google Cloud SQL
Software
Fully managed relational database service for MySQL, PostgreSQL, and SQL Server
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
Apache Pinot
Software
Real-time distributed OLAP datastore for analytics
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Each has a real cost: Google Cloud SQL locked into Google Cloud ecosystem with limited cross-cloud portability; Apache Pinot self-hosted and distributed, so running it means operating a cluster rather than consuming a service
- They diverge on capability: Google Cloud SQL covers High Availability, Apache Pinot covers Real-time Analytics.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Google Cloud SQL and Apache Pinot actually diverge.
| Attribute | Google Cloud SQL | Apache Pinot |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | usage-based | open-source |
| Platforms | Google Cloud Platform | Linux, Docker, Kubernetes |
| Founded | 2008 | 1999 |
Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).
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 SQL
- High Availability
- Automated Backups
- Point-in-time Recovery
- Encryption
- Regional/Zonal Instances
- Read Replicas
- Private IP
- BigQuery
Only in Apache Pinot
- Real-time Analytics
- Column-oriented
- Distributed Processing
- SQL Support
- Pluggable Indexing
- Star-tree Index
- Upsert Support
- Kafka
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Google Cloud SQL
- Transaction processingnot Apache Pinot
- Data storagenot Apache Pinot
- Application backendnot Apache Pinot
- Reportingnot Apache Pinot
- Data analyticsnot Apache Pinot
Apache Pinot
- Sub-second analytics queries on freshly ingested datanot Google Cloud SQL
- User-facing dashboards inside a productnot Google Cloud SQL
- Real-time metrics at high ingest ratesnot Google Cloud SQL
- Petabyte-scale analytics as run at LinkedIn and Ubernot Google Cloud SQL
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
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
Apache Pinot
- Self-hosted and distributed, so running it means operating a cluster rather than consuming a service
- Managed hosting comes from third parties such as StarTree rather than from the project
- Built for user-facing real-time OLAP, so it is not a general purpose database
Pricing, plan by plan
Google Cloud SQL
Free- Free TierFree
- db-f1-micro instance
- 30GB storage
- Limited usage
- Standard$25/month
- High availability
- Automated backups
- Point-in-time recovery
Apache Pinot
Free- Open SourceFree
- Real-time analytics
- SQL queries
- Horizontal scaling
Which should you pick?
Choose Google Cloud SQL if
- You need high availability.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Google Cloud Platform.
- You also want automated backups.
Choose Apache Pinot if
- You need real-time analytics.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Linux, Docker, Kubernetes.
- You also want column-oriented.
Questions people ask
- Is Google Cloud SQL or Apache Pinot better?
- Neither clearly leads. Google Cloud SQL starts at Free and Apache Pinot at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Google Cloud SQL or Apache Pinot?
- Google Cloud SQL starts at Free and Apache Pinot at Free.
- Does Google Cloud SQL or Apache Pinot run on more platforms?
- Google Cloud SQL runs on Google Cloud Platform. Apache Pinot runs on Linux, Docker, Kubernetes.
- Can I use Google Cloud SQL for free?
- Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
- What is Google Cloud SQL best used for?
- Google Cloud SQL is most often used for transaction processing, data storage, application backend, reporting. Of those, transaction processing and data storage are not what Apache Pinot is typically brought in for.
- What can Google Cloud SQL do that Apache Pinot cannot?
- Google Cloud SQL covers High Availability, Automated Backups, Point-in-time Recovery, Encryption. Apache Pinot covers Real-time Analytics, Column-oriented, Distributed Processing, SQL Support.
Answered from the vendors’ own pages
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.
SourceGoogle 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.
SourceGoogle 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