Software · head to head
Google Cloud SQL vs Couchbase
Google Cloud SQL
Software
Fully managed relational database service for MySQL, PostgreSQL, and SQL Server
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Each has a real cost: Google Cloud SQL locked into Google Cloud ecosystem with limited cross-cloud portability; Couchbase the free tier is a single node with 8 GB of storage and forum support only
- They diverge on capability: Google Cloud SQL covers High Availability, Couchbase covers JSON Document Model.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Google Cloud SQL and Couchbase actually diverge.
| Attribute | Google Cloud SQL | Couchbase |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | usage-based | freemium |
| Platforms | Google Cloud Platform | Linux, Windows, Mac, Docker, Web |
| Founded | 2008 | 2011 |
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 Couchbase
- JSON Document Model
- SQL++ Query
- Full-text Search
- Eventing
- Analytics
- Mobile Sync
- Multi-dimensional Scaling
- Kafka
Both cover
- Kubernetes
- Web support
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Google Cloud SQL
- Transaction processingnot Couchbase
- Data storagenot Couchbase
- Application backendnot Couchbase
- Reportingnot Couchbase
- Data analyticsnot Couchbase
Couchbase
- Running a distributed NoSQL document database as a managed servicenot Google Cloud SQL
- Mobile sync and offline first applications backed by a cloud databasenot 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
Couchbase
- The free tier is a single node with 8 GB of storage and forum support only
- Node rates are hourly and quoted as starting figures, from $0.15 an hour on Basic to $0.49 on Enterprise
- The Developer Pro and Enterprise plans require 3 nodes, so the hourly rate multiplies before any usage
- Backup storage is billed separately at $0.07 per GB a month, and analytics backups at $0.14
- Support response time is a plan feature, at 8 hours on Developer Pro against 30 minutes on Enterprise
- AI and analytics run as separately priced planes at up to $0.86 an hour per node
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
Couchbase
Free- CommunityFree
- Full features
- Community support
- Self-managed
- Capella FreeFree
- Managed service
- Limited resources
- Cloud hosted
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 Couchbase if
- You need json document model.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Linux, Windows, Mac, Docker, Web.
- You also want sql++ query.
Questions people ask
- Is Google Cloud SQL or Couchbase better?
- Neither clearly leads. Google Cloud SQL starts at Free and Couchbase at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Google Cloud SQL or Couchbase?
- Google Cloud SQL starts at Free and Couchbase at Free.
- Does Google Cloud SQL or Couchbase run on more platforms?
- Google Cloud SQL runs on Google Cloud Platform. Couchbase runs on Linux, Windows, Mac, Docker, Web.
- 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 Couchbase is typically brought in for.
- What can Google Cloud SQL do that Couchbase cannot?
- Google Cloud SQL covers High Availability, Automated Backups, Point-in-time Recovery, Encryption. Couchbase covers JSON Document Model, SQL++ Query, Full-text Search, Eventing. Both handle Kubernetes, Web 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