Softwr

Databases · head to head

Google Cloud SQL vs Preset

Google Cloud SQL logo

Google Cloud SQL

Databases

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

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Preset logo

Preset

Business Intelligence

Managed Apache Superset

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Google Cloud SQL locked into Google Cloud ecosystem with limited cross-cloud portability; Preset limited SQL IDE advanced features compared to specialized query tools
  • They diverge on capability: Google Cloud SQL covers High Availability, Preset covers Managed Superset.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Google Cloud SQL and Preset differ
AttributeGoogle Cloud SQLPreset
Pricing modelusage-basedUnknown
PlatformsGoogle Cloud PlatformWeb, Cloud
CategoryDatabasesBusiness Intelligence
Founded20082019

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 SQL

  • High Availability
  • Automated Backups
  • Point-in-time Recovery
  • Encryption
  • Regional/Zonal Instances
  • Read Replicas
  • Private IP
  • Dataflow

Only in Preset

  • Managed Superset
  • Auto-scaling
  • Enterprise Security
  • Custom Branding
  • API Access
  • Snowflake
  • Redshift
  • Databricks

Both cover

  • BigQuery
  • Web support

What people use each for

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

Google Cloud SQL

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

Preset

  • Self-service analyticsnot Google Cloud SQL
  • Data explorationnot Google Cloud SQL
  • Ad-hoc reportingnot Google Cloud SQL
  • Collaborative analysisnot Google Cloud SQL
  • Embedded analyticsnot 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

Preset

  • Limited SQL IDE advanced features compared to specialized query tools
  • Viewer licenses add substantial cost for embedded analytics deployments
  • Dataset-centric approach requires preprocessing by data teams for some use cases

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

Preset

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Preset review.

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.
Google Cloud SQL review

Choose Preset if

  • You need managed superset.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Cloud.
  • You also want auto-scaling.
Preset review

Questions people ask

Is Google Cloud SQL or Preset better?
Neither clearly leads. Google Cloud SQL starts at Free and Preset at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Google Cloud SQL or Preset?
Google Cloud SQL starts at Free and Preset at Free.
Does Google Cloud SQL or Preset run on more platforms?
Google Cloud SQL runs on Google Cloud Platform. Preset runs on Web, Cloud.
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 Preset is typically brought in for.
What can Google Cloud SQL do that Preset cannot?
Google Cloud SQL covers High Availability, Automated Backups, Point-in-time Recovery, Encryption. Preset covers Managed Superset, Auto-scaling, Enterprise Security, Custom Branding. Both handle BigQuery, 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.

Source
Preset: Is Preset free?

Preset offers a free tier for small teams called Starter with 5 users and no credit card required. Paid plans start at $25 per user per month.

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
Preset: Can I export my data from Preset?

Yes. Preset uses Apache Superset and the founders contribute over 75% of commits to the open-source project, enabling migration to Superset without vendor lock-in.

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
Preset: Does Preset include embedded analytics?

Yes. Embedded dashboards are available on Professional and Enterprise plans, with viewer licenses starting at $500 per month for 50 licenses.

Source
Preset: What is the enterprise pricing for Preset?

Enterprise plans are custom quoted. The median buyer pays $35,495 per year.

Source
Preset: Does Preset support AI-powered analytics?

Yes. As of 2026, Preset includes an AI Chatbot and MCP (Model Context Protocol) integration for building charts and dashboards via natural language.

Source
Share

Related pages

More on Google Cloud SQL

More on Preset

Keep looking

Other head to heads