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Databases · head to head

Google Cloud SQL vs Quadratic

Google Cloud SQL logo

Google Cloud SQL

Databases

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

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Quadratic logo

Quadratic

Spreadsheets

Infinite-canvas spreadsheet that runs Python, SQL and formulas in the same grid

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; Quadratic aI usage is metered as a dollar allowance rather than a flat entitlement, so a team that adopts the agent enthusiastically will exhaust 20 USD per user per month quickly and the true cost per seat becomes unpredictable.
  • They diverge on capability: Google Cloud SQL covers High Availability, Quadratic covers Multi-language cells.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Google Cloud SQL and Quadratic differ
AttributeGoogle Cloud SQLQuadratic
Pricing modelusage-basedPer user per month
PlatformsGoogle Cloud PlatformWeb, macOS, Windows, Linux
CategoryDatabasesSpreadsheets
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 SQL

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

Only in Quadratic

  • Multi-language cells
  • Infinite canvas
  • Direct database connections
  • AI agent in the sheet
  • WebAssembly engine
  • Python package support

What people use each for

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

Google Cloud SQL

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

Quadratic

  • An analyst who wants a SQL result, a Python transformation and a set of manual assumptions visible in one file instead of three toolsnot Google Cloud SQL
  • Ad hoc modelling where part of the logic is genuinely code and part is a judgement call typed into a cellnot Google Cloud SQL
  • Sharing a reproducible analysis with a colleague who will only ever open a spreadsheet, not a notebooknot Google Cloud SQL
  • Prototyping a data pull against a warehouse before committing it to a scheduled pipelinenot 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

Quadratic

  • AI usage is metered as a dollar allowance rather than a flat entitlement, so a team that adopts the agent enthusiastically will exhaust 20 USD per user per month quickly and the true cost per seat becomes unpredictable.
  • Self-hosting is available only on the Enterprise plan, so an organisation that cannot send data to the vendor cloud has to enter a sales negotiation rather than run a container.
  • Excel and Google Sheets compatibility is partial, so files with heavy conditional formatting, pivot tables or macros do not survive a round trip and have to be rebuilt.
  • The product is young and the connector list is short, covering the main relational databases and two warehouses, so anything else has to be reached through Python code you write and maintain yourself.
  • There is no real mobile editing experience, which matters more than it sounds for a spreadsheet because approvals and quick checks routinely happen on a phone.

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

Quadratic

Free
  • PersonalFree
    • Limited AI usage
    • Limited files and connections
    • Limited sharing
  • Pro$18/month
    • Billed annually
    • 20 USD of AI credits per month
    • Unlimited files
  • Business$36/month
    • Billed annually
    • 40 USD of AI credits per month
    • Advanced permissions
  • Enterprise$undefined/year
    • Quoted
    • Self-hosting option
    • Custom AI usage

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 Quadratic if

  • You need multi-language cells.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, macOS, Windows, Linux.
  • You also want infinite canvas.
Quadratic review

Questions people ask

Is Google Cloud SQL or Quadratic better?
Neither clearly leads. Google Cloud SQL starts at Free and Quadratic at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Google Cloud SQL or Quadratic?
Google Cloud SQL starts at Free and Quadratic at Free.
Does Google Cloud SQL or Quadratic run on more platforms?
Google Cloud SQL runs on Google Cloud Platform. Quadratic runs on Web, macOS, Windows, Linux.
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 Quadratic is typically brought in for.
What can Google Cloud SQL do that Quadratic cannot?
Google Cloud SQL covers High Availability, Automated Backups, Point-in-time Recovery, Encryption. Quadratic covers Multi-language cells, Infinite canvas, Direct database connections, AI agent in the sheet.

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
Quadratic: Do I need to know Python to use it?

No, formulas work on their own, but the reason to choose Quadratic over Google Sheets is the code cells, so a team with no Python will not get the value.

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
Quadratic: What happens when the AI credits run out?

Prompting stops until the next monthly reset or until you move up a plan; the spreadsheet itself keeps working normally.

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
Quadratic: Can it replace a BI tool?

Not for scheduled distribution or governed metrics. It is for exploratory work by one person or a small team, not for dashboards a hundred people read.

Quadratic: Is my database query sent to the vendor?

Connections run through the vendor service on all plans except Enterprise self-hosting, which is the option to take if that is unacceptable.

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