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Databases · head to head

Google Cloud SQL vs Redis

Google Cloud SQL logo

Google Cloud SQL

Databases

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

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Redis logo

Redis

Technology

The real-time data platform

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; Redis licensing changed from BSD to AGPL in 2025, impacting open-source usage
  • They diverge on capability: Google Cloud SQL covers High Availability, Redis covers In-memory data store.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Google Cloud SQL and Redis differ
AttributeGoogle Cloud SQLRedis
Pricing modelusage-basedUnknown
PlatformsGoogle Cloud PlatformLinux, macOS, Windows
CategoryDatabasesTechnology
Founded20082009

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
  • Regional/Zonal Instances
  • Read Replicas
  • Private IP
  • BigQuery
  • Dataflow

Only in Redis

  • In-memory data store
  • Data structures
  • Pub/Sub messaging
  • Lua scripting
  • Transactions
  • Persistence options
  • Replication
  • Clustering

Both cover

  • Encryption

What people use each for

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

Google Cloud SQL

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

Redis

  • Cachingnot Google Cloud SQL
  • Session managementnot Google Cloud SQL
  • Real-time analyticsnot Google Cloud SQL
  • Message queuingnot Google Cloud SQL
  • Leaderboardsnot 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

Redis

  • Licensing changed from BSD to AGPL in 2025, impacting open-source usage
  • All data must fit in memory, limiting scalability to available RAM
  • No built-in support for multi-tenancy
  • Limited transaction support compared to traditional databases

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

Redis

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Redis 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 Redis if

  • You need in-memory data store.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, macOS, Windows.
  • You also want data structures.
Redis review

Questions people ask

Is Google Cloud SQL or Redis better?
Neither clearly leads. Google Cloud SQL starts at Free and Redis at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Google Cloud SQL or Redis?
Google Cloud SQL starts at Free and Redis at Free.
Does Google Cloud SQL or Redis run on more platforms?
Google Cloud SQL runs on Google Cloud Platform. Redis runs on Linux, macOS, Windows.
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 Redis is typically brought in for.
What can Google Cloud SQL do that Redis cannot?
Google Cloud SQL covers High Availability, Automated Backups, Point-in-time Recovery, Regional/Zonal Instances. Redis covers In-memory data store, Data structures, Pub/Sub messaging, Lua scripting. Both handle Encryption.

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
Redis: Is Redis open source?

Redis was open source under the BSD license since its inception in 2009 and has remained open source. However, in 2024-2025, Redis Labs changed licensing to source-available and AGPL, prompting the creation of Valkey, a BSD-licensed open-source fork.

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
Redis: What is Redis used for?

Redis is an in-memory data structure store used primarily as a cache, database, and message broker. It provides high-speed data access for real-time applications, sessions, leaderboards, real-time analytics, and other use cases requiring fast data retrieval.

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
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