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Google Cloud SQL vs Microsoft Azure SQL Database comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive SummaryUpdated on Mar 6, 2024
 

Categories and Ranking

Google Cloud SQL
Ranking in Database as a Service (DBaaS)
4th
Average Rating
8.4
Number of Reviews
19
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
Microsoft Azure SQL Database
Ranking in Database as a Service (DBaaS)
2nd
Average Rating
8.6
Number of Reviews
92
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Mindshare comparison

As of September 2024, in the Database as a Service (DBaaS) category, the mindshare of Google Cloud SQL is 18.0%, down from 19.7% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Microsoft Azure SQL Database is 18.2%, down from 19.3% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Database as a Service (DBaaS)
 

Featured Reviews

NB
Feb 12, 2024
Enables us to track the data that we get from external sources
We are tracking because we have an integrated system. We have some integration with external third parties. We also track the data that we get from external sources. In Postgres, we can handle maybe ten million records per month. We use partitioning and healing features to manage this growth in data. Google Cloud SQL provides fast and very short transactions when modifying our data, using Postgres as our database system across multiple ports. It performs queries for data and handles purchases based on those queries. The scalability with Postgres is impressive. Currently, we are in a beta phase, utilizing three instances. There were issues with write and read instances. Also, there were delays in data synchronization between the write and read columns. When data is written to the write instance, it's not always immediately available in the read instance, causing a delay of up to 20 seconds. We have the right systems to manage the necessary operations. Sometimes, we have one instance for handling requests; at other times, we might have more than two instances. Querying the correct data is fast. However, read queries can be slower due to the large amount of data they need to process. We use additional processing power from more instances to accommodate the required scale. Google Cloud SQL is straightforward. The setup and configuration are easy, and managing the team is simple. We have one dedicated person per week to handle incidents or disturbances in the process and perform additional work. It's enough for maintenance and support. As data accumulates, it's crucial to devise a strategy for managing its volume, which involves using historical tables, archiving, or partitioning. These methods are all useful. As the data volume increases, query execution times can slow down. Therefore, it's imperative to implement an effective indexing strategy. By optimizing indexes, partitioning, and other techniques, queries can be executed more efficiently, even when querying on multiple parameters. There could be two or three read instances. The synchronization between the write and the read is very fast. There are multiple advantages to Google Cloud SQL. Firstly, it operates in the cloud, making it accessible from anywhere. Unlike competitors, Google Cloud SQL is fully integrated into the cloud environment. You can quickly scale your resources up or down according to your needs, growing or decreasing. This flexibility allows you to stay aligned with current demands while optimizing costs. Overall, I rate the solution a nine out of ten.
RP
Jan 12, 2023
A solution with good uptime and multi-region features with a valuable dashboard
Our primary use case for the solution is for applications. We get many applications in the environment, and most applications use Microsoft SQL, Azure SQL, and DBs, and a few use Postgres SQL. So primarily, the focus is to connect with the DB team and have a specific expert in the SQL environment…

Quotes from Members

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:
 

Pros

"The setup was straightforward. Just a couple of clicks, and we were done."
"The initial setup is straightforward."
"Its most valuable feature is that it's scalable. I can start off with a base of a lot of data and move as much as I want and it's the same as if asked to do a lot of infrastructure changes."
"It is not the cool features that I find valuable, it is the stability of Google Cloud Platform."
"My suggestion to anyone thinking about this solution is to jump into it head-first!"
"What I like the most about Google Cloud SQL is that it handles the management, which allows us to concentrate on our applications."
"It supports different databases, like Postgres and MySQL."
"The most valuable features are that it's easy to use, simple, and user-friendly."
"It's user-friendly. Compared to other solutions, it's based more on clicks, not on scripts. It's easy to manage."
"My main use case for SQL Azure is for a self-reading application related to portfolio management. In this application, users can have portfolios designed and managed based on recommendations from their brokers. These recommendations are sent to users, and if consumed, they get executed and added to their portfolios, which can be easily maintained through mobile applications. This involves using Kafka for messaging and execution."
"Great auto-scaling and security features."
"The most valuable feature is PolyBase."
"It is very fast in replicating the data from one database to another. We do some extractions from multiple databases to a target database that we use for visualization. It has a good speed."
"The most valuable aspect of SQL Azure is the SQL language itself. It's open and everybody can use it at my company. Also, we thought in the beginning that the response time would be inadequate, but it's actually decent. It's much better than expected. Then again, I'm not a programmer, but that's what I hear from our development team."
"The automated scalability feature of SQL Azure has proven to be highly beneficial, particularly when deployed in the cloud."
"Its technical support team is good."
 

Cons

"The purging of the data could be better."
"The most vulnerable problem with Google SQL is that while you can customize your access control list, it provides you with a public IP address."
"I would like to see better integration with all the different tools on the platform."
"I am yet to explore a lot of features that are present in this solution. However, it would be good if more documentation is available for this solution. This would help us in preparing for the certification exam and understand it better. Currently, we don't have much documentation. We do the labs for 20 or 25 minutes, but we can't capture and download anything."
"For data analysis, the AI area of the product has certain shortcomings where improvements are required."
"To create a seamless data integration, the title integration of these databases with the data integration platforms is essential. This is what we would like to have in a future release."
"The monitoring part could be better."
"They could improve documentation and dashboard stability for efficient user experience and database management."
"If there are areas for improvement, one aspect could be the user interface. It could be made more user-friendly and similar to Google BigQuery's interface."
"I think this product can improve its integrations with business intelligence software. The integrations are always cumbersome due to the approvals, passwords, et cetera."
"The default 1433 port for communication should be customizable because most hacks or attacks are attempted when creating any application or database on the default port."
"I feel that the price is high and it could be reduced."
"I would like to see integration with Snowflake."
"The solution needs to improve its customer network, including its online support."
"I'm not really a SQL DBA, so I can't go into the depths of the areas that need to be improved. They can maybe make it a bit easier to educate people on how to develop SQL Server in Azure. They can provide some free seminars and webinars and more training in general for easier migration. I know there is some stuff on Microsoft learning, but it would be helpful and useful to have more up-to-date content."
"The way it has been designed, in the on-premises deployments, the underlying Windows OS is highly scalable but has a very large resource requirement. A lot of power-related and memory-related things are there, which I have not seen in the RHEL and Oracle. I have not tried SQL on RHEL EXEC. On Windows, infrastructure-wise, a very large workload is running on the SQL. This issue is related to Windows, not SQL."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"While the platform’s pricing may be higher, it aligns with industry standards, considering the quality of service and features provided."
"It is not expensive, especially considering the significant reduction in database management time."
"From a financial perspective, Google Cloud SQL is on the cheaper side."
"It's really cheap. It wouldn't be more than, I believe it's around 50 euro per month for running a cloud SQL."
"The solution is affordable."
"The pricing is very much an important factor as to why we use this solution."
"You need to pay extra costs for backup and replication."
"The solution is more cost-effective than Google BigQuery. Compared to Google BigQuery, downloading data can be more expensive."
"I believe the licensing is more on a global scale."
"Microsoft services are costly, which is the only problem we face. So, pricing is an area of improvement."
"It requires a license. As compared to its competitors, such as Oracle, it is affordable and reasonable."
"I would rate the pricing a seven out of ten."
"It is expensive. Snowflake and PostgreSQL are cheaper than this. Google is also cheaper than Azure. Its licensing is on a pay-as-you-go basis. It is based on usage and storage."
"The solution is moderately expensive."
"The cost is around $2,000 per month."
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Financial Services Firm
16%
Computer Software Company
12%
Retailer
8%
Manufacturing Company
6%
Educational Organization
68%
Computer Software Company
5%
Financial Services Firm
4%
Healthcare Company
2%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
 

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about Google Cloud SQL?
The implementation part of the product was easy.
What needs improvement with Google Cloud SQL?
When discussing media files, such as images and audio files, stored in Google Cloud, concerns about handling large amounts of data arise. If these files exceed 3 GB, backing them up can be challeng...
What do you like most about SQL Azure?
The automated scalability feature of SQL Azure has proven to be highly beneficial, particularly when deployed in the cloud.
What needs improvement with SQL Azure?
The solution’s pricing needs improvement because it is too high.
 

Learn More

 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

BeDataDriven, CodeFutures, Daffodil, GenieConnect, KiSSFLOW, LiveHive, SulAm_rica, Zync
adnymics GmbH, LG CNS, Centrebet, netfabb GmbH, MedPlast, Accelera Solutions, Sochi Organizing Committee, realzeit GmbH
Find out what your peers are saying about Google Cloud SQL vs. Microsoft Azure SQL Database and other solutions. Updated: September 2024.
801,634 professionals have used our research since 2012.