Google BigQuery
Google Cloud's serverless data warehouse at $6.25 per TiB scanned on demand, with 1 TiB of queries and 10 GB of storage free each month.
- Free tier
- Per TiB scanned
- Cloud
- Serverless warehouse
- Independent sources
- Verified 11 Nov 2026Sources are dated on this profile
- 2 sourcesLinked, typed and dated
- Independent third-party sourcesHow this profile was compiled
- Not an endorsementStack18 has not tested this product
What is Google BigQuery?
Google BigQuery is a serverless data warehouse on Google Cloud with on-demand per-scan pricing or reserved slots through Editions, plus built-in ML and BI integration.
- Best forGoogle Cloud teams wanting serverless analytics
- Team size fitSmall teams, Mid-size teams, Large enterprises
- PricingOn demand $6.25 per TiB scanned; Editions sell reserved slots; free 1 TiB queries and 10 GB storage a month.
- Main limitationLIMIT does not reduce cost.
- AlternativesSnowflake, Amazon Redshift, ClickHouse Cloud · compare all
Google BigQuery overview: who it is for and what it does.
BigQuery runs SQL analytics without clusters, with on-demand scanning or reserved slot capacity and integration with Vertex AI.
A vendor comparison (August 2026) lists $6.25 per TiB scanned on demand, a shared pool of 2,000 default slots per project and Editions for reserved slots; CostBench lists a free tier of 1 TB of queries and 10 GB of storage a month.
It warns that LIMIT does not reduce bytes billed and one bad query can scan a lot.
Main problem it solves
Runs analytics without managing infrastructure.
Typical customer segment
Teams of all sizes on Google Cloud.
Target users
- Analysts
- Data engineers
- ML teams
Primary use cases
- Serverless SQL
- BigQuery ML
- BI
- Streaming inserts
What makes it distinct
- Per-scan pricing.
- No clusters.
- Free monthly tier.
Google BigQuery features explained.
Pricing
- On demand
- $6.25 per TiB scanned.
- Editions
- Reserved slots.
- Default slots
- 2,000 shared per project.
Free tier
- Queries
- 1 TiB a month.
- Storage
- 10 GB a month.
- Clusters
- None to manage.
Watch-outs
- LIMIT
- Does not cut bytes billed.
- Bad queries
- Can scan a lot.
- Sub-second
- Often needs BI Engine.
Google BigQuery pricing and plans.
Figures reported by independent sources; vendor page not reviewed directly. Checked 11 Nov 2026 against MotherDuck · CostBench.
Pricing model
Usage per TiB scanned or reserved slots.
Free plan
Yes (1 TiB/mo)
Free trial
Not documented
Google BigQuery plans and prices (USD)
Free
$0
Free
1 TiB queries; 10 GB storage.
On demand
$6.25 per TiB scanned
Pay as you go
Per query.
Editions
Slot capacity
Pay as you go or commit
Reserved.
MotherDuck (August 2026), vendor; CostBench (2026).
Prices change. Confirm current plans and terms on the vendor's site before you decide.
Visit official website (external) ↗See alternativesGoogle BigQuery integrations, API and platforms.
Important integrations
- Looker
- Vertex AI
- dbt
- Fivetran
Supported platforms
- Web
API
Not reviewed for this profile.
Data import and export
Not reviewed for this profile.
Integration coverage was not assessed in full. Check Google BigQuery's integrations directory and documentation for your tools.
Google BigQuery pros and cons.
Strengths, limitations and best fit. Each point cites a source; editorial summaries are not customer reviews.
Strengths
Best for
- Google Cloud teams wanting serverless analytics
- Marketing analytics (GA4 exports)
- Startups with variable load
May be less suited to
- Multi-cloud-neutral buyers
- Unpredictable ad-hoc scans without guardrails
Top Google BigQuery alternatives and competitors.
Snowflake
A cloud data platform billed by compute credits ($2 to $4 a credit by edition) plus storage, with a…
Explore →Related productAmazon Redshift
AWS's data warehouse, with Redshift Serverless at $0.375 per RPU-hour (4-RPU minimum) and provisioned…
Explore →Related productClickHouse Cloud
A managed version of the open-source ClickHouse column store for fast real-time analytics, from $0.2181…
Explore →Google BigQuery compared with similar cloud data warehouse and lakehouse platforms.
Summaries come from each profile. This is a side-by-side aid, not a ranking.
| Product | Pricing model | Entry rate | Free tier | Architecture | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Google BigQuery | Per TiB / slots | $6.25/TiB scanned | Yes (1 TiB/mo) | Serverless warehouse | Google Cloud |
| Amazon Redshift | RPU-hour / node-hour | $0.375/RPU-hour | Trial credits | Cloud warehouse | AWS teams |
| ClickHouse Cloud | Compute + storage | $0.2181/unit-hour (Basic) | OSS free; $300 trial | Real-time column store | Real-time analytics |
| Databricks | DBU usage | ~$0.70/DBU (SQL Serverless) | No; 14-day trial | Lakehouse | BI + ML |
| Firebolt | Per-second nodes | ~$0.92/hour (1x S) | $200 credits | Cloud warehouse | Low-latency apps |
| Microsoft Fabric | Capacity (F-SKU) | ~$0.36/hour (F2) | No; 60-day trial | Lakehouse (OneLake) | Microsoft shops |
Google BigQuery vs competitors: head-to-head comparisons.
Each comparison has a feature table, pricing side by side, strengths and limits, and best-fit scenarios.
Compare Google BigQuery with all its alternatives in one table →
Google BigQuery discussions and buying questions.
No published discussions mention this product yet.
Google BigQuery questions and answers
What is Google BigQuery used for?
Google BigQuery is a serverless data warehouse on Google Cloud with on-demand per-scan pricing or reserved slots through Editions, plus built-in ML and BI integration. Typical uses include serverless SQL, bigQuery ML, bI, streaming inserts.
How much does BigQuery cost?
On demand is $6.25 per TiB scanned; Editions sell reserved slots.
Is BigQuery free?
The first 1 TiB of queries and 10 GB of storage each month are free.
Does LIMIT reduce BigQuery cost?
No, LIMIT does not reduce bytes billed.
How does Google BigQuery compare with its competitors?
Stack18 publishes head-to-head comparisons of Snowflake vs Google BigQuery, each with a feature table, pricing and best-fit scenarios.
What are the main alternatives to Google BigQuery?
The main alternatives to Google BigQuery covered on Stack18 are Snowflake, Amazon Redshift and ClickHouse Cloud. Snowflake may suit enterprises running large batch analytics and data sharing. Amazon Redshift may suit AWS-centric teams needing a warehouse close to S3. ClickHouse Cloud may suit teams building real-time dashboards on event data. See the Google BigQuery alternatives guide for a side-by-side table.
What are the pros and cons of Google BigQuery?
Strengths: No clusters to manage. Free monthly tier. Limitations: LIMIT does not reduce cost. Runaway scans possible.
Who is Google BigQuery best for?
Google BigQuery may suit Google Cloud teams wanting serverless analytics; marketing analytics (GA4 exports); startups with variable load. It may be less suited to multi-cloud-neutral buyers; unpredictable ad-hoc scans without guardrails.
What integrations does Google BigQuery support?
Documented integrations and ecosystem items include Looker, Vertex AI, dbt, Fivetran. API: Not reviewed for this profile.
When was the Google BigQuery profile last verified?
Sources for this profile were last reviewed on 11 Nov 2026. 2 sources are listed under Sources, and prices and plans can change, so confirm with the vendor.
Where this information comes from.
- Top Snowflake Alternatives 2026 (20 August 2026) MotherDuck (vendor blog) Competitor Accessed 11 Nov 2026
- Data Warehousing Software Pricing 2026: 9 Tools Compared CostBench Third-party Accessed 11 Nov 2026
Secondary-source profile. Vendor pages were not reviewed directly for this profile. Facts and prices are taken from independent third-party sources and may differ from the vendor's current pages. Confirm with the vendor before buying.
List rates come from dated third-party and vendor sources (labelled); real bills depend on workload, region and discounts. Confirm with the vendor before buying. Capabilities were not tested.
Stack18 has not tested this product or received anything from the vendor for this profile. Editorial summaries of vendor information are not endorsements. Confirm details with the vendor before buying.
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