NoSQL (key-value, document, wide-column, graph) · AWS vs Google Cloud
Amazon Neptune (Database and Analytics) vs Spanner Graph
Amazon Neptune maps partly to Spanner Graph, which adds an ISO GQL-compatible graph interface to Spanner.
Side-by-side comparison
| Aspect | Amazon Web Services | Google Cloud |
|---|---|---|
| Service | Amazon Neptune (Database and Analytics) | Spanner Graph |
| Lifecycle | Generally available | Generally available |
| What it is | Managed graph database supporting property graphs (Gremlin and openCypher) and RDF (SPARQL), with read replicas, serverless capacity, and global databases. Neptune Analytics adds in-memory graph analytics and vector search. | Graph database capability in Spanner with an ISO GQL-compatible query interface over relational data. |
| Pricing model | Per instance-hour or serverless NCU-hour, plus storage and I/O. Neptune Analytics bills per memory-optimized capacity-hour. | Spanner compute capacity and storage pricing. |
| Docs | Amazon Neptune (Database and Analytics) docs | Spanner Graph docs |
| Pricing page | Amazon Neptune (Database and Analytics) pricing | Spanner Graph pricing |
Key differences
- Spanner Graph uses GQL, not Gremlin, openCypher, or SPARQL.
- Graph and relational data live in the same database.
Pricing summary
Pricing models only. No prices are quoted because they change by region and over time.
- AWS
- Per instance-hour or serverless NCU-hour, plus storage and I/O. Neptune Analytics bills per memory-optimized capacity-hour. Amazon Neptune (Database and Analytics) pricing →
- GCP
- Spanner compute capacity and storage pricing. Spanner Graph pricing →
And on Azure?
Partial match Azure's equivalent is Azure Cosmos DB for Apache Gremlin. AWS vs Azure comparison →
FAQ
What is the Google Cloud equivalent of Amazon Neptune (Database and Analytics)?
Amazon Neptune maps partly to Spanner Graph, which adds an ISO GQL-compatible graph interface to Spanner.
How does pricing compare between Amazon Neptune (Database and Analytics) and Spanner Graph?
AWS: Per instance-hour or serverless NCU-hour, plus storage and I/O. Neptune Analytics bills per memory-optimized capacity-hour. Google Cloud: Spanner compute capacity and storage pricing. Check the official pricing pages for current rates.
What is the Azure equivalent?
Azure Cosmos DB for Apache Gremlin (partial match). Amazon Neptune maps to Azure Cosmos DB for Apache Gremlin for property graphs.