Managed relational engines · AWS vs Google Cloud
Amazon RDS for SQL Server vs Cloud SQL for SQL Server
Amazon RDS for SQL Server maps to Cloud SQL for SQL Server, a managed SQL Server with license-included pricing.
Side-by-side comparison
| Aspect | Amazon Web Services | Google Cloud |
|---|---|---|
| Service | Amazon RDS for SQL Server | Cloud SQL for SQL Server |
| Lifecycle | Generally available | Generally available |
| What it is | Managed Microsoft SQL Server (Express, Web, Standard, Enterprise, and Developer editions) with license-included pricing, Multi-AZ, read replicas (Enterprise), and native backup and restore to S3. No OS or sysadmin access. | Managed Microsoft SQL Server with high availability, backups, and license-included pricing. |
| Pricing model | Per instance-hour, including the SQL Server license, by edition and class, plus storage and backups. | Billed per vCPU and GB of memory per hour by edition (Enterprise or Enterprise Plus), plus storage, backups, and network. Committed use discounts are available. SQL Server licenses are billed per vCPU on top. |
| Docs | Amazon RDS for SQL Server docs | Cloud SQL for SQL Server docs |
| Pricing page | Amazon RDS for SQL Server pricing | Cloud SQL for SQL Server pricing |
Key differences
- Like RDS, Cloud SQL doesn't give sysadmin or OS access; for that, run SQL Server on Compute Engine.
- Cloud SQL doesn't support bring-your-own SQL Server licenses; licenses are billed by Google.
Pricing summary
Pricing models only. No prices are quoted because they change by region and over time.
- AWS
- Per instance-hour, including the SQL Server license, by edition and class, plus storage and backups. Amazon RDS for SQL Server pricing →
- GCP
- Billed per vCPU and GB of memory per hour by edition (Enterprise or Enterprise Plus), plus storage, backups, and network. Committed use discounts are available. SQL Server licenses are billed per vCPU on top. Cloud SQL for SQL Server pricing →
And on Azure?
Partial match Azure's equivalent is Azure SQL Managed Instance, Azure SQL Database. AWS vs Azure comparison →
FAQ
What is the Google Cloud equivalent of Amazon RDS for SQL Server?
Amazon RDS for SQL Server maps to Cloud SQL for SQL Server, a managed SQL Server with license-included pricing.
How does pricing compare between Amazon RDS for SQL Server and Cloud SQL for SQL Server?
AWS: Per instance-hour, including the SQL Server license, by edition and class, plus storage and backups. Google Cloud: Billed per vCPU and GB of memory per hour by edition (Enterprise or Enterprise Plus), plus storage, backups, and network. Committed use discounts are available. SQL Server licenses are billed per vCPU on top. Check the official pricing pages for current rates.
What is the Azure equivalent?
Azure SQL Managed Instance and Azure SQL Database (partial match). Amazon RDS for SQL Server maps to Azure SQL Managed Instance (instance-level compatibility, closest to RDS) or Azure SQL Database (database-scoped PaaS).