Object access, file access & analytics · AWS vs Google Cloud
Amazon S3 Tables vs Apache Iceberg managed tables in BigQuery (BigLake)
Amazon S3 Tables maps to Apache Iceberg managed tables in BigQuery (BigLake), which store Iceberg data in your Cloud Storage buckets with BigQuery-managed maintenance.
Side-by-side comparison
| Aspect | Amazon Web Services | Google Cloud |
|---|---|---|
| Service | Amazon S3 Tables | Apache Iceberg managed tables in BigQuery (BigLake) |
| Lifecycle | Generally available | Generally available |
| What it is | Table buckets that store Apache Iceberg tables as first-class resources, with automatic maintenance (compaction, snapshot management) and access from Iceberg-compatible engines such as Athena, Redshift, EMR, and Spark. | Fully managed Apache Iceberg tables whose data lives in your Cloud Storage buckets, managed and queried through BigQuery. |
| Pricing model | Per GB-month storage and per-request charges, plus monitoring and compaction charges. | Cloud Storage charges for data, plus BigQuery compute for queries and table maintenance. |
| Docs | Amazon S3 Tables docs | Apache Iceberg managed tables in BigQuery (BigLake) docs |
| Pricing page | Amazon S3 Tables pricing | Apache Iceberg managed tables in BigQuery (BigLake) pricing |
Key differences
- Tables are created and managed through BigQuery; S3 Tables is a storage-level table bucket that many engines use.
- Open engines such as Spark can read the tables through the BigLake metastore.
Pricing summary
Pricing models only. No prices are quoted because they change by region and over time.
- AWS
- Per GB-month storage and per-request charges, plus monitoring and compaction charges. Amazon S3 Tables pricing →
- GCP
- Cloud Storage charges for data, plus BigQuery compute for queries and table maintenance. Apache Iceberg managed tables in BigQuery (BigLake) pricing →
And on Azure?
Partial match Azure's equivalent is Microsoft Fabric OneLake. AWS vs Azure comparison →
FAQ
What is the Google Cloud equivalent of Amazon S3 Tables?
Amazon S3 Tables maps to Apache Iceberg managed tables in BigQuery (BigLake), which store Iceberg data in your Cloud Storage buckets with BigQuery-managed maintenance.
How does pricing compare between Amazon S3 Tables and Apache Iceberg managed tables in BigQuery (BigLake)?
AWS: Per GB-month storage and per-request charges, plus monitoring and compaction charges. Google Cloud: Cloud Storage charges for data, plus BigQuery compute for queries and table maintenance. Check the official pricing pages for current rates.
What is the Azure equivalent?
Microsoft Fabric OneLake (partial match). Amazon S3 Tables (Iceberg table buckets) maps most closely to Microsoft Fabric OneLake.