gcp.html

Google Cloud

Google's cloud. Strong on data, ML, and Kubernetes. Smaller than AWS, more developer-friendly.

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Quick facts

  • CategoryHyperscaler
  • PricingPaid
  • LicenseProprietary
  • Created2008
  • GitHub starsclosed
  • Edge-readyYes
  • Free tierYes
  • Egress billingExpensive

Bundled services: Cloud Run BigQuery GKE Cloud SQL Cloud Storage Vertex AI

What it is

Google Cloud (GCP) is Google's public cloud. Strong on data + ML (BigQuery, Vertex AI), Kubernetes (GKE — Google built K8s), and the Cloud Run serverless container product which is genuinely best-in-class. Smaller than AWS in market share; developer experience is meaningfully cleaner in places.

Best for

  • Data and ML workloads (BigQuery is the differentiator)
  • Kubernetes-first teams (GKE Autopilot is the cleanest managed K8s)
  • Cloud Run for stateless serverless containers

When not to pick it

Skip GCP if your stack is already AWS-locked or if procurement is committed to AWS / Azure. Outside data + ML + K8s, AWS has more depth.

My take

GCP is the cleanest hyperscaler for data and Kubernetes. Cloud Run is genuinely excellent. For non-data workloads, the catalogue is narrower than AWS.

Links

Similar tools you should also consider

AWS

The biggest cloud. Every service you can imagine, complexity and cost to match. EC2, S3, Lambda, RDS.

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Microsoft Azure

The Microsoft cloud. Strong in Microsoft-shop enterprises, .NET-aligned, OpenAI integration via Azure OpenAI.

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If Google Cloud is your pick — the next conversation is short

The 30-min call is where your hosting choice becomes a real architecture, a migration plan if you are switching, and a price range you can take to your stakeholders without surprise bills in month 4. Describe your stack, your traffic shape, your budget. I tell you whether Google Cloud is genuinely your fit.