Google App Engine Reviews

Name: Google App Engine
Brand: Google
Rating: 4.1 (31 reviews)

4.1 out of 5

31 reviews
96% willing to recommend

2,395 followers

What is Google App Engine?

Google App Engine is a Platform-as-a-Service (Paas) provider that equips web application developers with all the resources and tools that they need to develop, test, and run their applications on Google's infrastructure. Everything is built into the kit, so with one download of the SDK, you'll be well on your way to first-rate apps.

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Google App Engine is the #9 ranked solution in PaaS Services. PeerSpot users give Google App Engine an average rating of 8.2 out of 10. Google App Engine is most commonly compared to Microsoft Azure: Google App Engine vs Microsoft Azure. Google App Engine is popular among the large enterprise segment, accounting for 60% of users researching this solution on PeerSpot. The top industry researching this solution are professionals from a computer software company, accounting for 17% of all views.

Helped 857,028 peers since 2012

Featured Google App Engine reviews

Rajesh Kadyan

Senior Engineer at Brillio

The areas of Google App Engine that I would to improve or enhance include its allowance for complete end-to-end deployment and scalability; however, it is manageable only for a few languages. For instance, it doesn't support languages C and C++, only basic support for Node.js, Java, and Ruby. It's not a comprehensive solution for all scenarios. Moreover, the security feature is based on IAM roles, but it should ideally be based on Active Directory (AD) roles. For IAM-based roles, we need to add the proper users and provide all security permissions manually. In an AD-based model, we would simply add users to a specific group, and all permissions would be inherited.

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Tabish Mahfuz

Senior Software Engineer at Cimpress

While integrating Google App Engine with other services, I don't recall any specific challenges. The main drawback with Google App Engine's standard environment was its restrictions. We could not work with file systems, run shell scripts from the environment, or use WebSockets. These issues could be resolved using the Flex environment, but that increased the cost. The Flex environment requires one service instance to always be running, which further increases the service cost. It would be beneficial if Flex services could scale down to zero instances during periods of no traffic. This would solve many issues where we had to make compromises because we didn't want to maintain a constantly running instance while still needing the flexibility of WebSockets or low-level system APIs that weren't available in the standard environment. Though I have experience with AWS, it's not comparable as I only used EC2 services, where you manage your own VM independently.

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reviewer2706945

Assistant Manager at Deloitte

There are two versions of Google App Engine: flexible and standard versions. I think they can improve by having only one version. The advanced version has better features, better scalability, and better performance, but it costs more. Instead of having both versions, they should have one system with standard pricing. I would prefer to have only the advanced version from Google App Engine instead of two systems.

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Google App Engine mindshare

As of June 2025, the mindshare of Google App Engine in the PaaS Clouds category stands at 2.2%, up from 2.2% compared to the previous year, according to calculations based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

PaaS Clouds

PeerResearch reports based on Google App Engine reviews

Type	Title	Date
Category	PaaS Clouds	Jun 16, 2025	Download
Product	Reviews, tips, and advice from real users	Jun 16, 2025	Download
Comparison	Google App Engine vs Microsoft Azure	Jun 16, 2025	Download
Comparison	Google App Engine vs Amazon AWS	Jun 16, 2025	Download
Comparison	Google App Engine vs Red Hat OpenShift	Jun 16, 2025	Download

Title	Rating	Mindshare	Recommending
Microsoft Azure	4.2	19.4%	96%	316 interviews Add to research
Amazon AWS	4.2	12.3%	93%	256 interviews Add to research

Valuable Features

Google App Engine offers zero maintenance, unlimited scalability, and free basic accounts. It's ideal for startups and seamlessly integrates with Google Cloud. Users appreciate its self-management and robust security, benefiting from autoscaling, real-time logging, and cost-effectiveness. It's easy to deploy new app versions, supports open-source development, and provides extensive statistics. Users value its serverless, flexible infrastructure without manual intervention, allowing focus on application development while Google handles updates and patches.

"The seamless integration of Google App Engine with other Google Cloud services has enhanced my application capabilities by allowing us to trigger Cloud Jobs from App Engine and some cloud functions, as handling messages through Pub/Sub."
"The auto-scaling feature helped us significantly in our fast-paced environment where the number of users was increasing rapidly."
"The customer service is excellent and very responsive."

Room for Improvement

Google App Engine faces challenges with limited language support and database flexibility, lacking C and C++ and restricted to MySQL and Google Datastore. Costs are higher compared to alternatives like Kubernetes. Documentation and tech support need enhancement, and deployment processes are inefficient. Users encounter issues with sandbox restrictions, poor runtime features, and insufficient customization options. Security based on IAM roles is inadequate compared to desired Active Directory integration.

"The areas of Google App Engine I would to see improved or enhanced in the future include expanding inbuilt support for more programming languages than the current limited options such as Python, Go, and Node, ideally adding support for languages such as Java."
"The main drawback with Google App Engine's standard environment was its restrictions. We could not work with file systems, run shell scripts from the environment, or use WebSockets."
"There are two versions of Google App Engine: flexible and standard versions. I think they can improve by having only one version."

ROI

Users experienced mixed results with Google App Engine. Those familiar with optimal usage saw potential in return on investment, whereas new users faced challenges leading to increased costs. Some appreciated the platform's operational efficiency, notably in scaling and maintenance benefits. However, specific ROI metrics were often unmeasured or unnoticed, particularly regarding savings in cost, time, or resources. While customers acknowledged some return, precise financial figures were largely unavailable.

Pricing

Google App Engine offers competitive pricing for low usage tiers, with costs increasing at higher tiers. The pay-as-you-go model is praised for its flexibility, with free usage available for F1 and minimal costs for higher tiers. Prices vary significantly based on memory, CPU, and service features selected. Enterprise users find it suitable for front-end applications with moderate server space demands. While competitive, some users consider it expensive compared to other services.

"If we don't know how to work with the tool, we might have some spikes in price."
"We pay the license yearly. It's about $6 a month, which is $72 a year per person, so it's about $500."
"I would like to have more free application with it. Some of the applications, I am paying more for them. I think that they must be free."

Popular Use Cases

Google App Engine is primarily used for deploying web applications, front-end and back-end services, and integrating with Google services like Pub/Sub and APIs. Users appreciate its autoscaling, ease of integration, and use in business, educational, and SaaS applications. It serves different purposes such as migrating services to the cloud, developing APIs, enabling communication and collaboration, and running industrial maintenance programs, all while leveraging its cost-effectiveness and seamless authentication features.

Service and Support

Some users report satisfactory technical support for Google App Engine, citing responsive and efficient service. Others find issues with attention and support quality, experiencing delays and lack of proper communication. Documentation and alternative resources like Stack Overflow are considered helpful. There are mixed experiences, with some rating support highly for availability while others express dissatisfaction, noting unresponsiveness and unresolved queries. Third-party partners often fulfill support needs effectively.

Deployment

Most users find Google App Engine's initial setup straightforward and efficient, citing robust documentation and framework support. While some report ease and quick deployment, a few mention complexities requiring intermediate skills, especially when working with specific configurations or transitioning modes. For web applications, setup tends to be simpler compared to non-web applications. Users appreciate the ability to integrate with databases and automate deployments, but note challenges with plugins and specific external configurations.

Scalability

Google App Engine is praised for its scalability, handling traffic with automatic scaling. Users have noted its ability to scale efficiently in standard environments and integrate with third-party applications. Companies with varying customer bases and usage scenarios appreciate Google App Engine's scaling capabilities, though some mention limitations with basic and flexible instance scaling. The auto-scaling feature effectively manages loads without manual intervention, supporting diverse user needs and high data volumes.

Stability

Users report strong stability with Google App Engine, noting minor issues usually resolved quickly. Most rate stability between eight to ten, citing few disruptions over several years. Some mention occasional slowness with large scripts or deployments, explaining improvements in recent years. Maintenance is minimal once configured. Instances of instability are rare, attributed to network conditions. Customers prioritize reliability and appreciate timely communication and resolution when issues arise, expressing satisfaction with its stable performance.

These insights are based on the in-depth reviews provided by peers to help you make a better buying decision.

Download our Google App Engine Buyer's Guide for additional reliable information.