Google App Engine Reviews and Pricing

AshishSinha

Expert Engineer at Finastra

Apr 29, 2025

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Enables management of UI-based apps and offers a cost-effective cloud experience for Java developers

Pros and Cons

"What I find most valuable about Google App Engine is its support for open-source development."

"The whitelist and blacklist of APIs can be a deal-breaker due to security concerns, and the deployment process is chaotic."

What is our primary use case?

I am a Java developer and primarily use Google App Engine for UI-based applications and hobby projects. I have used it for various applications, including CRM kind of applications. I test and create apps, primarily focusing on these use cases for my personal projects.

What is most valuable?

What I find most valuable about Google App Engine is its support for open-source development. It is not difficult to get into, which is a great advantage. The solution provides a lot of statistics about performance, such as read and write metrics by default. It helps with managing applications through inbuilt APIs and log monitoring. The scalability aspect is very well-designed, so I do not have to worry about disk space and scaling configurations. It also scales beautifully, which is impressive. Google App Engine offers a cloud-based solution for free, especially for Java, making it a cost-effective option compared to expensive VMs.

What needs improvement?

The main areas for improvement in Google App Engine include security restrictions and deployment processes. The whitelist and blacklist of APIs can be a deal-breaker due to security concerns, and the deployment process is chaotic. A steep learning curve also exists due to the non-standard Google way of doing things, which could deter people from adapting this solution. Customization needs improvement as the current limitation to Google's way restricts flexibility.

For how long have I used the solution?

My usage of Google App Engine has been on and off since its launch in the 2007-2008 timeframe.

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What was my experience with deployment of the solution?

My experience with the deployment of Google App Engine is that it takes quite some time and involves non-standard intermediate steps. The deployment process can be problematic as it initially involves various steps on the local system before sending it back to Google App Engine. It requires an IDE plugin, which adds an extra step, not typically standard.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

I have never encountered any issues with the stability of Google App Engine for any of my applications. I would rate it between nine or ten in terms of stability.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

Although I have not explored every route related to scalability, when I have tested it, it scales beautifully, without any noticeable problems. I would rate the scalability as nine out of ten, appreciating its design that does not require much attention to scaling configurations or costs.

Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

Prior to using Google App Engine, I did not really have any cloud-hosting options apart from VMs, which were costly. Google App Engine was appealing due to its free Java-based cloud solution.

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup of Google App Engine requires installing an IDE plugin, which is an additional step aimed at improving the developer's experience. However, this can be awkward as the steps are not in line with standard practices, leading to a steep learning curve.

What about the implementation team?

I could handle the deployment on my own, and since it is mostly for hobby projects, I manage it alone.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

I have always used the free tier of Google App Engine, so I do not have insights into its pricing structure or costs.

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

At the time of choosing Google App Engine, the only other option was using a VM, which was costly.

What other advice do I have?

Although Google App Engine has a steep learning curve making it taxing for users, it is a good platform for Java developers, specifically due to its cost advantages. Flexibility and ease of customization need improvement. I rate Google App Engine an eight out of ten.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

Public Cloud

If public cloud, private cloud, or hybrid cloud, which cloud provider do you use?

Google

Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.

Last updated: Apr 29, 2025