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BigQuery pros and cons

Vendor: Google
4.1 out of 5
Badge Leader

Pros & Cons summary

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Prominent pros & cons

PROS

BigQuery provides ample storage capacity similar to cloud storage, allowing for a vast number of records without concerns about on-premise limitations.
Its performance is impressive, providing real-time results and significantly reducing query processing time.
BigQuery offers smart tuning options for optimal performance and has multiregional storage reducing the impact of downtime.
It supports scalability for large datasets with efficient querying capabilities, crucial for data analysis and insights.
The integration of machine learning features and ease of setup make it accessible for both coders and non-coders to handle complex data tasks efficiently.

CONS

BigQuery has restrictions on special characters during data migration, causing errors and the need for Regexp for replacement.
The cache option is only available for native tables, not external tables, leading to extra costs and inefficiencies.
BigQuery's pricing is viewed as expensive, particularly for small and medium-sized businesses, making it less accessible.
The initial setup and deployment process of BigQuery requires improvements for easier implementation.
BigQuery lacks integration with other tools, requiring separate steps that complicate the process.
 

BigQuery Pros review quotes

Luís Silva - PeerSpot reviewer
Chief Technical Lead at a consultancy with 201-500 employees
May 19, 2025
This solution is highly scalable.
Mikah Sellers - PeerSpot reviewer
Principal at Sgt Suds
Oct 14, 2025
The best features of BigQuery for me are the fact that it's low-code, no-code; you don't have to be a data scientist to really utilize the tool.
reviewer2807520 - PeerSpot reviewer
Director at a consultancy with 11-50 employees
Mar 6, 2026
The features I have found most valuable in BigQuery include the query cache, which is good and scales well; it handles huge amounts of data quite well, and the multi-regions feature works well.
Learn what your peers think about BigQuery. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: May 2026.
893,221 professionals have used our research since 2012.
JR
Sr. Team Lead - IT at InfoStretch
Dec 24, 2024
BigQuery processes a substantial amount of data, whether in gigabytes or terabytes, swiftly producing desired data within one or two minutes.
reviewer2641596 - PeerSpot reviewer
Expert Analyst at a healthcare company with 5,001-10,000 employees
Jan 10, 2025
The initial setup is simple.
VikashKumar1 - PeerSpot reviewer
Tech lead at Ford Motor Company
Aug 23, 2024
The solution is very useful nowadays for keeping a huge number of records.
Mediha Šiljić - PeerSpot reviewer
Lead Data Engineer at Sensilab
Nov 6, 2024
BigQuery's querying capabilities are very optimized for large datasets.
Sathishkumar Jayaprakash - PeerSpot reviewer
Engineer at HTC Global Services (INDIA) Private
Nov 4, 2024
BigQuery allows for very fast access, and it is efficient in handling large datasets compared to other SQL databases.
reviewer1659204 - PeerSpot reviewer
Senior Manager.Marketing Strategy & Analysis. at a computer software company with 10,001+ employees
Aug 19, 2024
The product's most valuable features include its scalability and the ability to handle complex queries on large datasets.
Gonzalo Di Ascenzi - PeerSpot reviewer
Red Team Operator at Argentina Red Team
Jun 17, 2024
BigQuery excels at data analysis. It processes vast amounts of information using its advanced architecture and sophisticated querying capabilities, making it crucial for critical insights and safe for handling sensitive data.
 

BigQuery Cons review quotes

Luís Silva - PeerSpot reviewer
Chief Technical Lead at a consultancy with 201-500 employees
May 19, 2025
BigQuery can be very expensive if not used properly. Introducing AI tools that would allow you to optimize the data extraction process is an area of serious improvement.
Mikah Sellers - PeerSpot reviewer
Principal at Sgt Suds
Oct 14, 2025
There are areas that could be improved with BigQuery, such as more bolt-on capabilities and the ability to use more bolt-ons for APIs.
reviewer2807520 - PeerSpot reviewer
Director at a consultancy with 11-50 employees
Mar 6, 2026
With what I have seen in BigQuery, I had some response times problems, but then it is an analytical database and not a transactional database, so it comes with eventual consistency.
Learn what your peers think about BigQuery. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: May 2026.
893,221 professionals have used our research since 2012.
JR
Sr. Team Lead - IT at InfoStretch
Dec 24, 2024
When I execute a query, the dashboard doesn't always present the output seamlessly.
reviewer2641596 - PeerSpot reviewer
Expert Analyst at a healthcare company with 5,001-10,000 employees
Jan 10, 2025
When I open many of the Google Cloud products, I am in an environment that I do not feel familiar with; it is a little overwhelming.
VikashKumar1 - PeerSpot reviewer
Tech lead at Ford Motor Company
Aug 23, 2024
Instead of connecting directly to BigQuery, we connect to GCP, Cloud Run, and then to BigQuery, which is a long process.
Mediha Šiljić - PeerSpot reviewer
Lead Data Engineer at Sensilab
Nov 6, 2024
It would be beneficial if BigQuery could be made more affordable.
Sathishkumar Jayaprakash - PeerSpot reviewer
Engineer at HTC Global Services (INDIA) Private
Nov 4, 2024
There is a limitation when copying data directly from BigQuery; it only supports up to ten MB when copying data to the clipboard.
reviewer1659204 - PeerSpot reviewer
Senior Manager.Marketing Strategy & Analysis. at a computer software company with 10,001+ employees
Aug 19, 2024
The product could benefit from improvements in user-friendliness, particularly in terms of the user interface.
Gonzalo Di Ascenzi - PeerSpot reviewer
Red Team Operator at Argentina Red Team
Jun 17, 2024
BigQuery should integrate with other tools, such as Cloud Logging and Local Studio, to enhance its capabilities further and enable powerful and innovative analyses.