Google Cloud Firestore is a scalable, real-time NoSQL cloud database that provides document-oriented data storage and synchronizes data seamlessly across devices.
| Product | Mindshare (%) |
|---|---|
| Google Cloud Firestore | 3.1% |
| MongoDB Enterprise Advanced | 13.2% |
| Redis | 8.5% |
| Other | 75.2% |
Designed for mobile, web, and server development, Firestore allows developers to store and sync data quickly. It supports real-time updates which enable your applications to reflect changes instantly. Firestore is based on a managed infrastructure, relieving developers from server-side maintenance and scalability concerns. It integrates with other Google Cloud services making it a convenient choice for modern app development.
What are the key features?
What benefits and ROI considerations should users review?
Firestore is widely used in industries like retail, where apps require real-time inventory tracking and customer insights. In health tech, it's utilized for patient data management, ensuring real-time updates across platforms while adhering to security protocols. Educational tech companies implement the database to provide an interactive learning experience with live collaboration features.
Google Cloud Firestore was previously known as Firestore.
| Author info | Rating | Review Summary |
|---|---|---|
| engagement Manager at Capgemini | 4.0 | I've used Google Cloud Firestore for over three years; its real-time data syncing is valuable, but it needs improved logic handling, UI, and security. It's affordable at low volumes but gets expensive as user numbers grow. |
| Assistant Director at NAFDAC | 4.5 | I use Google Cloud Firestore for web applications due to its efficient querying and real-time syncing. While improvements in querying and pricing complexity are needed, it remains cost-effective and preferable over MongoDB and other costly options like DynamoDB and Oracle Database. |
| iOS Developer at Freelance | 4.0 | I use Google Cloud Firestore for chat solutions, enabling client-customer communication, and for storing maps and locations. While I initially faced difficulties with group creation in individual chats, it effectively satisfies my needs without any alternative solutions considered. |
Firebase is our main backend, so for managing authentications, for managing the backend database, and building cloud functions, it is all through Firebase.
In the case of Google Cloud Firestore, that is our storage bucket where we store all the media and all the resources that are being used for applications or websites or any other resources that are used inside the website or application.
One of the main features of Google Cloud Firestore's document management is the real-time listener.
Whenever there are any changes in the data, all the documents and applications that are reading through that particular document get automatically notified that there was some change, and automatically all the data gets refreshed.
It is a very useful feature; it basically simplifies pooling and other ways of identifying the data changes.
The real-time listener is a unique feature.
A simplified way of building a logical layer on top of Firebase is necessary. Currently, the only option is to use cloud functions or Cloud Run functions.
If they come up with an easier way of handling the logical layer between the frontend and backend, that would be beneficial.
The UI of Firebase is much better compared to AWS or other Azure, but there is still scope for improving the usability of the UI.
Additionally, some more AI features for automation can be added.
The security layer can be enhanced, as currently, for data handling, there is just rule-based security; they can add one more layer of data security.
I have three and a half years of experience working with Google Cloud Firestore.
Google Cloud Firestore is the cheapest in the market, so pricing-wise, it is good.
For lower volumes, it works fine, but once the volume increases, for use cases where the total number of users is less than 100,000 a month, Firebase is cheaper.
But once you go beyond that, it becomes very expensive.
There are some limitations, as it is tier-based. Once we pass a certain threshold, the cost economics become higher, but this is the same case for all the clouds.
Google Cloud has different pricing options for technical support.
Based on our subscription, they provide adequate support.
Initially, reaching them is slightly harder, but if you are in the top tier, they provide good support.
For other tiers, their support is not available at all; I have to find things on my own.
I have experience with Firebase, especially Firebase, then Google Cloud Computing Engine, and then Google Firebase Studio.
Google Cloud Firestore is one of the offerings in Firebase, which is basically a storage bucket.
Google Cloud Firestore is very similar to all other offerings; they are similar to S3 and Azure Blob storage.
It has an adequate free tier as well.
On a scale of 1-10, I rate Google Cloud Firestore an 8.
I use Google Cloud Firestore for user management and data storage, primarily for web applications. Firestore helps sync data between different users and stores documents efficiently.
Google Cloud Firestore has significantly saved my operational costs and improved productivity. It scales up automatically and provides real-time syncing capabilities, which means any event at the backend is quickly reflected at the front end without needing to reload the browser. This has been a key feature in my data management strategy.
The most valuable features are Firestore's query capabilities and its real-time syncing functionality. The queries are efficient, apart from some limitations. Real-time syncing allows any changes at the backend to automatically appear at the frontend. This is highly useful as it eliminates the need to reload the browser to see the updates.
Firestore needs improvements in its querying capabilities, particularly the ability to join tables and merge data from different tables before sending it to the front end. The pricing model is also quite complicated with various metrics, which can be confusing for users.
I have been using Firestore for over two years.
Firestore has been stable and working fine, and there have been no significant issues since I started using it.
Firestore scales up automatically. There are guidelines in the documentation on how to scale it up; however, I have not reached the level where I need to scale it significantly.
Before using Firestore, I worked with MongoDB, which is similar in many ways but is more expensive. I also used operational transform tools that were not as efficient for persistent data storage as Firestore.
Firestore has saved a significant amount of money compared to other databases that charge monthly. It has been highly cost-effective for my organization.
The price for Firestore is reasonable. I am still using the free tier, and they have not charged me more than twelve dollars, even with heavy usage. However, the pricing model is too complicated due to multiple metrics.
I evaluated AWS's DynamoDB and Oracle Database. However, they were either too complicated or too expensive for my needs.
I highly recommend Google Cloud Firestore due to its cost-effectiveness and real-time syncing capabilities. However, it needs improvements in querying functionalities and a simplified pricing model.
Google Cloud Firestore is used for chat purposes. We had a project where a client could communicate via chat with a customer using the solution.
I use the solution for maps, saving some locations, and chats.
I initially faced a problem creating groups in individual chats.
I have been using Google Cloud Firestore for ten years.
Google Cloud Firestore is mostly a stable solution. Although someone might find an issue sometimes, the solution has very few bug issues, maybe two or three percent.
Around 30 to 40 people are using the solution in our organization.
The solution's initial setup was not difficult for me because I always used Google Cloud Firestore in my previous company to publish applications or different versions.
I would recommend the solution to other users. Initially, I followed the Google guidelines and did some demos after implementing the tool in my projects. It is easy for new users to learn to use Google Cloud Firestore for the first time.
Google provides all kinds of services in one platform, whether you are using Google Cloud and your projects in Crashlytics or using some locations or storing. It's easy to handle.
Overall, I rate the solution an eight out of ten.
