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Google Cloud Datastream

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What Google Cloud Datastream is

Google Cloud Datastream is a cloud service for capturing database changes and replicating data with minimal latency. A stream can copy ongoing updates and backfill historical records from its source. The service runs without resources for users to provision or manage and scales automatically. Documented sources include Oracle, MySQL, PostgreSQL, AlloyDB, SQL Server, MongoDB, Spanner, Salesforce, ServiceNow, Workday, and Microsoft Dataverse; some are listed as preview. Data can go to BigQuery, Cloud Storage, or Apache Iceberg tables. Dataflow templates can also load Cloud Storage data into destinations including BigQuery, Cloud SQL, and Spanner. Connectivity options include IP allowlisting, a forward SSH tunnel, and private VPC peering. Buffered data is encrypted at rest, and replicated data uses destination security controls by default. Eligible AlloyDB and Spanner sources to BigQuery receive a shared 100 GiB monthly free tier per billing account. Beyond that, charges depend on processed data; idle streams incur no cost, while other Google Cloud resources are billed separately. Events arrive at least once, but their order is not guaranteed.

Who it suits

It suits teams moving database changes or historical data into analytics and storage destinations, or supporting migration, synchronization, and event-driven architectures. It is available through the Google Cloud console, CLI, and REST API.

What it does well

Free tier covers 100 GiB of eligible CDC data monthly.
Streams can capture ongoing changes and backfill history.
Scales automatically without resource provisioning or management.
Offers IP allowlisting, SSH tunneling, and private VPC peering.
Buffered data is encrypted at rest.

What to know first

Event order is not guaranteed.
Other Google Cloud resources are billed separately.
Documented event limits are 20 MB for BigQuery and 100 MB for Cloud Storage.
Some listed sources are preview.

Limits

The free tier covers 100 GiB of CDC data per month per billing account, shared across eligible streams, for AlloyDB and Spanner sources to BigQuery. Backfill pricing lists the first 500 GiB each month free, with the listed rate applying above that. Event size limits are 20 MB for BigQuery destinations and 100 MB for Cloud Storage destinations.

Plans

Plan	Billed and limits	Price
Datastream Free Tier	100 GiB of CDC data per month per billing account · AlloyDB and Spanner sources to BigQuery · 100 GiB shared across eligible streams per billing account	Free
Datastream backfill	Per gibibyte processed, per month, per account · First 500 GiB each month free · listed rate applies above 500 GiB · Iowa (us-central1) pricing	$0.40 a month
Datastream CDC	Per gibibyte processed, per month, per account; tiered pricing · 0–2,500 GiB at listed rate · higher tiers have lower per-GiB rates · pricing beyond 10 TB: contact sales	$2 a month

As cloud.google.com lists them, read 30 Sept 2026. The maker's own page has the final word.

Getting started

Open the Google Cloud Datastream website
Use the Google Cloud console, CLI, or REST API to administer Datastream
Choose an eligible free tier or a paid processing option
Review documented sources and supported destinations
Configure connectivity using an available option

Verdict

Datastream provides serverless change capture and replication to several Google Cloud destinations, with a free tier for specified source and destination combinations. Check event ordering, size limits, and processing charges against the needs of your data flow.

Questions

Is there a free plan?

Yes. The Datastream Free Tier covers 100 GiB of CDC data per month per billing account for AlloyDB and Spanner sources to BigQuery; the allowance is shared across eligible streams.

How is Datastream priced?

Processing charges apply to data handled, and idle streams incur no cost. The listed backfill rate is $0.40 a month, with the first 500 GiB each month free; the listed CDC rate is $2 a month, with tiered pricing.

Which platforms are supported?

The listed platforms are API and web. Datastream can be administered through the Google Cloud console, Google Cloud CLI, and REST API.

Which destinations can receive replicated data?

Supported destinations are BigQuery, Cloud Storage, and Apache Iceberg tables.

Are events delivered in order?

Events are delivered at least once, but their order is not guaranteed.

What are the event size limits?

The documented event size limit is 20 MB for BigQuery destinations and 100 MB for Cloud Storage destinations.

Facts from Google Cloud Datastream's own pages

Administration: Datastream can be administered through the Google Cloud console, Google Cloud CLI, and REST API. · docs.cloud.google.com, 30 Sept 2026
Connectivity: Connectivity options include IP allowlisting, a forward SSH tunnel, and private connectivity over VPC peering. · docs.cloud.google.com, 30 Sept 2026
Credentials: User metadata is encrypted in transit and at rest, and access to it is tracked and audited. · docs.cloud.google.com, 30 Sept 2026
Destinations: Supported destinations are BigQuery, Cloud Storage, and Apache Iceberg tables. · docs.cloud.google.com, 30 Sept 2026
Encryption: Buffered data is encrypted at rest, and replicated data is encrypted by default using destination security controls. · docs.cloud.google.com, 30 Sept 2026
Event delivery: Events are delivered at least once and their order is not guaranteed. · docs.cloud.google.com, 30 Sept 2026
Event size limits: The documented event size limit is 20 MB for BigQuery destinations and 100 MB for Cloud Storage destinations. · docs.cloud.google.com, 30 Sept 2026
Integrations: Datastream integrates with Dataflow templates to load data from Cloud Storage into destinations including BigQuery, Cloud SQL, and Spanner. · docs.cloud.google.com, 30 Sept 2026
Processing costs: Datastream charges for processed data; idle streams incur no cost, and other Google Cloud resources used are billed separately. · cloud.google.com, 30 Sept 2026
Purpose: Datastream is a serverless change data capture and replication service for synchronizing data with minimal latency. · docs.cloud.google.com, 30 Sept 2026
Replication modes: A stream can capture ongoing changes and backfill historical data from its source. · cloud.google.com, 30 Sept 2026
Serverless: Datastream requires no resources to provision or manage and scales up or down automatically. · docs.cloud.google.com, 30 Sept 2026
Sources: Documented sources include Oracle, MySQL, PostgreSQL, AlloyDB, SQL Server, MongoDB, Spanner, Salesforce, ServiceNow, Workday, and Microsoft Dataverse, with some listed as preview. · docs.cloud.google.com, 30 Sept 2026
Use cases: Google identifies analytics, database replication, migration, synchronization, and event-driven architectures as Datastream use cases. · docs.cloud.google.com, 30 Sept 2026