Side by side
Google App Engine vs Google Kubernetes Engine
Both stand on cloud platform as a service (paas) software. Which one you can start free with, which one lets you read the code, and what each costs once you pay.
Free plan APIWeb
Visit Google App Engine 
Free plan APILinuxSelf-hosted+2
GKE offers managed cluster operations alongside the choice to manage nodes directly, with features for security, multi-team organization, and AI workloads. Check Autopilot’s Windows limitation and the listed cluster management fee when assessing fit.
Visit Google Kubernetes EngineThe facts
| Google App Engine | Google Kubernetes Engine | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Open source | Not published | No |
| Runs on | API, Web | API, Linux, Self-hosted, Web, Windows |
| Lowest paid plan | Free or on request | See the plans |
| Plans published | 3 | 2 |
| Maker | Not published | Not published |
| Website | cloud.google.com | cloud.google.com |
| On cloud platform as a service (paas) software | #8 of 31 | #4 of 31 |
Google App Engine: what it does well
Google Kubernetes Engine: what it does well
- Autopilot automates node provisioning, scaling, and scheduling.
- Supports GPU and TPU workloads.
- Security dashboard highlights cluster misconfigurations and risks.
- Fleets and Teams organize workloads across teams.
What to know first
- Windows Server node images and containers are unavailable in Autopilot.
- Cluster management fee is $0.10 a month per cluster per hour.
- Console releases are not listed as a deployment option.
Alternatives to Google App Engine Alternatives to Google Kubernetes Engine The whole list