Google Cloud Spanner vs. SAP HANA Cloud

Overview
ProductRatingMost Used ByProduct SummaryStarting Price
Google Cloud Spanner
Score 5.6 out of 10
N/A
Google Cloud Spanner is a cloud database-as-a-service product offered as a service on Google Cloud Platform (GCP).N/A
SAP HANA Cloud
Score 8.9 out of 10
N/A
SAP HANA is an application that uses in-memory database technology to process very large amounts of real-time data from relational databases, both SAP and non-SAP, in a very short time. The in-memory computing engine allows HANA to process data stored in RAM as opposed to reading it from a disk which means that the data can be accessed in real time by the applications using HANA. The product is sold both as an appliance and as a cloud-based software solution.
$0.95
per month Capacity Units
Pricing
Google Cloud SpannerSAP HANA Cloud
Editions & Modules
No answers on this topic
No answers on this topic
Offerings
Pricing Offerings
Google Cloud SpannerSAP HANA Cloud
Free Trial
NoYes
Free/Freemium Version
NoNo
Premium Consulting/Integration Services
NoNo
Entry-level Setup FeeNo setup feeOptional
Additional DetailsIncludes a one year free trial.
More Pricing Information
Community Pulse
Google Cloud SpannerSAP HANA Cloud
Features
Google Cloud SpannerSAP HANA Cloud
Database-as-a-Service
Comparison of Database-as-a-Service features of Product A and Product B
Google Cloud Spanner
7.8
2 Ratings
9% below category average
SAP HANA Cloud
-
Ratings
Automatic software patching8.82 Ratings00 Ratings
Database scalability8.82 Ratings00 Ratings
Automated backups10.01 Ratings00 Ratings
Database security provisions5.82 Ratings00 Ratings
Monitoring and metrics5.82 Ratings00 Ratings
Automatic host deployment7.62 Ratings00 Ratings
Relational Databases
Comparison of Relational Databases features of Product A and Product B
Google Cloud Spanner
-
Ratings
SAP HANA Cloud
8.5
47 Ratings
5% above category average
ACID compliance00 Ratings8.932 Ratings
Database monitoring00 Ratings8.744 Ratings
Database locking00 Ratings7.736 Ratings
Encryption00 Ratings8.639 Ratings
Disaster recovery00 Ratings8.538 Ratings
Flexible deployment00 Ratings8.640 Ratings
Multiple datatypes00 Ratings8.740 Ratings
User Ratings
Google Cloud SpannerSAP HANA Cloud
Likelihood to Recommend
7.4
(2 ratings)
9.3
(357 ratings)
Likelihood to Renew
-
(0 ratings)
10.0
(16 ratings)
Usability
-
(0 ratings)
9.3
(76 ratings)
Availability
-
(0 ratings)
7.3
(3 ratings)
Performance
-
(0 ratings)
7.3
(3 ratings)
Support Rating
-
(0 ratings)
8.7
(254 ratings)
Online Training
-
(0 ratings)
7.3
(1 ratings)
Implementation Rating
-
(0 ratings)
6.4
(4 ratings)
Configurability
-
(0 ratings)
7.3
(3 ratings)
Contract Terms and Pricing Model
-
(0 ratings)
6.8
(2 ratings)
Ease of integration
-
(0 ratings)
6.8
(3 ratings)
Product Scalability
-
(0 ratings)
7.3
(3 ratings)
Professional Services
-
(0 ratings)
6.4
(2 ratings)
Vendor post-sale
-
(0 ratings)
5.9
(3 ratings)
Vendor pre-sale
-
(0 ratings)
7.3
(3 ratings)
User Testimonials
Google Cloud SpannerSAP HANA Cloud
Likelihood to Recommend
Google
Google Cloud Spanner is suited for limitless horizontal scaling while maintaining strong consistency which needs to support ACID. NoSQL databases work in scaling but no ACID support. RDBMS support ACID, but horizontal scaling is not as great. The API it provides result in some limitations to related areas of the code, such as connection pools or database linking framework. So high # of connection pools can vary.
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SAP
I think if you have a large organization, it's probably the product and the marketplace to go to. We're a large management consulting firm operating in four to seven countries. And generally speaking, I think that's the size and the scope where it scales best. I can't speak to smaller companies, but I can't see smaller companies leveraging the benefits as much as a larger organization can.
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Pros
Google
  • Super high availability
  • Scales automatically
  • High standard SLA
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SAP
  • Real-time reporting and analytics on data: because of its in-memory architecture, it is perfect for businesses that need to make quick decisions based on current information.
  • Managing workload with complex data: it can handle a vast range of data types, including relational, documental, geospatial, graph, vector, and time series data.
  • Developing and deploying intelligent data applications: it provides various tools for such applications and can be used for machine learning and artificial intelligence to automate tasks, gain insights from data, and make predictions.
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Cons
Google
  • Support for Views
  • Support for more databases (schemas).
  • More index types that can be supported (Functional)
  • Backups (ie table/data backup) if data is deleted or truncate by accident.
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SAP
  • Requires higher processing power, otherwise it won't fly. How ever computing costs are lower. Incase you are migrating to cloud please do not select the highest config available in that series . Upgrading it later against a reserved instance can cost you dearly with a series change
  • Lack of clarity on licensing is one major challenge
  • Unless S/4 with additional features are enabled mere migration HANA DB is not a rewarding journey. Power is in S/4
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Likelihood to Renew
Google
No answers on this topic
SAP
We would rate our likelihood of renewing at 9/10. SAP HANA Cloud has proven to be a highly reliable and scalable data platform that consistently delivers strong performance. Its seamless integration with our overall SAP landscape, combined with improved analytics and real-time data capabilities, makes it a core part of our long-term technology strategy.
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Usability
Google
No answers on this topic
SAP
It is very useful solution which provides you speedier data processing, real-time analytics. It helps you manage diverse data types. It also offers you excellent disaster management. It has user friendly interface which helps you navigate system and transactions easily and perform task smoothly.
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Reliability and Availability
Google
No answers on this topic
SAP
I would rate SAP HANA Cloud’s availability as an 8 out of 10. In general, the platform is available when we need it and provides a reliable cloud environment for our data, reporting, and integration use cases.We have not experienced availability as one of the main issues compared with areas like configuration, troubleshooting, or support response quality. However, I would not rate it a 10 because, like any cloud platform, availability can still be affected by occasional service issues, application errors, maintenance windows, or dependencies with connected systems.Overall, SAP HANA Cloud has been reliable for our needs, but continuous monitoring and clear communication around incidents or maintenance are still important.
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Performance
Google
No answers on this topic
SAP
I would rate SAP HANA Cloud’s performance as an 8 out of 10. In general, performance is strong and reports usually complete in a reasonable time frame, especially when the data models, queries, and calculation views are well designed.The platform handles large data volumes well and supports fast analytics for many enterprise scenarios. It also works effectively with connected systems when the integrations are properly configured.I would not rate it a 10 because performance can depend heavily on architecture, query design, data volume, custom code, and integration complexity. In some cases, complex reports, large datasets, or custom logic require additional tuning and testing to avoid slow response times or delays in connected processes.
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Support Rating
Google
No answers on this topic
SAP
However, I am not the right person to answer this as we have another department to handle support and contact the service provider for any support required. Although i will say that they are the quick respondent and knows how to handle querry of the customers and provide quick and better support.
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Online Training
Google
No answers on this topic
SAP
I would rate the online training as an 8 out of 10. The training materials are generally useful, well-structured, and helpful for understanding the main capabilities of SAP HANA Cloud, including data modeling, administration, integration, and analytics.The content is especially valuable for building a foundation and learning the standard features of the platform. However, I would not rate it a 10 because some advanced or real-world scenarios, such as complex integrations, troubleshooting, performance tuning, and custom code, could benefit from more practical examples and deeper technical guidance.Overall, the online training is strong, but it could be improved with more hands-on exercises and more examples based on enterprise implementation scenarios.
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Implementation Rating
Google
No answers on this topic
SAP
would rate our satisfaction with the implementation as a 6 out of 10. The implementation was completed and the solution provides value, but the process was more complex and time-consuming than expected.The main challenges were related to technical configuration, integrations, permissions, and troubleshooting. In some cases, getting clear answers or resolving issues required several iterations, which slowed down the implementation.Overall, the final result is useful, but the implementation experience could have been better with clearer documentation, more straightforward configuration steps, and more effective support during the process.
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Alternatives Considered
Google
At that point, we were looking at something [that] can hold our relational database, [...] provide stable connection, and maintain high ACID transition. BigTable is for nonrelational database so it was out of our [sight] very quickly. BigQuery is a data warehouse that can hold huge amount of data but not ideal for transition. AWS RDS is [...] similar to Spanner but because most of our services are already on GCP, so we went with Spanner.
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SAP
I have deep knowledge of other disk based DBMSs. They are venerable technology, but the attempts to extend them to current architectures belie the fact they are built on 40 year old technology. There are some good columnar in-memory databases but they lack the completeness of capability present in the HANA platform.
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Contract Terms and Pricing Model
Google
No answers on this topic
SAP
I would rate the contract terms and pricing structure for SAP HANA Cloud as a 7 out of 10. Overall, the pricing model is reasonable for an enterprise cloud platform, especially considering the scalability, integration capabilities, and performance benefits it provides.However, there are some aspects we would improve. The pricing model could be more transparent and easier to predict, especially when usage grows across multiple departments, data volumes increase, or additional capacity is required. It would also be helpful to have clearer guidance on how configuration, storage, compute, and scaling decisions affect overall cost.If we could change anything, we would prefer simpler pricing, more predictable billing, and more flexibility to adjust capacity without creating unexpected cost increases.
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Scalability
Google
No answers on this topic
SAP
I would rate SAP HANA Cloud’s overall scalability as an 8 out of 10. The product provides strong scalability for enterprise scenarios, especially when it needs to support multiple departments, growing data volumes, and more complex analytics or integration requirements.The cloud-based architecture makes it easier to expand capacity compared with traditional on-premise environments, and it gives the organization flexibility as usage increases across different teams or locations.I would not rate it a 10 because scalability still depends heavily on good architecture, correct configuration, performance tuning, and cost control. As the environment grows, it is important to monitor resource consumption, optimize queries and data models, and make sure the solution is designed properly to avoid performance or cost issues.
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Professional Services
Google
No answers on this topic
SAP
I would rate the professional services for SAP HANA Cloud as a 6 out of 10. The professional services were helpful in moving the implementation forward and provided useful knowledge around the platform, configuration, and technical setup.However, the experience was not perfect. Some areas, such as complex integrations, custom code, permissions, performance tuning, and troubleshooting, required more effort and follow-up than expected. In some cases, we would have benefited from clearer guidance, more practical recommendations, and faster resolution of technical questions.Overall, the professional services added value, but there is room for improvement in terms of proactivity, hands-on support, and helping customers handle complex real-world implementation scenarios.
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Return on Investment
Google
  • Backups specifically if transactional data is deleted. Restoring made us lose time.
  • Sharding on Horizontal level was quick and easy. Deployment and increasing nodes is easy
  • Large dataset handling.
  • ACID compliance
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SAP
  • ROI has always been high in terms of the functionality that it offers and the security features it comes with.
  • Managing large volumes of data in real-time is not an easy task, but it does it pretty well with faster data processing.
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ScreenShots