BigQuery vs Dremio
A side-by-side look at pricing plans, free tiers, features, pros and cons, updated for 2026. BigQuery starts at See pricing page and Dremio starts at See pricing page. Check both pricing pages for current plans.
At a glance
Best for
Category
Pricing model
Starting price
Free plan
Made by
Based in
Rating
Key features
- Gemini in BigQuery
- ML models in SQL
- Generative AI functions
- Vector and hybrid search
- Data Engineering Agent
- Serverless scaling
- AI agent for data questions
- AI semantic layer
- Intelligent query engine
- Open catalog on Apache Polaris
- Apache Iceberg support
- Cloud, self-managed and free editions
| Feature | BigQuery | Dremio |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Google Cloud data warehouse with built-in Gemini and AI agents | Open data lakehouse with an AI agent and semantic layer for analytics |
| Category | Data & analytics | Data & analytics |
| Pricing model | Freemium | Freemium |
| Starting price | See pricing page | See pricing page |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Made by | Dremio | |
| Based in | United States | United States |
| Rating | No ratings yet | No ratings yet |
| Key features |
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Pricing compared
BigQuery starts at See pricing page and Dremio starts at See pricing page. Check both pricing pages for current plans.
Free plan
Cheapest paid plan
Top plan
Free trial
3 plans
Community Edition
Free
- Free query engine
- Runs on your own machine
Dremio Cloud
$0.20 / DCU
- Fully managed
- Automatic scaling
- 30-day trial with $400 credit
Dremio Enterprise
Contact sales
- Self-managed deployment
- Kubernetes or on-premises
- Own security policies
Prices in USD, checked Nov 5, 2026 or later. Plans change often, so confirm on each tool's site before you buy.
Pros and cons
BigQuery
- Serverless with no clusters to manage
- AI and ML usable from plain SQL
- Generous monthly free tier
- Query costs can be hard to predict
- Ties you to Google Cloud
- Steep learning curve for pricing options
Dremio
- Built on open formats, so less lock-in
- Free Community Edition
- $400 trial credit for the cloud version
- Usage pricing makes costs hard to forecast
- Enterprise pricing only through sales
- Ownership change to SAP may shift the roadmap
Which one should you choose?
Choose BigQuery if you want:
- Serverless with no clusters to manage
- AI and ML usable from plain SQL
- Generous monthly free tier
Watch out: query costs can be hard to predict.
Choose Dremio if you want:
- Built on open formats, so less lock-in
- Free Community Edition
- $400 trial credit for the cloud version
Watch out: usage pricing makes costs hard to forecast.
BigQuery vs Dremio FAQ
What is the difference between BigQuery and Dremio?
BigQuery: Google Cloud data warehouse with built-in Gemini and AI agents. Dremio: Open data lakehouse with an AI agent and semantic layer for analytics. Both are data & analytics tools.
Is BigQuery or Dremio cheaper?
BigQuery starts at See pricing page and Dremio starts at See pricing page. Check both pricing pages for current plans.
Do BigQuery and Dremio have free plans?
BigQuery: Yes. Dremio: Yes.
Who makes BigQuery?
BigQuery is made by Google, based in United States.
Who makes Dremio?
Dremio is made by Dremio, based in United States.
Which should I choose, BigQuery or Dremio?
Choose BigQuery if you value serverless with no clusters to manage and ai and ml usable from plain sql. Choose Dremio if you value built on open formats, so less lock-in and free community edition.