Google Persistent Disk
Google Persistent Disk: A flexible Compute Engine storage service with free capacity, snapshots, encryption, and replication. Ranked #2 of 28 in Block Storage Services by our editors (9.3/10); pricing: Free plan; best for low-cost Compute Engine storage.
At a glance
- Editor score9.3 / 10
- PricingFree plan
- Best forLow-cost Compute Engine storage
- Free planYes
- Max volume size64 TB
- Facts checked21 Sep 2026
Where it wins
- Free tier includes up to 30 GB of standard Persistent Disk storage
- Supports online resizing, incremental snapshots, and automatic encryption
- Offers Multi-writer mode plus regional and cross-region replication
Where it doesn't
- Designed primarily for Compute Engine workloads
- Pricing varies by region and usage
- Maximum IOPS depends on disk size and attached VM machine type
Our verdict on Google Persistent Disk
Google Persistent Disk provides durable, network-attached block storage for Google Cloud Compute Engine virtual machines and containers. It supports boot and data disks, general-purpose applications, databases, and large sequential-processing workloads. Teams can choose among standard HDD, balanced SSD, performance SSD, and extreme disk types, making it suitable for workloads with different storage and performance requirements. It supports API, Linux, and Windows environments, with Google Cloud managing the underlying physical disks and distributing volume data across multiple physical devices.
Its strongest fit is a Compute Engine environment that needs more than basic attached storage. Volumes can be detached, moved, resized online, snapshotted incrementally, encrypted with Google-managed or customer-supplied keys, and replicated across zones or regions. Regional synchronous replication supports two zones, while asynchronous cross-region replication supports broader geographic resilience. Multi-writer mode adds shared block-storage capability for supported workloads. Compute Engine, the Google Cloud API, and the gcloud CLI provide the main integration points for provisioning and administration.
The free tier includes up to 30 GB of standard Persistent Disk storage, and a separate Standard plan provides standard HDD-backed block storage. Prices vary by region and usage, so buyers should evaluate the selected disk type, region, volume size, replication approach, and VM machine type together. Maximum documented Standard Persistent Disk write IOPS reaches 15,000, while actual limits depend on disk size and the attached VM. Choose Persistent Disk for Google Cloud workloads that value storage flexibility, snapshots, encryption, and replication. Teams seeking a storage service outside the Compute Engine ecosystem should consider another option.
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Google Persistent Disk pricing
All 2 Google Persistent Disk plans and prices →
Google Persistent Disk fact sheet
| Free plan | Yes |
|---|---|
| Paid from | Not verified |
| Max volume size | 64 TB |
| Volume types | Standard, Balanced, SSD, Extreme |
| Snapshots | Yes |
| Multi-attach | Yes |
| Encryption | Yes |
| Cross-region replication | Yes |
| Maximum IOPS | 15000 IOPS |
| Deployment | Cloud |
| Platforms | Linux, Windows |
| Support | Docs |
| Built for | Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise (editorial estimate) |
| Integrations | 3 integrations: Compute Engine, Google Cloud API, gcloud CLI |
| Pricing | Free plan (source) |
| Website | cloud.google.com |
| Facts checked | 21 Sep 2026 |
Google Persistent Disk integrations
Google Persistent Disk lists 3 integrations on its own site.
- Compute Engine
- Google Cloud API
- gcloud CLI
Alternatives to Google Persistent Disk
- Amazon Elastic Block Store (Amazon EBS)A broad AWS-native block storage service with flexible volume and snapshot options.9.4
- Google Cloud HyperdiskA performance-tunable block storage service for demanding Google Cloud workloads.9.2
- OpenStack CinderA broad, driver-based block-storage service for self-hosted OpenStack clouds.9.0
See all Google Persistent Disk alternatives →
Google Persistent Disk vs the competition
- Google Persistent Disk vs Amazon Elastic Block Store (Amazon EBS)
- Google Persistent Disk vs Google Cloud Hyperdisk
- Google Persistent Disk vs OpenStack Cinder
- Google Persistent Disk vs Huawei Cloud Elastic Volume Service (EVS)
- Google Persistent Disk vs IBM Cloud Block Storage
- Google Persistent Disk vs Alibaba Cloud Cloud Disk
Compare Google Persistent Disk with any tool side by side →
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Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
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