Google Cloud Platform (GCP) is powerful.
Scalable. Secure. Battle-tested.
But is it a good fit for small teams, indie devs, or creators just getting started?
The answer: Only if you know what you’re signing up for.
🌍 GCP’s Strengths (And There Are Many)
- Massive infrastructure: global networking, high uptime
- First-class tools: Firebase, BigQuery, Cloud Run, App Engine
- Security & compliance: ideal for regulated industries
- Google-grade machine learning APIs
It’s a serious platform for serious builds.
🧱 The Tradeoffs
But all that power comes with:
- Steep learning curves
- Potentially complex billing (watch out for hidden egress/storage costs)
- Overkill for lightweight apps or early-stage products
It’s not a bad platform — just a big one.
🧠 How We Use GCP at BoredGiant
- Firebase for rapid backend and user auth
- Cloud Run for microservice deployment
- Firestore for scalable, real-time databases
- Cloud Functions for automation hooks
- GCS (Cloud Storage) for file/media handling
We mix GCP into our toolchain where it makes sense, not everywhere.
✅ Tips for Using GCP Without Drowning
- Start with Firebase Console — simpler interface, easier to budget
- Use budgets + alerts to prevent surprise bills
- Document your setup like you’ll forget it next week
- Use Cloud Run or App Engine instead of raw VMs for less headache
🪞 TL;DR:
GCP is incredible — if you need what it offers.
Use it for its strengths, avoid it for simple apps, and always monitor your usage.
