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Best Search & Vector Database Platforms in 2026

These platforms let applications search text or store and query vector data. This list is for people choosing a tool on a budget, whether they need a hosted service, an API, or software they can run themselves.

  1. 1

    Apache Solr

    Free plan Open source APILinuxMac+3

    Solr combines varied search modes with distributed operation, administration, and listed security capabilities.

    9.2 Free plan Visit site
  2. 2

    Chroma

    Free plan Open source AndroidAPIiPhone+5

    Choose Chroma if you need an open-source embedding database with multiple search methods and flexible deployment options.

    9.1 Free plan · paid from $250/mo Visit site
  3. 3

    Vespa

    Free plan Open source APILinuxMac+3

    Vespa offers varied search and ranking methods alongside self-managed and cloud deployment paths.

    8.6 From $0.05 Visit site
  4. 4

    Algolia

    Free plan AndroidAPIExtension+2

    Algolia pairs search APIs and developer libraries with tools for ranking, personalization, analytics, and merchandising.

    7.7 Free plan Visit site
  5. 5

    Amazon OpenSearch Service

    Free plan APIWeb
    7.4 Visit site
  6. 6

    Elasticsearch

    Free plan APILinuxSelf-hosted+1

    Choose Elasticsearch for real-time search and analytics across varied data types, with deployment choices ranging from self-managed to serverless.

    7.4 Free plan · paid from $99/mo · 14-day trial Visit site
  7. 7

    Meilisearch

    Free plan APILinuxMac+3

    Meilisearch offers multiple search approaches and deployment choices, with a free self-hosted option and paid cloud service.

    7.4 Free plan · paid from $20/mo · 14-day trial Visit site
  8. 8

    LanceDB

    Free plan APILinuxSelf-hosted
    7.3 Open source Visit site
  9. 9

    OpenSearch

    by OpenSearch
    Free plan APILinuxMac+3

    OpenSearch provides a free search and analytics suite with ingestion, visualization, and machine-learning capabilities.

    7.3 Open source Visit site
  10. 10

    Milvus

    Free plan APILinuxSelf-hosted

    Milvus offers a free, open-source path from local vector search to large distributed deployments.

    7.2 Free plan Visit site
  11. 11

    Pinecone

    by Pinecone
    Free plan APILinuxMac+1

    Pinecone combines managed vector search capabilities with multiple index types, integrations and stated security controls.

    7.2 Free plan · paid from $20/mo · 21-day trial Visit site
  12. 12

    Qdrant

    by Qdrant
    Free plan APILinuxMac+3

    Qdrant offers flexible vector storage and retrieval, with APIs, client libraries, integrations, and cloud or local deployment.

    7.2 Free plan Visit site
  13. 13

    SingleStore Helios

    by SingleStore Helios
    Free plan APILinuxMac+3

    Helios brings varied data capabilities and ingestion options to a managed cloud database, with separate Shared, Standard, and Enterprise plans.

    7.1 Free plan · paid from $0.99 Visit site
  14. 14

    Typesense

    Free plan APILinuxMac+3

    Typesense combines conventional search controls with a range of AI search capabilities and lets teams choose local, server or hosted deployment.

    7.1 Free plan · paid from $22/mo Visit site
  15. 15

    Weaviate

    by Weaviate
    Free plan APILinuxSelf-hosted+1

    Weaviate offers vector search infrastructure with hybrid search and both hosted and self-managed deployment.

    6.9 Free plan · paid from $45/mo Visit site
  16. 16

    Zilliz Cloud

    Free plan APIWeb

    Choose Zilliz Cloud if you need managed Milvus with several vector search modes, deployment options, and documented migration sources.

    6.6 Free plan · 30-day trial Visit site
  17. 17

    Azure AI Search

    by Microsoft
    Free plan
    5.9 Visit site
  18. 18

    DataStax Astra DB

    Free plan Web
    5.9 Free plan · paid from $1 Visit site
  19. 19

    Oracle AI Vector Search

    Free plan Web
    5.7 Free plan · 30-day trial Visit site
  20. 20

    Vertex AI Vector Search

    Free trial APIWeb

    Choose Vertex AI Vector Search for cloud search, recommendations or generative AI retrieval when its embedding modes, filters and endpoint choices fit your application.

    5.6 Visit site

#1Places #1, #2, #3, #4, #5 on this list can be bought by the makers of the software on it. See the price

Compare the free plan with paid pricing and trial terms. If you need to read or change the code, check the licence. Before choosing, confirm platform support, deployment style, and whether the free option covers your intended workload.

Questions

Are free plans available?

Yes. The list includes free plans for Algolia, Amazon OpenSearch Service, Apache Solr, Chroma, Elasticsearch, and Oracle AI Vector Search.

Which options are open source?

LanceDB is noted as open source. Review the licence for the tool you choose if code access or changes matter.

Which tools offer trials?

Trials listed include 14 days for Elasticsearch and Meilisearch, and 30 days for Oracle AI Vector Search.

Can I run these tools myself?

Self-hosted options are represented in this category. Check the deployment and platform details for the tool you are considering.

What platforms are covered?

Web, API, Linux, self-hosted, macOS, and Windows appear among the listed platform options. Confirm compatibility with your setup.

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