Best Vector Databases in 2026
Updated
In short: Chroma is ranked #1 of 27 as of 4 October 2026, ahead of Qdrant and Vespa. The best-ranked option with a free plan is Qdrant. The lowest first paid tier on this page is Vespa at $0.05/mo.
When an application needs to search or retrieve vector data, the database you choose can shape how that work fits your infrastructure and development stack. Compared on deployment, index types and maximum dimensions, these entries give you technical details to weigh alongside hybrid search, sparse vectors and metadata filtering. SDK languages may help you assess integration needs, while free-plan availability and paid-from pricing bring access and cost into the comparison. Chroma, Qdrant and Vespa are among the named options to consider. Match the listed capabilities to your workload, the retrieval behavior you need and the way you plan to run the database.
27 vector databases ranked on what their makers publish — plans and prices, free tiers, platforms and the facts on their own pages.
12 of the 25 here have a free tier you can use, 0 have open-source code on record, and 0 have full bars: free, open, on most of your devices and documented.
| # | App | Signal | Free tier | Open code | Devices | From | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | ChromaWeb · Windows · Mac · Linux · Android · iPhone · Self-hosted · API | Three bars | — | 6 of 6 | $250/mo | 6.8 | |
| 2 | QdrantWeb · Windows · Mac · Linux · Self-hosted · API | Three bars | — | 4 of 6 | Free | 6.7 | |
| 3 | VespaWeb · Windows · Mac · Linux · Self-hosted · API | Three bars | — | 4 of 6 | $0.05/mo | 6.7 | |
| 4 | WeaviateWeb · Linux · Self-hosted · API | Two bars | — | 2 of 6 | $45/mo | 6.5 | |
| 5 | Cloudflare VectorizeWeb · API | Two bars | — | 1 of 6 | Free | 6.4 | |
| 6 | EpsillaWeb · Self-hosted · API | Two bars | — | 1 of 6 | $29/mo | 6.4 | |
| 7 | KDB.AIWeb · Self-hosted · API | Two bars | — | 1 of 6 | Free | 6.4 | |
| 8 | LanceDBLinux · Self-hosted · API | Two bars | — | 1 of 6 | Free | 6.4 | |
| 9 | MilvusLinux · Self-hosted · API | Two bars | — | 1 of 6 | Free | 6.4 | |
| 10 | PineconeWeb · API | Two bars | — | 1 of 6 | Free | 6.4 | |
| 11 | Upstash VectorWeb · API | Two bars | — | 1 of 6 | $0.40/mo | 6.4 | |
| 12 | Zilliz CloudWeb · API | Two bars | — | 1 of 6 | Free | 6.4 | |
| 13 | ElasticsearchWeb · Linux · Self-hosted · API | One bar | — | — | 2 of 6 | — | 5.5 |
| 14 | ZvecWindows · Mac · Linux · Android · iPhone | One bar | — | — | 5 of 6 | — | 5.5 |
| 15 | InfinityWindows · Mac · Linux | One bar | — | — | 3 of 6 | — | 5.3 |
| 16 | Tencent Cloud VectorDBWeb | No signal | — | — | 1 of 6 | — | 5.2 |
| 17 | Vertex AI Vector SearchWeb | No signal | — | — | 1 of 6 | — | 5.2 |
| 18 | ArrowSpaceNo platforms listed | No signal | — | — | 0 of 6 | — | 5.1 |
| 19 | EmergentDBNo platforms listed | No signal | — | — | 0 of 6 | — | 5.1 |
| 20 | ManyVectorNo platforms listed | No signal | — | — | 0 of 6 | — | 5.1 |
| 21 | ValdNo platforms listed | No signal | — | — | 0 of 6 | — | 5.1 |
| 22 | VearchSelf-hosted · API | No signal | — | — | 0 of 6 | — | 5.1 |
| 23 | ZeusDB Vector DatabaseNo platforms listed | No signal | — | — | 0 of 6 | — | 5.1 |
| 24 | Actian ZenWindows · Mac · Linux | Two bars | — | — | 3 of 6 | — | 5.0 |
| 25 | Volcengine TTSWeb · API | One bar | — | — | 1 of 6 | — | 5.0 |
Is your app on this list?
Numbered spots on this list can be sponsored. They are labelled, and the editorial order and scores never change for payment.
Questions about this list
Which vector database is ranked first on Freedom251?
Chroma is ranked #1 of 27 with a score of 6.8. Qdrant is second and Vespa third.
How many of these have a free plan?
11 of the 25 on this page publish a free plan on their own pricing pages.
Which is the cheapest paid option?
On this page, Vespa has the lowest first paid tier we found: $0.05/mo.
How is this list ranked?
Ranked free-and-open first: a usable free tier and open-source code, then the platforms it runs on and its documentation. Paid placements never change a rank.