Mvs

Milvus vs Weaviate

Comparing two vector database platforms on pricing, features, free tier, and trade-offs.

By Bilal Almukhtar Edited by Sofia DraganovLast updated April 20, 2026

Quick summary

Milvus — Open source vector database for GenAI. Milvus is a CNCF-graduated open-source vector database built for massive scale, with managed cloud via Zilliz.

Weaviate — Open source vector database with built-in ML. Weaviate is an open-source vector database with native multi-modal search, built-in vectorizer modules, hybrid search, and cloud or self-hosted deployment.

Feature comparison

Feature	Milvus	Weaviate
Pricing model	Freemium	Freemium
Starting price	$65/mo (Zilliz)	$25/mo
Free tier	Yes	Yes
Open source	Yes	Yes
Type	Hybrid	Hybrid
Free Tier	Zilliz free cluster	14-day sandbox
Serverless	Yes	Yes
Self-hosted	Yes	Yes
Multi-tenant	Yes	Yes
Hybrid Search	Yes	Yes
Max Dimensions	32768	65535
Metadata Filtering	Yes	Yes

Milvus

Open source vector database for GenAI

Pros

Scales to billions of vectors
CNCF-graduated, enterprise-ready
Multiple index types (HNSW, IVF, DiskANN)
Strong in China / APAC market

Cons

Heavy for small use cases
Steep learning curve
Ops complex if self-hosting

Visit Milvus →

Weaviate

Open source vector database with built-in ML

Pros

Fully open source, self-hostable
Built-in vectorizer modules
Native multi-modal (text + image)
GraphQL API

Cons

Heavier ops than Pinecone if self-hosting
Cloud tier pricing more complex
Community smaller than Pinecone's

Visit Weaviate →

Which should you choose?

Choose Milvus if you value open source and want the option to self-host, and a free tier is important for your stage. Choose Weaviate if you value open source and want the option to self-host, and a free tier is important for your stage.

Frequently asked questions

Which is better, Milvus or Weaviate?

There is no universal “better.” For most teams, Weaviate is the safer default because Weaviate has a larger community and more third-party integrations, which often translates to better long-term support. For edge cases, the comparison table above highlights where each tool wins.

Is Milvus cheaper than Weaviate?

Milvus starts at $65/mo (Zilliz), while Weaviate starts at $25/mo. Exact costs depend on usage — check both vendors' calculators before committing.

Can I migrate from Milvus to Weaviate?

Migration difficulty depends on how deeply Milvus-specific features (APIs, SDK conventions, data schemas) are baked into your app. Most vector database migrations take days to weeks. Both vendors typically publish migration guides — check their docs.

Is Milvus or Weaviate open source?

Yes, both Milvus and Weaviate are open source and can be self-hosted.

Does Milvus or Weaviate have a free tier?

Both Milvus and Weaviate offer a free tier.

Which is best for startups and indie hackers?

Startups usually optimize for the lowest friction to ship and the cheapest possible free tier. The one with the most generous free tier here is Weaviate. For production workloads, revisit the trade-offs in the feature table above.

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