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pgvector vs Qdrant

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

pgvector — Vector similarity search for Postgres. pgvector is an open-source Postgres extension that adds vector similarity search to any Postgres database. Runs anywhere Postgres runs (Supabase, Neon, RDS).

Qdrant — High-performance open source vector search. Qdrant is a Rust-based open-source vector database with strong filtering, payload storage, and managed cloud offering with generous free tier.

Feature comparison

Feature	pgvector	Qdrant
Pricing model	Free	Freemium
Starting price	Free (just Postgres)	$25/mo
Free tier	Yes	Yes
Open source	Yes	Yes
Type	Postgres extension	Hybrid
Free Tier	Unlimited	1GB cluster
Serverless	No	Yes
Self-hosted	Yes	Yes
Multi-tenant	Yes	Yes
Hybrid Search	Yes	Yes
Max Dimensions	16000	65536
Metadata Filtering	Yes	Yes

pgvector

Vector similarity search for Postgres

Pros

Use your existing Postgres
No new infrastructure
Transactional guarantees with vectors
Free — pay only for Postgres

Cons

Slower than purpose-built vector DBs at scale
Index build times grow with data
Not ideal for 100M+ vectors

Visit pgvector →

Qdrant

High-performance open source vector search

Pros

Blazing fast Rust core
Open source + managed cloud
Excellent filtering via payload
Very generous free tier

Cons

Smaller ecosystem than Pinecone
Some advanced features cloud-only
Fewer SDK niceties

Visit Qdrant →

Which should you choose?

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

There is no universal “better.” For most teams, pgvector is the safer default because pgvector 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 pgvector cheaper than Qdrant?

pgvector starts at Free (just Postgres), while Qdrant starts at $25/mo. Exact costs depend on usage — check both vendors' calculators before committing.

Can I migrate from pgvector to Qdrant?

Migration difficulty depends on how deeply pgvector-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 pgvector or Qdrant open source?

Yes, both pgvector and Qdrant are open source and can be self-hosted.

Does pgvector or Qdrant have a free tier?

Both pgvector and Qdrant 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 pgvector. For production workloads, revisit the trade-offs in the feature table above.

More Vector Database comparisons

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