Milvus

Billion-scale vector database
Vector databaseVector databaseApache-2.0Self-hostedGo / C++Advanced
🛡 Published security advisories
A high count usually means the project is heavily examined. A low count usually means it is little examined — not that it is safe.
No public activity signals for this tool — it has no open repository we can measure.
OSAI Pulse ⓘ ★★★★★★★★★★ /100 signals tracked
🐳 Docker pulls 📦 PyPI downloads / month 📦 npm downloads / month 🚀 Latest release ·
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What is Milvus?

Milvus is a cloud-native vector database built for massive scale, with multiple index types and a distributed architecture for billions of vectors.

Why people choose Milvus

Milvus at a glance

CategoryVector database
TypeVector database
LicenseApache-2.0
Runs locallySelf-hosted
Built withGo / C++
Skill levelAdvanced
Best forteams needing billion-scale vector search

Open-source alternatives to Milvus

Other open-source vector database tools worth comparing:

QdrantFast Rust-based vector searchWeaviateVector DB with built-in modulesChromaThe simplest embedding DB for prototypingpgvectorVector search inside PostgreSQLLanceDBServerless vector DB for AIFAISSThe reference library for similarity searchVespaBig-scale hybrid search and ranking platformpgvectorscaleMake pgvector fast at scaleMarqoVector search with embedding built inUSearchTiny, extremely fast vector index

Milvus head-to-head

Milvus vs QdrantMilvus vs WeaviateMilvus vs ChromaMilvus vs pgvectorMilvus vs LanceDBMilvus vs FAISSMilvus vs VespaMilvus vs pgvectorscaleMilvus vs MarqoMilvus vs USearch

FAQ

Is Milvus free?

Milvus is free and open-source (Apache-2.0 license), so you can use, self-host and modify it at no cost.

Can I run Milvus locally?

Yes. Milvus is designed to run on your own machine or server, keeping your data private.

What is the best alternative to Milvus?

Popular open-source alternatives include Qdrant, Weaviate, Chroma. See the comparisons above to choose.

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