pgvector is a PostgreSQL extension that adds vector similarity search to your existing database, so you can do RAG without a separate vector store.
| Category | Vector database |
| Type | Postgres extension |
| License | PostgreSQL |
| Runs locally | Self-hosted |
| Built with | C |
| Skill level | Beginner |
| Best for | teams already running PostgreSQL |
Other open-source vector database tools worth comparing:
QdrantFast Rust-based vector search
WeaviateVector DB with built-in modules
MilvusBillion-scale vector database
ChromaThe simplest embedding DB for prototyping
LanceDBServerless vector DB for AI
FAISSThe reference library for similarity search
VespaBig-scale hybrid search and ranking platform
pgvectorscaleMake pgvector fast at scale
MarqoVector search with embedding built in
USearchTiny, extremely fast vector indexpgvector is free and open-source (PostgreSQL license), so you can use, self-host and modify it at no cost.
Yes. pgvector is designed to run on your own machine or server, keeping your data private.
Popular open-source alternatives include Qdrant, Weaviate, Milvus. See the comparisons above to choose.
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