Weaviate vs 
Milvus
Weaviate vs Milvus compared for 2026 — features, license, ease of use, performance and which one to choose. Vector DB with built-in modules vs Billion-scale vector database.
Updated regularly · curated by olud.ai
Weaviate vs Milvus at a glance
| Spec | Weaviate | Milvus |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Vector database | Vector database |
| Type | Vector database | Vector database |
| License | BSD-3-Clause | Apache-2.0 |
| Runs locally | Self-hosted | Self-hosted |
| Primary language | Go | Go / C++ |
| Ease of use | Intermediate | Advanced |
| Best for | teams wanting hybrid search and built-in modules | teams needing billion-scale vector search |
| GitHub stars | 16.6k | 45.3k |
Feature comparison
| Feature | Weaviate | Milvus |
|---|---|---|
| Self-hostable | ✓ | ✓ |
| Managed cloud | ✓ | ✓ |
| Metadata filtering | ✓ | ✓ |
| Hybrid search | ✓ | ✓ |
| Horizontal scaling | ✓ | ✓ |
| REST API | ✓ | ✓ |
How Weaviate and Milvus score
| Criterion | Weaviate | Milvus |
|---|---|---|
| Popularity | 3.5 | 4.0 |
| Maintenance | 5.0 | 5.0 |
| Ease of use | 3.5 | 2.5 |
| Privacy | 4.5 | 4.5 |
| License freedom | 5.0 | 5.0 |
Scores are computed automatically from public signals — GitHub stars (popularity), recent commit activity (maintenance), license type (freedom), local-first design (privacy) and onboarding complexity (ease of use). Indicative, not a verdict.
What each one is
Weaviate
Weaviate is an open-source vector database with built-in vectorization modules, hybrid search and a GraphQL API for AI-native applications.
- Built-in vectorization and reranker modules
- Hybrid (vector + keyword) search
- GraphQL and REST APIs
Milvus
Milvus is a cloud-native vector database built for massive scale, with multiple index types and a distributed architecture for billions of vectors.
- Scales to billions of vectors
- Many index types for tuning
- Cloud-native, distributed architecture
Key differences
Weaviate is vector database, while Milvus is vector database. Their licenses differ (BSD-3-Clause vs Apache-2.0), which matters if you ship a commercial product. Weaviate leans more intermediate-friendly, whereas Milvus is more suited to advanced users. In short, Weaviate fits teams wanting hybrid search and built-in modules, and Milvus fits teams needing billion-scale vector search.
Which should you choose?
Choose Weaviate for teams wanting hybrid search and built-in modules. Choose Milvus for teams needing billion-scale vector search.
There is rarely one winner — many setups use both. The right pick depends on your hardware, your team's skills, and whether you value simplicity or control.
Frequently asked questions
Is Weaviate or Milvus easier to use?
Weaviate is generally the easier of the two to get started with, while Milvus rewards more setup with more control.
Are Weaviate and Milvus free?
Weaviate is free and open source (BSD-3-Clause), and Milvus is free and open source (Apache-2.0). Neither charges for the core software.
Can I run Weaviate and Milvus locally?
Weaviate: self-hosted · Milvus: self-hosted. Both can be used without sending your data to a third-party cloud where their setup allows.
Weaviate vs Milvus — which should I pick in 2026?
Choose Weaviate for teams wanting hybrid search and built-in modules. Choose Milvus for teams needing billion-scale vector search.
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