Meilisearch vs OpenSearch: Pricing and Ratings Compared (2026)
Entry prices and free plans as read on each vendor's pricing page, and user ratings as published on review sites, for Meilisearch and OpenSearch side by side. This page compares data; it is not a hands-on review.
On the data: On the data below, Meilisearch leads on lower entry price; OpenSearch leads on a free plan. We do not name an overall winner for this pair.
Short on time? Here's the quick answer
Based on published vendor pricing and features and on public review data, here's who should pick what:
Meilisearch
Lightning-fast search with typo tolerance and AI
OpenSearch
Open-source search and analytics suite
Best for you if:
- • You want a free tier before you commit
| At a Glance | Meilisearch | OpenSearch |
|---|---|---|
Starts at | From $20/mo, billed monthly Cloud plan | Free plan, paid from $174/mo, billed monthly AWS Serverless plan |
Category | Data & Databases Developer Tools | Data & Databases Developer Tools |
Rating | 4.8/5 G2 4.8 5 reviews | 4.4/5 G2 4.4 15 reviews |
Free plan | No | Yes |
Watch out for | n/a | EBS storage costs beyond free tier |
Choose Meilisearch or OpenSearch?
Choose Meilisearch if
- Budget matters ($20/mo, billed monthly vs $174/mo, billed monthly)
Choose OpenSearch if
- You want a free tier before you commit
In-Depth Analysis
Meilisearch
Lightning-fast search with typo tolerance and AI
Meilisearch's freemium model is generous, offering full core functionality for free.
Strengths
- Pro: Open source
- Pro: Very fast
- Pro: Easy to use
Weaknesses
- Con: Less advanced features
Key features
OpenSearch
Open-source search and analytics suite
OpenSearch offers a very generous pricing model with a robust free open-source option and a substantial AWS Free Tier.
Watch out
EBS storage costs beyond free tier
Strengths
- Pro: Open source
- Pro: Community driven
- Pro: No licensing concerns
Weaknesses
- Con: Self-managed complexity
- Con: Plugin ecosystem smaller than Elastic
Key features
Plans and prices: Meilisearch vs OpenSearch
| Tool | Plans and prices | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Meilisearch |
| meilisearch.com/pricing read Nov 3, 2026 |
| OpenSearch |
| opensearch.org read Oct 7, 2026 |
Prices as read on each vendor's own pricing page on the date shown. Plans are listed per tool and are not matched against the other tool's plans: a plan name or price in one column says nothing about the same row in the other. Details on Meilisearch pricing and OpenSearch pricing.
Key Takeaways
Meilisearch
- Lower entry price: $20/mo, billed monthly vs $174/mo, billed monthly
OpenSearch
- Has a free plan
What the data shows
On the data below, Meilisearch leads on lower entry price; OpenSearch leads on a free plan. We do not name an overall winner for this pair.
- User ratings rest on too few reviews to rank (4.8/5 from 5 reviews for Meilisearch, 4.4/5 from 15 reviews for OpenSearch; we compare ratings only above 20 reviews on both sides).
- Meilisearch has the lower entry price: $20/mo, billed monthly (Cloud) against $174/mo, billed monthly (AWS Serverless) for OpenSearch.
- Only OpenSearch has a free plan.
Criteria: user rating (only above 20 reviews on both sides, gap of 0.2 or more), entry price (only on the same billing basis), free plan. How we rate
Frequently Asked Questions
How do Meilisearch and OpenSearch compare in 2026?
On the data below, Meilisearch leads on lower entry price; OpenSearch leads on a free plan. We do not name an overall winner for this pair. User ratings rest on too few reviews to rank (4.8/5 from 5 reviews for Meilisearch, 4.4/5 from 15 reviews for OpenSearch; we compare ratings only above 20 reviews on both sides). Meilisearch has the lower entry price: $20/mo, billed monthly (Cloud) against $174/mo, billed monthly (AWS Serverless) for OpenSearch. Only OpenSearch has a free plan.
What are Meilisearch and OpenSearch used for?
Meilisearch: Lightning-fast search with typo tolerance and AI. OpenSearch: Open-source search and analytics suite.
What does Meilisearch cost vs OpenSearch?
Meilisearch's cheapest paid plan is Cloud at $20/mo, billed monthly. OpenSearch's cheapest paid plan is AWS Serverless at $174/mo, billed monthly; it also has a free plan. Prices read on the vendors' pricing pages, latest check Nov 3, 2026.
What's the main difference between Meilisearch and OpenSearch?
Meilisearch's main strength: open source. OpenSearch's main strength: open source.
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