Milvus vs Zilliz: 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 Milvus and Zilliz side by side. This page compares data; it is not a hands-on review.
On the data: On the data below the two are close or not directly comparable, so we do not name a 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:
Milvus
Open-source vector database for AI
Zilliz
Cloud vector database for similarity search
| At a Glance | Milvus | Zilliz |
|---|---|---|
Starts at | Free plan, paid from $126/mo, billed monthly Zilliz Dedicated (Standard) plan | Free plan |
Category | Vector Databases Data & Databases | Data & Databases Vector Databases |
Rating | 4.8/5 Capterra 4.8 · G2 4.7 310 reviews | 4.7/5 G2 4.7 53 reviews |
Free plan | Yes | Yes |
Watch out for | Overage fees for vCUs on Serverless tier | Overage fees for exceeding storage limits |
Choose Milvus or Zilliz?
Choose Milvus if
- You need vector databases features specifically.
Choose Zilliz if
- You need data & databases features specifically.
In-Depth Analysis
Milvus
Open-source vector database for AI
Milvus offers a very generous pricing model, especially with its robust open-source option and the Zilliz Cloud Free tier providing 5GB storage and 2.5M vCUs/month at no cost.
Watch out
Overage fees for vCUs on Serverless tier
Strengths
- Pro: High performance
- Pro: Scalable
- Pro: Open source
- Pro: Good for large scale
- Pro: Active development
Weaknesses
- Con: Complex operations
- Con: Heavy resource usage
- Con: Learning curve
- Con: Kubernetes recommended
- Con: Documentation dense
Key features
Zilliz
Cloud vector database for similarity search
Zilliz's pricing is fair, offering a generous free tier for initial exploration.
Watch out
Overage fees for exceeding storage limits
Strengths
- Pro: Managed Milvus
- Pro: Good for vectors
- Pro: Active development
- Pro: Good performance
- Pro: Enterprise ready
Weaknesses
- Con: Expensive
- Con: Learning curve
- Con: Vendor lock-in
- Con: Feature gaps
- Con: Per-CU pricing
Key features
Plans and prices: Milvus vs Zilliz
| Tool | Plans and prices | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Milvus |
| zilliz.com/pricing read Oct 26, 2026 |
| Zilliz |
| zilliz.com/pricing read Nov 9, 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 Milvus pricing and Zilliz pricing.
Key Takeaways
Milvus
- Worth considering for vector databases
Zilliz
- Worth considering for data & databases
What the data shows
On the data below the two are close or not directly comparable, so we do not name a winner for this pair.
- User ratings are within 0.2 points (4.8/5 from 310 reviews for Milvus, 4.7/5 from 53 reviews for Zilliz).
- Milvus starts at $126/mo, billed monthly; Zilliz has no public paid plan price on file.
- Both have 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 Milvus and Zilliz compare in 2026?
On the data below the two are close or not directly comparable, so we do not name a winner for this pair. User ratings are within 0.2 points (4.8/5 from 310 reviews for Milvus, 4.7/5 from 53 reviews for Zilliz). Milvus starts at $126/mo, billed monthly; Zilliz has no public paid plan price on file. Both have a free plan.
What are Milvus and Zilliz used for?
Milvus: Open-source vector database for AI. Zilliz: Cloud vector database for similarity search.
What does Milvus cost vs Zilliz?
Milvus's cheapest paid plan is Zilliz Dedicated (Standard) at $126/mo, billed monthly; it also has a free plan. Zilliz has no public paid-plan price on file. Prices read on the vendors' pricing pages, latest check Nov 9, 2026.
What's the main difference between Milvus and Zilliz?
Milvus's main strength: high performance. Zilliz's main strength: managed Milvus.
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