The short answer
Pinecone is managed only and has the simplest flat entry plan at $20 a month. Qdrant is Apache-2.0 open source, so you can self-host it for free or use its cloud. Weaviate offers hybrid vector and keyword search, a permanently free cloud cluster, and source code under BSD-3-Clause and its own license. Choose on hosting model first, then test retrieval on your own data.
| Decision | Pinecone | Qdrant | Weaviate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hosting | Managed service | Self-hosted or Qdrant Cloud | Self-hosted or Weaviate Cloud |
| License | Proprietary service | Apache-2.0 | BSD-3-Clause and the Weaviate License |
| Free tier | Starter: 2 GB storage, up to 5 indexes, one AWS region | Single small cloud node (1 GB RAM, 4 GB disk) | Free cloud cluster with up to 100,000 objects |
| Paid entry | Builder at $20 a month flat | Usage-based cloud billing | Flex from $45 a month, pay as you go |
Managed or self-hosted
Pinecone is a managed vector database, so there is nothing to run yourself. Qdrant and Weaviate can be self-hosted from their source code or used as managed clouds, which matters if your data must stay in your infrastructure.
Licenses
Qdrant is licensed under Apache-2.0, a permissive open-source license. Weaviate's source code is under the BSD-3-Clause license and the Weaviate License, so check which parts you use. Pinecone is a proprietary service.
Free tiers and pricing
Pinecone's free Starter plan includes 2 GB of storage and up to 5 indexes in one AWS region, and its Builder plan is $20 a month flat. Qdrant Cloud's free tier is a single small node for prototypes, with usage-based billing after that. Weaviate keeps a free cluster available indefinitely and its Flex plan starts at $45 a month, pay as you go.
At production scale, cost depends on vector count, dimensions and query volume, so estimate with each provider's calculator using your own numbers.
Sources & method
Official documentation was checked on 2026-10-02. Selection advice is our assessment. Interfaces and requirements may change; check the linked source for the version you intend to use.
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