PG Vector vs Chroma
Compare deployment options, cost efficiency, and features to choose the right vector database for your application.
Database Comparison
Chroma takes the lead.
Both PG Vector and Chroma are powerful vector databases designed for efficient similarity search and storage. However, their deployment options and features differ in important ways.
Why Chroma:
- Chroma is more cost-effective
- Chroma has 1 more strengths
PG Vector
PG Vector is a popular Postgres extension that adds vector search capabilities directly inside a traditional relational database. It is ideal for teams that want to keep embeddings, metadata, and application data in one system without operating a separate vector database.
Chroma
Chroma is a lightweight, local-first vector database designed for fast prototyping and flexible on-device or self-hosted RAG workflows. It supports efficient in-memory and SPANN search modes, making it ideal for local experimentation and small to medium RAG systems.
Feature Comparison
Infrastructure & Technical Details
| Feature | PG Vector | Chroma |
|---|---|---|
| Deployment | Self-Hosted, Managed Cloud | Self-Hosted, Managed Cloud |
| Cost | Free (extension), infra cost only | Free (local), Chroma Cloud starts at $0 with $5 free credits |
| License | PostgreSQL | Apache 2.0 |
| Index Types | Flat, IVFFlat, HNSW | HNSW, SPANN |
| Cloud Providers | AWS RDS, Azure Postgres, GCP AlloyDB, Supabase, Timescale | Any |
| Regional Flexibility | high | medium |
| Strengths Count | 9 | 10 |
| Weaknesses Count | 7 | 7 |