Redis Vector Search vs Pinecone

Compare deployment options, cost efficiency, and features to choose the right vector database for your application.

Database Comparison

Redis Vector Search takes the lead.

Both Redis Vector Search and Pinecone are powerful vector databases designed for efficient similarity search and storage. However, their deployment options and features differ in important ways.

Why Redis Vector Search:

  • Redis Vector Search ranks higher overall
  • Redis Vector Search offers more deployment options
  • Redis Vector Search is more cost-effective
  • Redis Vector Search has more permissive licensing
  • Redis Vector Search has 4 more strengths

Redis Vector Search

Redis provides vector similarity search through Redis Stack (RediSearch module), enabling low-latency semantic search and RAG applications. As an in-memory database, Redis excels at small-to-medium scale vector workloads requiring ultra-low latency. It integrates vector search with Redis's core data structures, making it ideal for real-time AI applications, semantic caching, and RAG systems.

Deployment: Self-Hosted (Redis Stack), Redis Enterprise, Redis Cloud
Cost: Redis Stack: Free (self-host); Cloud: starts $5/mo; Enterprise: shard-based pricing; Redis Flex: hybrid RAM+SSD
License: RSALv2 / SSPLv1 / AGPLv3
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Pinecone

Pinecone is a fully managed, proprietary cloud vector database designed for high-performance RAG pipelines. It abstracts away infrastructure, scaling, replication, and index management. Pinecone is popular among companies building production RAG systems that need predictable latency and fully hosted operations.

Deployment: Managed Cloud
Cost: Storage: $0.33/GB/mo; Write Units: $4/million; Read Units: $16/million; Minimum $50/mo
License: Proprietary
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Feature Comparison

Infrastructure & Technical Details

FeatureRedis Vector SearchPinecone
DeploymentSelf-Hosted (Redis Stack), Redis Enterprise, Redis CloudManaged Cloud
CostRedis Stack: Free (self-host); Cloud: starts $5/mo; Enterprise: shard-based pricing; Redis Flex: hybrid RAM+SSDStorage: $0.33/GB/mo; Write Units: $4/million; Read Units: $16/million; Minimum $50/mo
LicenseRSALv2 / SSPLv1 / AGPLv3Proprietary
Index TypesFLAT, HNSWDense (HNSW-like), Sparse
Cloud ProvidersAWS, Azure, GCPAWS, Azure, GCP
Regional Flexibilityhighlow
Strengths117
Weaknesses127