Pinecone
- Starter · freeMonth
- Builder · $20Month
- Standard · $50Month
- Enterprise · $500Month/Contract
Pinecone vs Weaviate
Pinecone is a managed vector-database service for semantic search and RAG applications. Weaviate combines vector search with a flexible open-source ecosystem and different deployment models.
When to pick which
Pinecone: Pinecone is a serverless vector database for AI applications, RAG pipelines, and real-time retrieval. Hybrid and semantic search, namespaces, Pinecone Assistant, and sparse and dense vectors are supported. Entry: Free plan; first paid plan: Builder. Weaviate: Weaviate combines a vector database, hybrid search, hosted embeddings, and a Query Agent for natural-language database queries. Cloud tiers range from permanently free to shared and dedicated deployments. Entry: Free plan; first paid plan: Flex. The deciding factors are the actual workflow and the published plan and usage terms.
Differences at a glance
- Free access: Pinecone as Free plan; Weaviate as Free plan.
- Paid entry in the catalog: Pinecone Builder; Weaviate Flex. Amounts are in the table and follow the price region.
- Pinecone: Serverless vector database for real-time retrieval in AI applications and RAG pipelines
- Pinecone: Free Starter account: 2 GB storage, 5 million vectors, unlimited queries
- Weaviate: Vector and hybrid search with integrated hosted embeddings
- Weaviate: Natural-language database queries via Query Agent
| Criterion | Pinecone | Weaviate |
|---|---|---|
| Free access | Free plan | Free plan |
| Paid from | Builder · $20Month | Flex · $45Month |
Published plans by vendor
Each vendor separately. The same row does not mean the same plan. Prices follow the selected price region.
Weaviate
- Free · freeMonth
- Flex · $45Month
- Premium · $400Prepaid contract
- Query Agent add-on · $30Month
Pinecone
Pinecone is a serverless vector database for AI applications, RAG pipelines, and real-time retrieval. Hybrid and semantic search, namespaces, Pinecone Assistant, and sparse and dense vectors are supported.
Starter is free with 2 GB, 5 million vectors, and unlimited queries. Standard charges usage-based on read units, write units, and stored vectors. CMEK and PrivateLink are available in higher tiers.
Weaviate
Weaviate combines a vector database, hybrid search, hosted embeddings, and a Query Agent for natural-language database queries. Cloud tiers range from permanently free to shared and dedicated deployments.
Free includes 100,000 objects, 10 GB storage, 2,000 embedding requests per day, and 1,000 Agent requests per month. Flex starts at $45.
Official sources
Pinecone
- Pinecone pricing (pinecone.io)
- Pinecone (docs.pinecone.io)
Weaviate
- Weaviate pricing (weaviate.io)
FAQ
Which is cheaper, Pinecone or Weaviate?
The cheaper paid entry is Pinecone at $20, against $45 for Weaviate. That is the vendor's list price; regional prices can differ.
Can Pinecone and Weaviate be tried for free?
Pinecone: Free plan. Weaviate: Free plan.
Where are the vendors of Pinecone and Weaviate based?
Pinecone: Pinecone Systems, Inc., USA. Weaviate: Weaviate B.V., Netherlands.