Qdrant
- Open source · freeSelf-hosted
- Cloud Free · freeMonth
- Cloud Standard · pay as you goHourly
- Premium / hybrid / private · contact salesContract
Qdrant vs Pinecone
Side-by-side published prices, limits and sources. Not a quality ranking. The vendor page remains authoritative.
When to pick which
Qdrant: Qdrant is an open-source vector database written in Rust with filtering, hybrid search and REST/gRPC APIs. It can be self-hosted or used as managed, hybrid or private cloud. Entry: Free plan; first paid plan: Cloud Standard. 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. The deciding factors are the actual workflow and the published plan and usage terms.
Differences at a glance
- Free access: Qdrant as Free plan; Pinecone as Free plan.
- Paid entry in the catalog: Qdrant Cloud Standard; Pinecone Builder. Amounts are in the table and follow the price region.
- Qdrant: Open-source vector database with filtering, hybrid search and REST/gRPC APIs
- Qdrant: Self-host or use as managed cloud with inference
- 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
| Criterion | Qdrant | Pinecone |
|---|---|---|
| Free access | Free plan | Free plan |
| Paid from | Cloud Standard · pay as you goHourly | Builder · $20Month |
Published plans by vendor
Each vendor separately. The same row does not mean the same plan. Prices follow the selected price region.
Pinecone
- Starter · freeMonth
- Builder · $20Month
- Standard · $50Month
- Enterprise · $500Month/Contract
Qdrant
Qdrant is an open-source vector database written in Rust with filtering, hybrid search and REST/gRPC APIs. It can be self-hosted or used as managed, hybrid or private cloud.
Cloud Free includes one cluster with 0.5 vCPU, 1 GB RAM and 4 GB disk. Standard bills resources hourly; Qdrant does not publish one universal monthly entry price.
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.
Official sources
Qdrant
- Qdrant pricing (qdrant.tech)
Pinecone
- Pinecone pricing (pinecone.io)
- Pinecone (docs.pinecone.io)
FAQ
Can Qdrant and Pinecone be tried for free?
Qdrant: Free plan. Pinecone: Free plan.
Where are the vendors of Qdrant and Pinecone based?
Qdrant: Qdrant Solutions GmbH, Germany. Pinecone: Pinecone Systems, Inc., USA.
Are Qdrant and Pinecone listed in the same category?
Qdrant is listed under the “Development & Code” category, Pinecone under “Development & Code.”
How many pricing tiers do Qdrant and Pinecone offer?
Qdrant documents 4 plans, Pinecone documents 4 plans, each with price, billing period, and included features.
Where do the price and product details for Qdrant and Pinecone come from?
For Qdrant and Pinecone, prices, limits, and product details are each based on the current official vendor page. Missing values stay marked as not published rather than being estimated.