Chroma vs Qdrant
Which Embeddings & RAG AI tool is better in 2026?
Chroma
Open-source search infrastructure for AI with vector, full-text, regex, and metadata search.
Qdrant
High-performance vector search engine built in Rust for production-grade AI retrieval.
Side-by-side
| Chroma | Qdrant | |
|---|---|---|
| Tagline | Open-source search infrastructure for AI with vector, full-text, regex, and metadata search. | High-performance vector search engine built in Rust for production-grade AI retrieval. |
| Founded | 2022 | 2021 |
| HQ | San Francisco, US | Berlin, DE |
| Employees | 11-50 | 51-200 |
| Total funding | $20.3M | $85M |
| Latest round | seed | series-b |
| Valuation | $75M | — |
| Cheapest paid plan | — | — |
| Free plan | ✓ Open Source | ✓ Free |
| Free trial | ✓ | ✓ |
| Top tier price | Enterprise (BYOC) · Contact sales | Hybrid Cloud · Contact sales |
| Pricing summary | 3 published plans | 4 published plans |
| Categories |
Capability matrix
Developer-facing capabilities and access signals for Chroma and Qdrant.
| Capability | Chroma | Qdrant |
|---|---|---|
| MCP support | ✗ | ✗ |
| Public API | ✗ | ✗ |
| Webhooks | ✗ | ✗ |
| OAuth 2.0 | ✗ | ✗ |
| SDK languages | 3 (Python, TypeScript, Rust) | 6 (Python, TypeScript, Rust, Go…) |
| Free plan | ✓ | ✓ |
| Free trial | ✓ | ✓ |
| Verified | ✗ | ✗ |
| Active deal | ✗ | ✗ |
🟢 Strengths of Chroma
- Newer company (2022)
🔵 Strengths of Qdrant
- Has raised more capital ($85M vs $20.3M)
- More mature (2021)
Which should you choose?
Choose Qdrant if price matters most — it starts at Free, which is friendlier for teams watching burn. Both Embeddings & RAG tools ship core features, so the cost delta often decides it for small teams and solo operators.
Choose Qdrant if you want the most established option — it has raised $85M, suggesting more runway for enterprise features, support, and long-term roadmap. For mission-critical workflows or larger teams, that stability often outweighs a lower monthly price.
Frequently asked questions
Chroma vs Qdrant — which is better?
It depends on your priority. Chroma is the leaner option; Qdrant has broader feature depth. See the side-by-side table above.
Is Chroma cheaper than Qdrant?
No — Qdrant's cheapest paid plan is Free, while Chroma's is Free.
Do Chroma and Qdrant offer free plans?
Chroma: Yes, has a free plan. Qdrant: Yes, has a free plan.
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