Vector databases and RAG
Chroma: review, pricing, data and alternatives
Chroma is for people indexing documents and their vectors to search for passages by similarity. It combines text and vector search and allows results to be filtered using metadata. A free tier exists; the first paid plan costs $2.5 pay as you go. Access and transparency score: 68/100, #4 of 7 in its category.
| Access | 25/30 | |
|---|---|---|
| Openness | 20/30 | |
| Trust | 23/40 |
What is Chroma?
Chroma is for people indexing documents and their vectors to search for passages by similarity. It combines text and vector search and allows results to be filtered using metadata.
According to its documentation, Chroma lets you:
- index documents and their vectors
- search for passages by similarity
- combine text and vector search
- filter results by metadata
We file it under Vector databases and RAG, the category of tools to connect your documents to an AI (RAG), and it also overlaps with developer tools. The category lists 7 verified tools on this site.
The publisher is Chroma Inc., based in United States.
Who is it for?
It is mostly useful to these profiles: developers and data analysts. The need it covers is simple to state: connect your documents to an AI (RAG).
Chroma is a good candidate if:
- you want to try before paying
- you plan to connect it to your tools or automations through its API
- you want to read the code or host it yourself
The best test is a concrete case from your daily work: if the tool does not beat your current method within a week, move on to an alternative.
How much does Chroma cost?
Pricing model: open source (public code). A free plan is offered, usually limited in volume or features.
The first paid plan costs $2.5 pay as you go (Chroma Cloud: writes charged per GiB; storage, queries, and traffic billed separately. No mandatory subscription at the Starter tier), according to the pricing page, checked on October 24, 2026.
To estimate what the same work would cost done directly with an AI model, use our API price calculator. Prices change often: always check the official site before subscribing.
Data and privacy
According to its privacy policy, data is processed in several regions depending on the plan.
No export feature is documented: keep a copy of your content elsewhere.
Three habits apply to every AI tool:
- turn off the use of your content for training if the option exists
- use a work account separate from your personal account
- review everything the tool produces before publishing or sending it
Platforms, languages and API
Chroma runs on: web browser and API.
Interface languages are not specified.
A public API lets you call it from your own programs or an automation tool, and plug it into an AI agent.
The source code is public: chroma-corechroma-core/chroma.
How we scored it
Our 68/100 score does not judge output quality: it measures what can be publicly verified about access to the tool, its openness and how far the publisher can be trusted.
| Criterion | Points | What counts |
|---|---|---|
| Access | 25/30 | free tier, published price, French interface |
| Openness | 20/30 | API, data export, open code |
| Trust | 23/40 | identified publisher, declared hosting, age, presence in reference lists |
The full calculation is explained on our method page.
Comparison with alternatives
Chroma against other tools in the vector databases and RAG category:
Verdict
Chroma is a decent option; compare its price and terms with the category leaders.
Strengths
- Free tier to try it
- Public API
- Public source code
Limitations
- Data export not documented
Avoid if…
- You need to easily retrieve your full history
Alternatives
Categories and jobs
Learn more
Frequently asked questions
Is Chroma free?
Yes, a free plan exists, with usage limits. The first paid plan costs $2.5 pay as you go.
Where is Chroma data stored?
According to the publisher, in several regions depending on the plan.
Does Chroma have an API?
Yes, a public API is documented.
What are the alternatives to Chroma?
In the same category: LlamaIndex, Pinecone, Weaviate, and Agentset.
Chroma or LlamaIndex: which one to choose?
Chroma starts at $2.5 pay as you go, LlamaIndex at $50 per month and our score is 68/100 for Chroma and 95/100 for LlamaIndex. Try both on the same task before paying.
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Neutrality. No affiliate links. No vendor pays to be reviewed, rated or ranked. Reviews are directed by François Chollet, neutral and factual, and every data point is dated and sourced. How we score