Vector databases and RAG
Weaviate: review, pricing, data and alternatives
Weaviate lets teams developing RAG applications store documents and their vector representations. It supports semantic and keyword search, property filters, and queries through a console for accessing stored data. A free tier exists; the first paid plan costs $45 per month. Access and transparency score: 75/100, #3 of 7 in its category.
| Access | 25/30 | |
|---|---|---|
| Openness | 30/30 | |
| Trust | 20/40 |
What is Weaviate?
Weaviate lets teams developing RAG applications store documents and their vector representations. It supports semantic and keyword search, property filters, and queries through a console for accessing stored data.
According to its documentation, Weaviate lets you:
- store documents and their vector representations
- search by meaning and keywords
- filter results by properties
- provide data to a RAG application
- query data from a console
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 Weaviate B.V., based in Netherlands.
Who is it for?
It is mostly useful to these profiles: developers, data analysts, and researchers. The need it covers is simple to state: connect your documents to an AI (RAG).
Weaviate 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 Weaviate cost?
Pricing model: open source (public code). A free plan is offered, usually limited in volume or features.
The first paid plan costs $45 per month (Weaviate Cloud Flex, monthly minimum for the hosted database; free self-hosted software and additional AI services billed separately), according to the pricing page, checked on October 24, 2026.
Per month, that is close to the category median ($49 per month, based on tools with a published price).
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.
Exporting your content: yes (details on the official site). Being able to get your data back makes switching tools easier later.
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
Weaviate runs on: web browser and API.
Interface languages: English.
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: weaviateweaviate/weaviate.
How we scored it
Our 75/100 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 | 30/30 | API, data export, open code |
| Trust | 20/40 | identified publisher, declared hosting, age, presence in reference lists |
The full calculation is explained on our method page.
Comparison with alternatives
Weaviate against other tools in the vector databases and RAG category:
Verdict
Weaviate is among the most accessible and transparent tools in its category.
Strengths
- Free tier to try it
- Public API
- Public source code
Alternatives
Categories and jobs
Learn more
Frequently asked questions
Is Weaviate free?
Yes, a free plan exists, with usage limits. The first paid plan costs $45 per month.
Where is Weaviate data stored?
According to the publisher, in several regions depending on the plan.
Does Weaviate have an API?
Yes, a public API is documented.
What are the alternatives to Weaviate?
In the same category: LlamaIndex, Pinecone, Chroma, and Agentset.
Weaviate or LlamaIndex: which one to choose?
Weaviate starts at $45 per month, LlamaIndex at $50 per month and our score is 75/100 for Weaviate 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