Milvus
Open-source vector DB built for billion-scale workloads, with GPU index support
What is Milvus?
Milvus is an open-source vector database created by Zilliz, available as self-hosted (Apache 2.0) or as the managed Zilliz Cloud service. It targets billion-scale vector workloads with GPU-accelerated indexing and multiple index types (HNSW, IVF, DiskANN). Bought by teams that need maximum throughput and index flexibility, often at the high end of scale.
Tools for building, hosting, testing, observing, connecting, and giving memory or computer access to AI agents.
See the full Agent Infrastructure guide to compare more tools, buyer criteria, and related workflows.
Use cases to evaluate
Self-hosted vector search at billion-vector scale
GPU-accelerated index builds for very large embedding corpora
Multimodal retrieval across text, image, audio embeddings
Enterprise RAG where compliance requires on-prem deployment
Fit to evaluate
Platform teams operating large-scale ML infrastructure
Companies with on-prem or air-gapped requirements
Workloads that benefit from GPU indexing
Engineering orgs comfortable running distributed systems
Business fit
Right for you if you need very large-scale vector search and want low-level control over index type and resource layout, or if you require an Apache 2.0 license for self-hosting. Skip if you want zero-ops and prefer a simpler API surface like Pinecone or Chroma. Milvus is the heaviest of the open-source options to operate but rewards teams with serious throughput needs.
How to evaluate Milvus
Use this category when a business wants agents that do work across tools, APIs, browsers, and data sources.
Confirm the exact workflow
Map Milvus to one concrete workflow first, such as self-hosted vector search at billion-vector scale. Avoid buying before the owner, trigger, output, and success metric are clear.
Check category fit
Compare tool-calling, memory, browser automation, evals, observability, and deployment controls.
Compare practical alternatives
Shortlist Milvus against Orgo, Browser Use, Browserbase so the decision is based on fit, effort, and workflow ownership rather than brand recognition alone.
Validate cost and rollout effort
Open-source Milvus is free under Apache 2.0. Managed Zilliz Cloud pricing is published on zilliz.com/pricing with a free serverless tier and usage-based dedicated clusters; specific tier numbers were not retrievable during this review. Also confirm implementation time, support needs, and whether the technical setup matches your team.
Compare Milvus with alternatives
Use this quick comparison before booking demos or moving data into a new system.
| Primary workflow | Self-hosted vector search at billion-vector scale, GPU-accelerated index builds for very large embedding corpora |
|---|---|
| Best-fit team | Platform teams operating large-scale ML infrastructure, Companies with on-prem or air-gapped requirements |
| Implementation effort | Technical setup and maintenance profile |
| Pricing check | Free plan + paid plans |
| Closest alternatives | OrgoBrowser UseBrowserbaseHyperbrowser |
Milvus pricing
| Model | Free plan + paid plans |
|---|---|
| Snapshot | Open-source Milvus is free under Apache 2.0. Managed Zilliz Cloud pricing is published on zilliz.com/pricing with a free serverless tier and usage-based dedicated clusters; specific tier numbers were not retrievable during this review. |
| Checked |
Common questions about Milvus
What is Milvus?
Milvus is an open-source vector database created by Zilliz, available as self-hosted (Apache 2.0) or as the managed Zilliz Cloud service. It targets billion-scale vector workloads with GPU-accelerated indexing and multiple index types (HNSW, IVF, DiskANN). Bought by teams that need maximum throughput and index flexibility, often at the high end of scale.
What is Milvus used for?
Common use cases: Self-hosted vector search at billion-vector scale; GPU-accelerated index builds for very large embedding corpora; Multimodal retrieval across text, image, audio embeddings; Enterprise RAG where compliance requires on-prem deployment.
How much does Milvus cost?
Open-source Milvus is free under Apache 2.0. Managed Zilliz Cloud pricing is published on zilliz.com/pricing with a free serverless tier and usage-based dedicated clusters; specific tier numbers were not retrievable during this review.
Who is Milvus best for?
Milvus fits Platform teams operating large-scale ML infrastructure, Companies with on-prem or air-gapped requirements, Workloads that benefit from GPU indexing, Engineering orgs comfortable running distributed systems. Right for you if you need very large-scale vector search and want low-level control over index type and resource layout, or if you require an Apache 2.0 license for self-hosting. Skip if you want zero-ops and prefer a simpler API surface like Pinecone or Chroma. Milvus is the heaviest of the open-source options to operate but rewards teams with serious throughput needs.
What are alternatives to Milvus?
Common alternatives to Milvus include Orgo, Browser Use, Browserbase, Hyperbrowser, Steel, Anchor Browser.