Qdrant vs Weaviate: Vector Databases Comparison (2026)

Qdrant and Weaviate both offer vector database solutions with free tiers. Qdrant provides more robust features for enterprise use, including dedicated resources and uptime SLAs, while Weaviate focuses on ease of entry and a pay-as-you-go model.

AI Citation Scorecard

How often each is cited by major AI engines when buyers ask vector databases questions. Last 90 days across ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini, Claude, and Copilot.

Weaviate leads overall — 100% cited vs Qdrant 83% across 12 probes.
ChatGPT
Qdrant
1 / 1 probes
100%
Excellent
Weaviate
1 / 1 probes
100%
Excellent
Perplexity
Qdrant
2 / 2 probes
100%
Excellent
Weaviate
2 / 2 probes
100%
Excellent
Gemini
Qdrant
1 / 1 probes
100%
Excellent
Weaviate
1 / 1 probes
100%
Excellent
Claude
Qdrant
1 / 1 probes
100%
Excellent
Weaviate
1 / 1 probes
100%
Excellent
Copilot
Qdrant
0 / 1 probes
0%
Invisible
WeaviateLeads
1 / 1 probes
100%
Excellent
Scale:NoneLowFairStrongExcellent

Probes run hourly; each (engine × query) combo retests every ~3 days.

Pricing

Qdrant
Starting price
—
Free tier
Yes
qdrant.tech ↗
Weaviate
Starting price
$0/mo
Free tier
Yes
weaviate.io ↗

Key Features

Qdrant
  • ✓Single Node Cluster
  • ✓0.5 vCPU / 1GB RAM / 4 GB Disk
  • ✓Dedicated Resources
  • ✓99.5% Uptime SLA
  • ✓Private VPC Links
  • ✓Backup & Disaster Recovery
  • ✓SSO
  • ✓Flexible Vertical and Horizontal Scaling
Weaviate
  • ✓Always free — 1 cluster per user
  • ✓100,000 objects, 1 GB memory
  • ✓1 collection, up to 3 tenants
  • ✓Embeddings & Query Agent included

When to choose Qdrant

You require dedicated resources, a guaranteed uptime SLA, and enterprise-grade security features like SSO. You also need flexible scaling options and prefer the choice between managed and on-premise deployments. You are amenable to a minimum spend for premium features.

When to choose Weaviate

You prioritize ease of entry with a free tier that does not require a credit card. Your use case is within the limits of 100,000 objects and 1 GB memory, and you need built-in embeddings and a query agent. You are comfortable with a single cluster per user for free and a pay-as-you-go model for scaling.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the key differences in free tier limits?
Qdrant's free tier provides 0.5 vCPU, 1GB RAM, and 4GB Disk, suitable for testing and prototypes. Weaviate's free tier offers 1 cluster per user, 100,000 objects, 1GB memory, 1 collection, and up to 3 tenants.
Which vendor offers a better uptime guarantee?
Qdrant offers a 99.5% Uptime SLA with its paid plans. Weaviate mentions 'High uptime guarantees' without a specific percentage in the provided information.
What security features do these vendors offer?
Qdrant offers SSO and Private VPC Links as key features for enterprise security. Weaviate does not list specific security features in the provided information.
How do pricing structures compare?
Qdrant offers flexible pricing based on usage, with a minimum spend required for its premium tier. Weaviate has a '$0/mo' starting price, a pay-as-you-go model, and a complex pricing structure.
What kind of support can users expect?
Qdrant notes that community support may be insufficient for enterprises, implying more robust support for higher tiers. Weaviate mentions 'Robust support options' but also 'Less support on lower tiers'.

AI visibility profiles

Is one of these your brand?

Get the full report by email: every vector databases buyer question we ask, which engines name you, and who gets named instead.

Qdrant

qdrant.tech

Weaviate

weaviate.io

Free check

Check any brand's AI visibility — free

We ask the buyer questions in this market across ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Perplexity and Copilot, and show you who gets named.

More Vector Databases Comparisons