tools
Milvus
Open-source vector database for similarity search, hybrid retrieval, metadata filtering, and AI application data.

In inglese
Milvus stores embeddings and structured data in collections, then supports vector, sparse, hybrid, text, and filtered search. It offers Lite for local Python applications, Standalone in Docker, and Distributed deployments on Kubernetes.
Developers use it for RAG, semantic search, image and multimodal search, deduplication, and AI-agent data stores. The software is free under Apache 2.0; managed hosting is offered separately through Zilliz Cloud and is not priced on Milvus.io.
Features
- Dense, sparse, hybrid, and multi-vector search
- Metadata filtering, scalar queries, and flexible schemas
- TEXT fields with text_match, phrase_match, and BM25
- External Collections for zero-copy lakehouse retrieval
- Point-in-time read-only Snapshots
- Server-side sorting, aggregation, and faceted search
- REST and gRPC APIs with Python, Java, Go, C#, and Node.js clients
- Apache 2.0 license
Use cases
- Build retrieval-augmented generation applications
- Search documents, images, audio, or other embedded data
- Run semantic and hybrid search over product catalogs
- Detect near-duplicate records with MinHash search
- Prototype locally with Milvus Lite
- Serve large-scale vector search on Kubernetes
Pros
Cons
Latest updates
- milvus-3.0.2 (v3.0.2)
Milvus v3.0.2 improves filtered search, group-by, and index-building performance and adds external collection and Storage V2 support.
- milvus-2.6.24 (v2.6.24)
Milvus v2.6.24 reduces peak memory during segment loading and improves force-merge planning and filtered search.
- pkg/v3.0.2 (v3.0.2)
Snapshot restores targeting the same collection are now serialized.
- client/v3.0.0 (v3.0.0)
The Go client v3.0.0 adds snapshot workflows, read-only external collections, search and query features, telemetry, and structured RPC error inspection.
- milvus-3.0.1 (v3.0.1)
Milvus v3.0.1 adds REST v2 snapshot management, expanded reranking, and TEXT field support in Go and REST APIs.
Get it
Pricing
- Starting price
- Free
- Prices checked
- 2026-09-25
- Read
- by web search
Milvus (Open Source)
Free
- 100% free open-source project under Apache License 2.0
- Self-hosted deployments (Lite, Standalone, Distributed)
- No usage limits from the software itself (hardware-dependent)