kitio.aiChroma vs Activeloop
A side-by-side look at pricing plans, free tiers, features, pros and cons, updated for 2026. Chroma starts at $250/mo and Activeloop starts at See pricing page. Check both pricing pages for current plans.
At a glance
Best for
Category
Pricing model
Starting price
Free plan
Made by
Based in
Rating
Key features
- Simple Python and JS API
- Built-in embeddings
- Metadata filtering
- Full-text search
- Chroma Cloud
- Vector and tensor storage
- GPU streaming for training
- Serverless Postgres interface
- Shared agent memory
- Continual learning pipeline
| Feature | Chroma | Activeloop |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Open-source embedding database for building RAG apps quickly | Deeplake GPU database and memory infrastructure for AI agents |
| Category | Models & APIs | Models & APIs |
| Pricing model | Freemium | Freemium |
| Starting price | $250/mo | See pricing page |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Made by | Chroma | Activeloop |
| Based in | United States | United States |
| Rating | No ratings yet | No ratings yet |
| Key features |
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Pricing compared
Chroma starts at $250/mo and Activeloop starts at See pricing page. Check both pricing pages for current plans.
Free plan
Cheapest paid plan
Top plan
Free trial
3 plans
Starter
Free
- Plus usage, $5 free credits
- 10 databases
- 10 team members
Team
$250/mo
- Plus usage, $100 credits
- 100 databases
- 30 team members
- SOC II, Slack support
Enterprise
Contact sales
- Configurable billing
- Volume-based discounts
Prices in USD, checked Oct 28, 2026 or later. Plans change often, so confirm on each tool's site before you buy.
Pros and cons
Chroma
- Very easy to start
- Default in many tutorials
- Free open-source version
- Fewer enterprise features
- Large-scale tuning is limited
- Cloud product is newer
Activeloop
- Stores embeddings and raw data together
- Feeds training jobs directly
- Used in production by large firms
- Pricing not shown in the evidence
- Newer products need a demo
- More complex than a plain vector store
Which one should you choose?
Choose Chroma if you want:
- Very easy to start
- Default in many tutorials
- Free open-source version
Watch out: fewer enterprise features.
Choose Activeloop if you want:
- Stores embeddings and raw data together
- Feeds training jobs directly
- Used in production by large firms
Watch out: pricing not shown in the evidence.
Chroma vs Activeloop FAQ
What is the difference between Chroma and Activeloop?
Chroma: Open-source embedding database for building RAG apps quickly. Activeloop: Deeplake GPU database and memory infrastructure for AI agents. Both are models & apis tools.
Is Chroma or Activeloop cheaper?
Chroma starts at $250/mo and Activeloop starts at See pricing page. Check both pricing pages for current plans.
Do Chroma and Activeloop have free plans?
Chroma: Yes. Activeloop: Yes.
Who makes Chroma?
Chroma is made by Chroma, based in United States.
Who makes Activeloop?
Activeloop is made by Activeloop, based in United States.
Which should I choose, Chroma or Activeloop?
Choose Chroma if you value very easy to start and default in many tutorials. Choose Activeloop if you value stores embeddings and raw data together and feeds training jobs directly.