kitio.aiElasticsearch vs pgvector
A side-by-side look at pricing plans, free tiers, features, pros and cons, updated for 2026. pgvector is completely free, while Elasticsearch is free trial.
At a glance
Best for
Category
Pricing model
Starting price
Free plan
Made by
Based in
Rating
Key features
- Vector embedding storage and search
- Elastic Agent Builder
- Kibana dashboards
- Jina AI search models
- Serverless, hosted or self-managed
- Observability and security use cases
- Vector column type
- HNSW and IVFFlat indexes
- Multiple distance metrics
- Plain SQL queries
- Wide cloud support
| Feature | Elasticsearch | pgvector |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Search engine and vector database for AI apps and agents | Open-source vector similarity search extension for Postgres |
| Category | Models & APIs | Models & APIs |
| Pricing model | Free trial | Free |
| Starting price | See pricing page | Free |
| Free plan | No, trial available | Yes, fully free |
| Made by | Elastic | pgvector contributors |
| Based in | Netherlands | – |
| Rating | No ratings yet | No ratings yet |
| Key features |
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Pricing compared
pgvector is completely free, while Elasticsearch is free trial.
Free plan
Cheapest paid plan
Top plan
Free trial
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
Elasticsearch
- Handles keyword and vector search together
- Three deployment options
- Mature ecosystem and tooling
- Pricing details are not clear on the page
- Cluster tuning takes expertise
- Broad product line can be confusing
pgvector
- Uses your existing database
- Free and widely supported
- Full SQL power
- Slower than specialized engines at scale
- Index builds use memory
- Tuning needs Postgres skills
Which one should you choose?
Choose Elasticsearch if you want:
- Handles keyword and vector search together
- Three deployment options
- Mature ecosystem and tooling
Watch out: pricing details are not clear on the page.
Choose pgvector if you want:
- Uses your existing database
- Free and widely supported
- Full SQL power
Watch out: slower than specialized engines at scale.
Elasticsearch vs pgvector FAQ
What is the difference between Elasticsearch and pgvector?
Elasticsearch: Search engine and vector database for AI apps and agents. pgvector: Open-source vector similarity search extension for Postgres. Both are models & apis tools.
Is Elasticsearch or pgvector cheaper?
pgvector is completely free, while Elasticsearch is free trial.
Do Elasticsearch and pgvector have free plans?
Elasticsearch: No, trial available. pgvector: Yes, fully free.
Who makes Elasticsearch?
Elasticsearch is made by Elastic, based in Netherlands.
Who makes pgvector?
pgvector is made by pgvector contributors.
Which should I choose, Elasticsearch or pgvector?
Choose Elasticsearch if you value handles keyword and vector search together and three deployment options. Choose pgvector if you value uses your existing database and free and widely supported.