Qdrant vs 
Weaviate
Qdrant vs Weaviate compared for 2026 — features, license, ease of use, performance and which one to choose. Fast Rust-based vector search vs Vector DB with built-in modules.
Updated regularly · curated by olud.ai
Qdrant vs Weaviate at a glance
| Spec | Qdrant | Weaviate |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Vector database | Vector database |
| Type | Vector database | Vector database |
| License | Apache-2.0 | BSD-3-Clause |
| Runs locally | Self-hosted | Self-hosted |
| Primary language | Rust | Go |
| Ease of use | Beginner | Intermediate |
| Best for | teams wanting fast, simple vector search | teams wanting hybrid search and built-in modules |
| GitHub stars | 33.4k | 16.6k |
Feature comparison
| Feature | Qdrant | Weaviate |
|---|---|---|
| Self-hostable | ✓ | ✓ |
| Managed cloud | ✓ | ✓ |
| Metadata filtering | ✓ | ✓ |
| Hybrid search | ✓ | ✓ |
| Horizontal scaling | ✓ | ✓ |
| REST API | ✓ | ✓ |
How Qdrant and Weaviate score
| Criterion | Qdrant | Weaviate |
|---|---|---|
| Popularity | 4.0 | 3.5 |
| Maintenance | 5.0 | 5.0 |
| Ease of use | 5.0 | 3.5 |
| Privacy | 4.5 | 4.5 |
| License freedom | 5.0 | 5.0 |
Scores are computed automatically from public signals — GitHub stars (popularity), recent commit activity (maintenance), license type (freedom), local-first design (privacy) and onboarding complexity (ease of use). Indicative, not a verdict.
What each one is
Qdrant
Qdrant is a high-performance vector database written in Rust, with rich filtering, payloads and a simple API for production semantic search and RAG.
- Very fast, written in Rust
- Rich payload filtering
- Simple API and easy self-hosting
Weaviate
Weaviate is an open-source vector database with built-in vectorization modules, hybrid search and a GraphQL API for AI-native applications.
- Built-in vectorization and reranker modules
- Hybrid (vector + keyword) search
- GraphQL and REST APIs
Key differences
Qdrant is vector database, while Weaviate is vector database. Their licenses differ (Apache-2.0 vs BSD-3-Clause), which matters if you ship a commercial product. Qdrant leans more beginner-friendly, whereas Weaviate is more suited to intermediate users. In short, Qdrant fits teams wanting fast, simple vector search, and Weaviate fits teams wanting hybrid search and built-in modules.
Which should you choose?
Choose Qdrant for teams wanting fast, simple vector search. Choose Weaviate for teams wanting hybrid search and built-in modules.
There is rarely one winner — many setups use both. The right pick depends on your hardware, your team's skills, and whether you value simplicity or control.
Frequently asked questions
Is Qdrant or Weaviate easier to use?
Qdrant is generally the easier of the two to get started with, while Weaviate rewards more setup with more control.
Are Qdrant and Weaviate free?
Qdrant is free and open source (Apache-2.0), and Weaviate is free and open source (BSD-3-Clause). Neither charges for the core software.
Can I run Qdrant and Weaviate locally?
Qdrant: self-hosted · Weaviate: self-hosted. Both can be used without sending your data to a third-party cloud where their setup allows.
Qdrant vs Weaviate — which should I pick in 2026?
Choose Qdrant for teams wanting fast, simple vector search. Choose Weaviate for teams wanting hybrid search and built-in modules.
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