Key features
Core capabilities each platform advertises.
Data not available
- Open-source vector database
- Hybrid search (vector + keyword)
- Multi-modal support
- GraphQL and REST APIs
- Kubernetes-native deployment
LanceDB is an embedded, serverless vector database that runs inside your application process with zero infrastructure. Built on the Lance columnar format, it supports multimodal data (text, images, video), automatic versioning, and scales from local development to cloud deployments.
Weaviate is an open-source vector database that combines vector search with structured filtering and generative capabilities. It supports multiple vectorization modules, hybrid search (combining BM25 and vector search), and built-in integrations with LLMs for retrieval-augmented generation. Weaviate offers both self-hosted and managed cloud deployments, with a GraphQL API that makes it easy to query complex data structures.
Core capabilities each platform advertises.
What each tool does well, and the limitations to keep in mind.
Pros
Cons
Choose LanceDB if you wantChoose if you want
Choose Weaviate if you wantChoose if you want
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