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Spreadsheets · head to head

Apache Superset vs Milvus

Apache Superset logo

Apache Superset

Spreadsheets

Modern data exploration and visualization platform

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Milvus logo

Milvus

Machine Learning

Open-source vector database for scalable similarity search

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Apache Superset no commercial pricing; open-source project; Milvus vector dimensions are capped at 32,768
  • They diverge on capability: Apache Superset covers 40+ Visualizations, Milvus covers Billion-scale vectors.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Apache Superset and Milvus actually diverge.

Attributes where Apache Superset and Milvus differ
AttributeApache SupersetMilvus
Pricing modelopen-sourcefreemium
PlatformsWeb, Self-hosted, DockerLinux, Mac, Windows, Web
CategorySpreadsheetsMachine Learning
Founded19992017

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Apache Superset

  • 40+ Visualizations
  • SQL IDE
  • Semantic Layer
  • Caching
  • Security
  • PostgreSQL
  • MySQL
  • Presto

Only in Milvus

  • Billion-scale vectors
  • Multiple index types
  • GPU acceleration
  • Hybrid search
  • Data partitioning
  • PyTorch
  • TensorFlow
  • Hugging Face

Both cover

  • Web support

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Apache Superset

  • Self-service analyticsnot Milvus
  • Data explorationnot Milvus
  • Ad-hoc reportingnot Milvus
  • Collaborative analysisnot Milvus
  • Embedded analyticsnot Milvus

Milvus

  • Self hosting a vector database for semantic searchnot Apache Superset
  • Storing and querying embeddings for retrieval augmented generationnot Apache Superset
  • Similarity search over images, audio or text at scalenot Apache Superset

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Apache Superset

  • No commercial pricing; open-source project
  • Commercial hosting available via Preset.io (separate vendor)

Milvus

  • Vector dimensions are capped at 32,768
  • A collection is limited to 64 fields, 1,024 partitions and 16 shards
  • Only 1 index is allowed per field
  • Search returns at most 16,384 vectors as top-k, and nq is capped at 16,384
  • Input and output per RPC is capped at 64 MB for insert, search and query
  • VARCHAR values are limited to 65,535 characters
  • Data loaded into query nodes cannot exceed 90% of available memory
  • An instance supports at most 65,536 collections

Pricing, plan by plan

Apache Superset

Free
  • Open SourceFree
    • Full Features
    • Self-hosted
    • Community Support

Milvus

Free
  • Open SourceFree
    • Full features
    • Self-hosted
    • Community support
  • Zilliz CloudFree
    • Managed service
    • Free tier available

Which should you pick?

Choose Apache Superset if

  • You need 40+ visualizations.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Self-hosted, Docker.
  • You also want sql ide.
Apache Superset review

Choose Milvus if

  • You need billion-scale vectors.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, Mac, Windows, Web.
  • You also want multiple index types.
Milvus review

Questions people ask

Is Apache Superset or Milvus better?
Neither clearly leads. Apache Superset starts at Free and Milvus at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Apache Superset or Milvus?
Apache Superset starts at Free and Milvus at Free.
Does Apache Superset or Milvus run on more platforms?
Apache Superset runs on Web, Self-hosted, Docker. Milvus runs on Linux, Mac, Windows, Web.
Can I use Apache Superset for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Apache Superset best used for?
Apache Superset is most often used for self-service analytics, data exploration, ad-hoc reporting, collaborative analysis. Of those, self-service analytics and data exploration are not what Milvus is typically brought in for.
What can Apache Superset do that Milvus cannot?
Apache Superset covers 40+ Visualizations, SQL IDE, Semantic Layer, Caching. Milvus covers Billion-scale vectors, Multiple index types, GPU acceleration, Hybrid search. Both handle Web support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Apache Superset: What does Apache Superset cost?

Apache Superset is open-source software available free under the Apache 2.0 license. There are no licensing costs, subscription fees, or per-seat charges for using Superset itself.

Source
Milvus: How much does Milvus cost?

Milvus is open-source and free to use and modify. The self-hosted version has no licensing cost. Zilliz Cloud (the managed SaaS version) does not publish pricing on the website.

Source
Apache Superset: Is there a paid version of Apache Superset?

Apache Superset itself is free and open-source. Preset.io offers commercial Superset hosting with premium support, but this is a separate vendor service, not an official paid tier of Superset.

Source
Milvus: Is there a free or open-source version of Milvus?

Yes, Milvus is fully open-source and available for free. Milvus Lite is a lightweight option for learning and prototyping that can be installed via pip.

Source
Milvus: Does Milvus offer a managed cloud service?

Yes, Zilliz Cloud is a fully managed Milvus cloud offering with serverless and dedicated cluster options. Pricing must be requested from the company as it is not listed on the public website.

Source
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