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Machine Learning & Data Science · head to head

Azure Machine Learning vs Milvus

Azure Machine Learning logo

Azure Machine Learning

Machine Learning & Data Science

Enterprise-grade machine learning service

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Milvus logo

Milvus

Machine Learning & Data Science

Open-source vector database for scalable similarity search

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Azure Machine Learning requires knowledge of Azure ecosystem and integration with other Azure services; Milvus vector dimensions are capped at 32,768
  • They diverge on capability: Azure Machine Learning covers Automated ML, Milvus covers Billion-scale vectors.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Azure Machine Learning and Milvus actually diverge.

Attributes where Azure Machine Learning and Milvus differ
AttributeAzure Machine LearningMilvus
Pricing modelusage-basedfreemium
PlatformsAzure CloudLinux, Mac, Windows, Web
CategoryUnknownMachine Learning & Data Science
Founded19752017

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 Azure Machine Learning

  • Automated ML
  • Designer (drag-and-drop)
  • Notebooks
  • MLOps
  • Model registry
  • Azure Blob Storage
  • Azure DevOps
  • Power BI

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.

Azure Machine Learning

  • Machine learningnot Milvus
  • Data analysisnot Milvus
  • Model trainingnot Milvus
  • Predictive analyticsnot Milvus

Milvus

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

Where each one falls short

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

Azure Machine Learning

  • Requires knowledge of Azure ecosystem and integration with other Azure services
  • Compute resources for training and inference generate separate charges

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

Azure Machine Learning

Free
  • Free TierFree
    • Limited compute
    • Basic features
  • Pay-as-you-go$0.05/hour
    • Full platform
    • All compute options
    • Enterprise features

Milvus

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

Which should you pick?

Choose Azure Machine Learning if

  • You need automated ml.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Azure Cloud.
  • You also want designer (drag-and-drop).
Azure Machine Learning 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 Azure Machine Learning or Milvus better?
Neither clearly leads. Azure Machine Learning 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, Azure Machine Learning or Milvus?
Azure Machine Learning starts at Free and Milvus at Free.
Does Azure Machine Learning or Milvus run on more platforms?
Azure Machine Learning runs on Azure Cloud. Milvus runs on Linux, Mac, Windows, Web.
Can I use Azure Machine Learning for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Azure Machine Learning best used for?
Azure Machine Learning is most often used for machine learning, data analysis, model training, predictive analytics. Of those, machine learning and data analysis are not what Milvus is typically brought in for.
What can Azure Machine Learning do that Milvus cannot?
Azure Machine Learning covers Automated ML, Designer (drag-and-drop), Notebooks, MLOps. Milvus covers Billion-scale vectors, Multiple index types, GPU acceleration, Hybrid search. Both handle Web support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Azure Machine Learning: Does Azure Machine Learning have any platform licensing fees?

No, Azure Machine Learning carries no extra cost. You only pay for the underlying compute resources utilized during model training or inference.

Source
Azure Machine Learning: What AutoML capabilities does Azure Machine Learning provide?

Azure Machine Learning supports automated model creation for classification, regression, vision, and natural language processing tasks.

Source
Azure Machine Learning: Does Azure ML support language model fine-tuning?

Yes, Azure Machine Learning supports fine-tuning of foundation models from providers including OpenAI, Meta, Hugging Face, and Cohere.

Source
Azure Machine Learning: What MLOps features are included?

Azure ML includes end-to-end pipeline automation with CI/CD capabilities, managed endpoints for model deployment, and monitoring tools.

Source
Azure Machine Learning: Can I access foundation models from multiple vendors?

Yes, Azure Machine Learning provides access to a model catalog with foundation models from Microsoft, OpenAI, Hugging Face, Meta, and Cohere.

Source
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Related pages

More on Azure Machine Learning

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