Databases · head to head
Chroma vs Keycloak
Chroma
Databases
Apache 2.0 vector and full-text search engine that runs as an embedded library, a single server or a distributed cloud service.
- From
- Free
- Free plan
- Yes
Keycloak
Developer Tools
Open-source identity and access management server.
- From
- Free
- Free plan
- Yes
The short version
- Keycloak is an open-source IAM platform supporting OpenID Connect, OAuth 2.
- Keycloak is free; Chroma starts at $250/mo.
- Where Keycloak falls short: requires self-hosted deployment and operational expertise to install, configure and maintain.
- Prices and features on this page were last checked on 13 November 2026.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Chroma and Keycloak actually diverge.
Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes).
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 Chroma
- Embedded mode
- Single-node server
- Distributed architecture
- Vector search
- Full-text search
- Metadata filtering
- Consistent API across modes
- Multi-language clients
Only in Keycloak
Nothing recorded that Chroma does not also cover.
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Chroma
- Prototyping retrieval-augmented generation where the priority is having a working index in minutes rather than choosing a permanent storenot Keycloak
- Agent memory in a single application process, where an embedded store avoids adding a network dependencynot Keycloak
- A departmental search application under roughly ten million records where one server is sufficient and simplicity is worth more than headroomnot Keycloak
- Local and CI testing of retrieval code with the same client library used in productionnot Keycloak
Keycloak
- Organisations requiring self-hosted identity infrastructure for compliance or data residencynot Chroma
- Companies with existing LDAP/Active Directory systems needing federated authenticationnot Chroma
- Open-source projects and communities requiring free IAM without licensing costsnot Chroma
- Enterprises building custom identity workflows requiring fine-grained authorisationnot Chroma
- Teams with sufficient operational expertise to manage infrastructurenot Chroma
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Chroma
- On a single node, available memory sets a hard upper bound on collection size, roughly 245,000 records per gigabyte of RAM at 1024 dimensions, so capacity planning is a memory purchase and the ceiling arrives without warning
- Single-node queries parallelise only up to the number of vCPUs, after which requests queue and latency rises linearly with concurrency, so throughput problems appear as a slow application rather than as errors
- The distributed deployment behind Chroma Cloud is a different architecture from the embedded library, so latency, consistency and failure behaviour observed in a local prototype do not predict production behaviour
- The open source server has no built-in authentication or multi-tenancy worth relying on, so a self-hosted deployment needs its own auth proxy and network controls before anything untrusted can reach it
- The project has moved quickly through major internal rewrites and version changes, so upgrades have historically involved data migrations and client changes, and pinning versions is necessary rather than cautious
Keycloak
- Requires self-hosted deployment and operational expertise to install, configure and maintain
- No managed cloud option provided by Red Hat; organisations must operate infrastructure themselves or use third-party distributions
- Clustering and high-availability configurations require additional operational knowledge
- Community support only; commercial support requires third-party vendors or distributions
Pricing, plan by plan
Chroma
Free- StarterFree
- 10 databases
- 10 team members
- Community Slack access
- Team$250/mo
- 100 databases
- 30 team members
- $100 in included credits
- EnterpriseOn request
- Unlimited databases
- Unlimited team members
- Dedicated support
Keycloak
Free- Open-sourceFree
- Full platform functionality
- Self-hosted deployment
- Community support
Which should you pick?
Choose Chroma if
- You need embedded mode.
- You want to start without paying.
- You also want single-node server.
Choose Keycloak if
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Self-hosted, Linux, Windows, API.
Questions people ask
- Is Chroma or Keycloak better?
- Neither clearly leads. Chroma starts at Free and Keycloak at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Chroma or Keycloak?
- Chroma starts at Free and Keycloak at Free.
- Does Chroma or Keycloak run on more platforms?
- Chroma runs on Web. Keycloak runs on Self-hosted, Linux, Windows, API.
- Can I use Chroma for free?
- Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
- What is Chroma best used for?
- Chroma is most often used for prototyping retrieval-augmented generation where the priority is having a working index in minutes rather than choosing a permanent store, agent memory in a single application process, where an embedded store avoids adding a network dependency, a departmental search application under roughly ten million records where one server is sufficient and simplicity is worth more than headroom, local and ci testing of retrieval code with the same client library used in production. Of those, prototyping retrieval-augmented generation where the priority is having a working index in minutes rather than choosing a permanent store and agent memory in a single application process, where an embedded store avoids adding a network dependency are not what Keycloak is typically brought in for.
- What can Chroma do that Keycloak cannot?
- Chroma covers Embedded mode, Single-node server, Distributed architecture, Vector search.
Answered from the vendors’ own pages
Chroma: Do I need to run a server?
No. Chroma runs embedded in your process with persistence to a local directory, which is how most projects start. The server and distributed modes exist for when multiple clients or larger collections require them.
Keycloak: What protocols does Keycloak support?
Keycloak supports OpenID Connect, OAuth 2.0 and SAML 2.0 protocols for authentication and authorisation.
SourceChroma: How large can a single node get?
The project puts single-node deployments at fewer than about ten million records across a handful of collections, with collection size bounded by system memory at roughly 245,000 records per gigabyte at 1024 dimensions.
Keycloak: Can Keycloak integrate with existing user directories?
Yes. Keycloak supports user federation with LDAP and Active Directory systems, allowing organisations to leverage existing user directories.
SourceChroma: Is Chroma Cloud the same software?
It is the same API and project, but the distributed deployment is a different architecture, using independent services, object storage and SSD caches rather than a single process. Behaviour under load differs accordingly.
Keycloak: Is Keycloak free?
Yes. Keycloak is fully open-source and free to deploy and use. No licensing fees are required.
SourceChroma: How does it compare with pgvector?
pgvector keeps vectors in a Postgres database you already operate, with SQL, joins and transactions. Chroma is a dedicated retrieval engine with a lower setup cost and a retrieval-shaped API. If you already run Postgres, pgvector removes a system; if you do not, Chroma removes a decision.
Chroma: What licence is it under?
Apache 2.0, which permits self-hosting and embedding in commercial products without a competing-use restriction.
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