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Databases · head to head

Chroma vs Restate

Chroma logo

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
Visit ChromaFull review
Restate logo

Restate

Developer Tools

Durable execution engine in Rust with a free tier and low-latency workflows

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Visit RestateFull review

The short version

  • Free plans on both; paid from $250/mo and $300/mo.
  • Only Chroma lists embedded mode; only Restate lists durable execution.
  • Prices and features on this page were last checked on 13 November 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Chroma and Restate actually diverge.

Attributes where Chroma and Restate differ
AttributeChromaRestate
Pricing modelUsage-basedPer month by durable action count
PlatformsWebLinux, macOS, Web
CategoryDatabasesDeveloper Tools

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 Restate

  • Durable execution
  • Virtual objects
  • Single binary runtime
  • Multi-language SDKs
  • Workflows and sagas
  • Restate Cloud

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 Restate
  • Agent memory in a single application process, where an embedded store avoids adding a network dependencynot Restate
  • A departmental search application under roughly ten million records where one server is sufficient and simplicity is worth more than headroomnot Restate
  • Local and CI testing of retrieval code with the same client library used in productionnot Restate

Restate

  • Payment or order flows where a crash between two external API calls must not double-charge or lose the ordernot Chroma
  • AI agent loops that call tools over minutes or hours and must survive a deployment mid-runnot Chroma
  • Replacing hand-rolled retry, idempotency key and outbox code across a set of microservicesnot Chroma
  • A small team that wants durable workflows without operating a Temporal cluster and its databasenot 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

Restate

  • The runtime is under a Business Source Licence rather than an open source licence, so building a competing managed offering on it is prohibited and some procurement functions will reject it on licence grounds alone
  • Restate Cloud jumps from a free fifty thousand actions straight to 300 US dollars a month for twenty million, so a workload sitting at a few hundred thousand actions pays enterprise-shaped money for hobby-shaped volume
  • It is a young project against Temporal’s established base, so hiring engineers who already know it is unrealistic and the answer to most questions is in the docs rather than on Stack Overflow
  • The programming model requires structuring code around durable handlers and virtual objects, which is a genuine rewrite for existing services rather than a library you add
  • The single-binary simplicity that makes small deployments cheap also means fewer operational knobs at very large scale than a system designed as separable components

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

Restate

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Fifty thousand durable actions per month
    • No credit card required
    • Community support
  • Starter$300/mo
    • Twenty million actions per month
    • Two hundred actions per second, bursting to one thousand
    • Twenty GB storage
  • Pro$1,000/mo
    • Fifty million actions per month
    • Five hundred actions per second, bursting to two thousand
    • Fifty GB storage
  • EnterpriseOn request
    • Negotiated volume
    • Twenty-four seven P0 support
    • 99.99 per cent SLA

Which should you pick?

Choose Chroma if

  • You need embedded mode.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want single-node server.
Chroma review

Choose Restate if

  • You need durable execution.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, macOS, Web.
  • You also want virtual objects.
Restate review

Questions people ask

Is Chroma or Restate better?
Neither clearly leads. Chroma starts at Free and Restate at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Chroma or Restate?
Chroma starts at Free and Restate at Free.
Does Chroma or Restate run on more platforms?
Chroma runs on Web. Restate runs on Linux, macOS, Web.
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 Restate is typically brought in for.
What can Chroma do that Restate cannot?
Chroma covers Embedded mode, Single-node server, Distributed architecture, Vector search. Restate covers Durable execution, Virtual objects, Single binary runtime, Multi-language SDKs.

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.

Restate: Is Restate open source?

The SDKs are MIT. The runtime is under a Business Source Licence, which permits self-hosting but not offering it as a competing service.

Chroma: 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.

Restate: How does it compare with Temporal?

Same problem, different shape: one Rust binary with embedded storage instead of a server plus database plus workers, and lower per-step latency.

Chroma: 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.

Restate: Is there a free tier?

Yes, fifty thousand durable actions a month on Restate Cloud with no card required.

Chroma: 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.

Restate: Which languages are supported?

TypeScript, Java, Kotlin, Go, Python and Rust.

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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