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Databases · head to head

Dremio vs Zilliz

Dremio logo

Dremio

Databases

SQL query engine and lakehouse layer over Iceberg tables in object storage

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Zilliz logo

Zilliz

Databases

Managed vector database and vector lakebase for AI applications

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Dremio reflections consume compute and storage to build and refresh continuously, so a team that enables them widely discovers that background maintenance rather than user queries drives the DCU bill.; Zilliz pricing structure not publicly disclosed, requires sales contact
  • They diverge on capability: Dremio covers Arrow-based execution, Zilliz covers Vector indexing.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Dremio and Zilliz actually diverge.

Attributes where Dremio and Zilliz differ
AttributeDremioZilliz
Pricing modelPer Dremio Compute Unit consumedcontact-sales
PlatformsLinux, Kubernetes, Cloud, DockerCloud, Self-hosted
FoundedUnknown2017

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

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 Dremio

  • Arrow-based execution
  • Reflections
  • Semantic layer
  • Iceberg catalogue
  • Federated queries
  • Autonomous management
  • Fine-grained access control
  • BI connectors

Only in Zilliz

  • Vector indexing
  • Distributed architecture
  • SQL interface
  • Tensor support
  • Real-time search
  • Cloud-native
  • Open-source compatible

What people use each for

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

Dremio

  • A company with petabytes of Parquet in S3 that wants BI dashboards without duplicating it into a warehousenot Zilliz
  • A data platform team standardising on Apache Iceberg and needing a SQL engine plus catalogue that does not lock the tables innot Zilliz
  • An analytics group accelerating slow lake queries with Reflections instead of hand-built aggregate tablesnot Zilliz
  • A regulated enterprise that must keep data on premises but wants a modern lakehouse SQL layernot Zilliz

Zilliz

  • Build retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) systemsnot Dremio
  • Implement semantic search over documentsnot Dremio
  • Create multimodal search with text and imagesnot Dremio
  • Power recommendation engines with vector similaritynot Dremio
  • Enable similarity search on user embeddingsnot Dremio

Where each one falls short

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

Dremio

  • Reflections consume compute and storage to build and refresh continuously, so a team that enables them widely discovers that background maintenance rather than user queries drives the DCU bill.
  • Self-managing Dremio on Kubernetes requires real platform engineering capacity for tuning executors, memory and coordinator sizing, and it is not comparable in effort to running a managed warehouse.
  • The Community Edition lacks the security and governance features most enterprises require, so the free tier is a trial path rather than a viable production option for regulated buyers.
  • Dremio Cloud is AWS-first, which leaves Azure and Google Cloud customers on the self-managed path with the operational burden that entails.
  • Query performance without Reflections on raw, poorly laid out files is often unremarkable, so the promise of querying the lake as is depends on file layout work you still have to do.

Zilliz

  • Pricing structure not publicly disclosed, requires sales contact
  • Operational complexity for self-hosted Milvus deployments
  • Learning curve for those unfamiliar with vector databases
  • Limited built-in analytics compared to some alternatives

Pricing, plan by plan

Dremio

Free
  • Community EditionFree
    • Self-managed on your own hardware
    • SQL engine and semantic layer
    • No vendor support
  • Dremio Cloud$0.2/hour
    • Billed at $0.20 per Dremio Compute Unit
    • Includes query execution, Reflections and background processing
    • 400 dollar trial credit for 30 days
  • Enterprise$undefined/year
    • Self-managed on Kubernetes, on premises or any cloud
    • Enterprise security, SSO and governance
    • Vendor support with SLA

Zilliz

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Zilliz review.

Which should you pick?

Choose Dremio if

  • You need arrow-based execution.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, Kubernetes, Cloud, Docker.
  • You also want reflections.
Dremio review

Choose Zilliz if

  • You need vector indexing.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Cloud, Self-hosted.
  • You also want distributed architecture.
Zilliz review

Questions people ask

Is Dremio or Zilliz better?
Neither clearly leads. Dremio starts at Free and Zilliz at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Dremio or Zilliz?
Dremio starts at Free and Zilliz at Free.
Does Dremio or Zilliz run on more platforms?
Dremio runs on Linux, Kubernetes, Cloud, Docker. Zilliz runs on Cloud, Self-hosted.
Can I use Dremio for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Dremio best used for?
Dremio is most often used for a company with petabytes of parquet in s3 that wants bi dashboards without duplicating it into a warehouse, a data platform team standardising on apache iceberg and needing a sql engine plus catalogue that does not lock the tables in, an analytics group accelerating slow lake queries with reflections instead of hand-built aggregate tables, a regulated enterprise that must keep data on premises but wants a modern lakehouse sql layer. Of those, a company with petabytes of parquet in s3 that wants bi dashboards without duplicating it into a warehouse and a data platform team standardising on apache iceberg and needing a sql engine plus catalogue that does not lock the tables in are not what Zilliz is typically brought in for.
What can Dremio do that Zilliz cannot?
Dremio covers Arrow-based execution, Reflections, Semantic layer, Iceberg catalogue. Zilliz covers Vector indexing, Distributed architecture, SQL interface, Tensor support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Dremio: How is Dremio Cloud billed?

At 0.20 US dollars per Dremio Compute Unit, which counts query execution, Reflection building and platform overhead, not just user queries.

Zilliz: What is the difference between Milvus and Zilliz Cloud?

Milvus is the open-source vector database that you can self-host. Zilliz Cloud is the fully managed service built on Milvus that removes operational overhead and handles scaling automatically.

Source
Dremio: Is there a free version?

Yes, a Community Edition you self-manage, but it omits the enterprise security and governance features and comes with no support.

Zilliz: How many vectors can Zilliz handle?

Milvus and Zilliz Cloud can store and search billions of vectors through their distributed architecture that separates storage and compute layers.

Source
Dremio: Does it lock in my data?

No, tables stay in Apache Iceberg or Parquet in your own object storage and can be read by Spark, Trino or other engines.

Zilliz: Is Milvus open-source?

Yes, Milvus is open-source under the Apache License 2.0 and is part of the LF AI & Data Foundation.

Source
Dremio: Do I still need a warehouse?

Often not for analytics, but Dremio is not a transactional store and high-concurrency operational serving is not its strength.

Zilliz: What pricing does Zilliz Cloud offer?

Zilliz Cloud pricing is not publicly listed and requires contacting their team to discuss your specific scale and use case requirements.

Source
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