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FaunaDB vs Chroma

FaunaDB logo

FaunaDB

Software

The distributed serverless database for modern applications

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
C

Chroma

Software

Open-source search infrastructure for AI

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only FaunaDB has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: FaunaDB the Internet Archive's capture of FaunaDB's homepage on 5 January 2019 confirmed a free 'Try Cloud' tier alongside a self-hosted download, with a separate Pricing page linked but not itself retrievable from the archive within two attempts.; Chroma chroma Cloud meters four separate dimensions: $2.50 per GiB written, $0.33 per GiB stored monthly, $0.0075 per TiB queried, and $0.09 per GiB returned over the network, as of August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which FaunaDB and Chroma actually diverge.

Attributes where FaunaDB and Chroma differ
AttributeFaunaDBChroma
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelfreemiumsubscription
Free tierYesNo
Founded2012Unknown

Identical on both: platforms (Web), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).

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 FaunaDB

  • ACID Transactions
  • Document-relational Model
  • GraphQL API
  • Global Distribution
  • Temporal Queries
  • Multi-tenancy
  • Serverless
  • GraphQL

Only in Chroma

Nothing recorded that FaunaDB does not also cover.

What people use each for

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

FaunaDB

  • Serverless applicationsnot Chroma
  • Rapid prototypingnot Chroma
  • Mobile backendsnot Chroma
  • JAMstacknot Chroma
  • Microservicesnot Chroma

Chroma

No use cases recorded yet. See the Chroma review.

Where each one falls short

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

FaunaDB

  • The Internet Archive's capture of FaunaDB's homepage on 5 January 2019 confirmed a free 'Try Cloud' tier alongside a self-hosted download, with a separate Pricing page linked but not itself retrievable from the archive within two attempts.

Chroma

  • Chroma Cloud meters four separate dimensions: $2.50 per GiB written, $0.33 per GiB stored monthly, $0.0075 per TiB queried, and $0.09 per GiB returned over the network, as of August 2026.

Pricing, plan by plan

FaunaDB

Free
  • FreeFree
    • 100K read ops
    • 50K write ops
    • 1GB storage
  • Pro$25/month
    • Pay per use
    • Priority support
    • Advanced features

Chroma

On request

No published plan breakdown. See the Chroma review.

Which should you pick?

Choose FaunaDB if

  • You need acid transactions.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want document-relational model.
FaunaDB review

Choose Chroma if

Nothing in the data separates Chroma from FaunaDB on the points above - pick on price and on how each one feels to use.

Chroma review

Questions people ask

Is FaunaDB or Chroma better?
Neither clearly leads. FaunaDB starts at Free and Chroma at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, FaunaDB or Chroma?
FaunaDB has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for FaunaDB and On request for Chroma.
Does FaunaDB or Chroma run on more platforms?
Both run on Web, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
Can I use FaunaDB for free?
Yes. FaunaDB has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Chroma starts at On request.
What is FaunaDB best used for?
FaunaDB is most often used for serverless applications, rapid prototyping, mobile backends, jamstack. Of those, serverless applications and rapid prototyping are not what Chroma is typically brought in for.
What can FaunaDB do that Chroma cannot?
FaunaDB covers ACID Transactions, Document-relational Model, GraphQL API, Global Distribution.
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Related pages

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