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Machine Learning · head to head

Milvus vs Stata

Milvus logo

Milvus

Machine Learning

Open-source vector database for scalable similarity search

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Stata logo

Stata

Machine Learning

Data science software for research professionals

From
$48/year
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Milvus has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Milvus vector dimensions are capped at 32,768; Stata the entry Stata/BE edition is capped at 2,048 variables and 798 independent variables in a model
  • They diverge on capability: Milvus covers Billion-scale vectors, Stata covers Statistical analysis.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Milvus and Stata actually diverge.

Attributes where Milvus and Stata differ
AttributeMilvusStata
Starting priceFree$48/year
Pricing modelfreemiumsubscription
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsLinux, Mac, Windows, WebLinux, Mac, Windows
Founded20171985

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Machine Learning).

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 Milvus

  • Billion-scale vectors
  • Multiple index types
  • GPU acceleration
  • Hybrid search
  • Data partitioning
  • PyTorch
  • TensorFlow
  • Hugging Face

Only in Stata

  • Statistical analysis
  • Data management
  • Graphics
  • Econometrics
  • Survey analysis
  • Python
  • ODBC
  • Excel

Both cover

  • Linux support
  • Mac support
  • Windows support

What people use each for

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

Milvus

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

Stata

  • Statistical analysis and data analysisnot Milvus
  • Econometric modelingnot Milvus
  • Biostatistics and epidemiologynot Milvus
  • Academic and research data analysisnot Milvus

Where each one falls short

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

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

Stata

  • The entry Stata/BE edition is capped at 2,048 variables and 798 independent variables in a model
  • Raising the variable limit to 32,767 requires Stata/SE and 120,000 requires Stata/MP
  • Stata/MP is licensed by core count, so 2 core and 4 core licences are priced separately
  • Student licences require proof of enrolment at a degree granting institution
  • Stata/MP is not sold on a 6 month student term
  • Perpetual student licences cost several times the annual price, for example $298 against $94 for Stata/BE

Pricing, plan by plan

Milvus

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

Stata

$48/year
  • Stata/BE$48/year
    • Basic edition
    • Core features
  • Stata/SE$295/year
    • Standard edition
    • Larger datasets

Which should you pick?

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

Choose Stata if

  • You need statistical analysis.
  • You work on Linux, Mac, Windows.
  • You also want data management.
Stata review

Questions people ask

Is Milvus or Stata better?
Neither clearly leads. Milvus starts at Free and Stata at $48/year, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Milvus or Stata?
Milvus has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Milvus and $48/year for Stata.
Does Milvus or Stata run on more platforms?
Milvus runs on Linux, Mac, Windows, Web. Stata runs on Linux, Mac, Windows.
Can I use Milvus for free?
Yes. Milvus has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Stata starts at $48/year.
What is Milvus best used for?
Milvus is most often used for self hosting a vector database for semantic search, storing and querying embeddings for retrieval augmented generation, similarity search over images, audio or text at scale. Of those, self hosting a vector database for semantic search and storing and querying embeddings for retrieval augmented generation are not what Stata is typically brought in for.
What can Milvus do that Stata cannot?
Milvus covers Billion-scale vectors, Multiple index types, GPU acceleration, Hybrid search. Stata covers Statistical analysis, Data management, Graphics, Econometrics. Both handle Linux support, Mac support, Windows support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Milvus: How much does Milvus cost?

Milvus is open-source and free to use and modify. The self-hosted version has no licensing cost. Zilliz Cloud (the managed SaaS version) does not publish pricing on the website.

Source
Stata: How much does Stata cost?

Stata does not publish specific pricing on its website. Customers must use the 'Order Stata' or 'Request a quote' functions to obtain pricing. StataNow is available as a subscription option, but specific monthly or annual costs are not displayed publicly.

Source
Milvus: Is there a free or open-source version of Milvus?

Yes, Milvus is fully open-source and available for free. Milvus Lite is a lightweight option for learning and prototyping that can be installed via pip.

Source
Stata: What are the differences between Stata editions?

Stata offers multiple editions including Stata/BE and Stata/MP, with different capabilities and performance characteristics. Edition selection affects pricing, but specific comparisons and costs require requesting a quote.

Source
Milvus: Does Milvus offer a managed cloud service?

Yes, Zilliz Cloud is a fully managed Milvus cloud offering with serverless and dedicated cluster options. Pricing must be requested from the company as it is not listed on the public website.

Source
Stata: Does Stata offer a subscription model?

Yes, StataNow is offered as a subscription option that delivers new features immediately upon release. However, specific pricing for StataNow subscriptions is not published on the website.

Source
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