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Databases · head to head

SurrealDB vs Zilliz

SurrealDB logo

SurrealDB

Databases

Multi-model database combining documents, graphs, vectors and time-series

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: SurrealDB the listed $0.192/node/hr Scale pricing lacks transparent higher-tier rates, requiring a sales conversation for full production sizing.; Zilliz pricing structure not publicly disclosed, requires sales contact
  • They diverge on capability: SurrealDB covers Multi-model engine, Zilliz covers Vector indexing.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 29 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which SurrealDB and Zilliz actually diverge.

Attributes where SurrealDB and Zilliz differ
AttributeSurrealDBZilliz
Pricing modelusage-basedcontact-sales
Platformsweb, api, windows, mac, linuxCloud, Self-hosted
Founded20222017

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 SurrealDB

  • Multi-model engine
  • ACID transactions
  • Hybrid retrieval
  • Horizontal scaling
  • Multi-region disaster recovery
  • FIPS-compliant cryptography

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.

SurrealDB

  • AI agent memory and retrieval-augmented generationnot Zilliz
  • Applications needing documents, graphs and vectors in one databasenot Zilliz
  • Knowledge graph construction from unstructured datanot Zilliz
  • Regulated workloads requiring SOC2/ISO27001/HIPAA-eligible hostingnot Zilliz

Zilliz

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

Where each one falls short

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

SurrealDB

  • The listed $0.192/node/hr Scale pricing lacks transparent higher-tier rates, requiring a sales conversation for full production sizing.
  • As a newer multi-model database, it has a smaller ecosystem of drivers, ORMs and community tooling than established single-model databases.
  • HIPAA compliance is only available as an Enterprise add-on rather than included in standard paid tiers.
  • Combining multiple data models in one engine can add query-planning complexity compared to purpose-built single-model databases.

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

SurrealDB

Free
  • StartFree
    • 1 free instance, then from $0.021/hr
    • 1GB storage free forever
    • Vertical scaling to terabytes
  • Scale$0.192/month
    • $0.192/node/hr
    • Production-grade fault tolerance
    • Horizontal scaling to petabytes
  • Enterprise$undefined/month
    • Self-hosted, custom pricing
    • Clustered fault-tolerant deployments
    • FIPS-compliant cryptography

Zilliz

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Zilliz review.

Which should you pick?

Choose SurrealDB if

  • You need multi-model engine.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on web, api, windows, mac, linux.
  • You also want acid transactions.
SurrealDB 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 SurrealDB or Zilliz better?
Neither clearly leads. SurrealDB 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, SurrealDB or Zilliz?
SurrealDB starts at Free and Zilliz at Free.
Does SurrealDB or Zilliz run on more platforms?
SurrealDB runs on web, api, windows, mac, linux. Zilliz runs on Cloud, Self-hosted.
Can I use SurrealDB for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is SurrealDB best used for?
SurrealDB is most often used for ai agent memory and retrieval-augmented generation, applications needing documents, graphs and vectors in one database, knowledge graph construction from unstructured data, regulated workloads requiring soc2/iso27001/hipaa-eligible hosting. Of those, ai agent memory and retrieval-augmented generation and applications needing documents, graphs and vectors in one database are not what Zilliz is typically brought in for.
What can SurrealDB do that Zilliz cannot?
SurrealDB covers Multi-model engine, ACID transactions, Hybrid retrieval, Horizontal scaling. Zilliz covers Vector indexing, Distributed architecture, SQL interface, Tensor support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

SurrealDB: What does SurrealDB cost?

SurrealDB Cloud's Start plan is free with one free instance (then from $0.021/hr), the Scale plan runs $0.192/node/hr for production workloads, and Enterprise self-hosted deployments use custom pricing.

Source
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
SurrealDB: Is there a free plan and what are its limits?

Yes, the Start plan includes one free instance with 1GB of storage free forever and 1GB of outbound data transfer per month, aimed at prototypes and development.

Source
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
SurrealDB: How is billing handled?

Customers are invoiced monthly based on actual usage in a pay-as-you-go model with no long-term commitments, though commitment-based discounts are available.

Source
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
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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