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Machine Learning · head to head

Weaviate vs Weka

Weaviate logo

Weaviate

Machine Learning

Open-source vector database

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Weka logo

Weka

Machine Learning

Collection of machine learning algorithms

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Weaviate the free tier caps at 100,000 objects, 1 GB of memory and a single collection; Weka the package management system needs an internet connection to download and install packages, so an air-gapped install gets only the core distribution
  • They diverge on capability: Weaviate covers Vector and keyword search, Weka covers Classification.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Weaviate and Weka actually diverge.

Attributes where Weaviate and Weka differ
AttributeWeaviateWeka
Pricing modelfreemiumopen-source
PlatformsLinux, Mac, Windows, WebLinux, Mac, Windows
Founded20191993

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), 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 Weaviate

  • Vector and keyword search
  • Built-in vectorizers
  • GraphQL API
  • Multi-tenancy
  • Hybrid search
  • OpenAI
  • Hugging Face
  • Cohere

Only in Weka

  • Classification
  • Regression
  • Clustering
  • Association rules
  • Feature selection
  • Java
  • R
  • Python

Both cover

  • Linux support
  • Mac support
  • Windows support

What people use each for

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

Weaviate

  • Running a vector database for semantic and hybrid searchnot Weka
  • Generating and storing embeddings alongside the objects they describenot Weka

Weka

  • Teaching and exploring classic machine learning algorithms through a GUInot Weaviate
  • Running data mining experiments and preprocessing without writing codenot Weaviate

Where each one falls short

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

Weaviate

  • The free tier caps at 100,000 objects, 1 GB of memory and a single collection
  • Billing is per million vector dimensions rather than per record, so wider embeddings cost proportionally more for the same object count
  • Premium is a prepaid contract starting at $400 a month rather than pay as you go
  • Storage rates do not fall consistently with tier, and Premium Dedicated is $0.1505 per GiB against $0.12 on the cheaper Flex plan
  • The Query Agent is metered separately, free to 1,000 requests a month and $30 a month plus overage beyond

Weka

  • The package management system needs an internet connection to download and install packages, so an air-gapped install gets only the core distribution
  • Weka is split into a stable 3.8 branch that receives only bug fixes and compatibility-safe upgrades and a 3.9 development branch that may receive features that break compatibility
  • Weka requires a 64-bit Java VM; the bundled installers ship Bellsoft OpenJDK 25 per platform and architecture

Pricing, plan by plan

Weaviate

Free
  • Open SourceFree
    • Full features
    • Self-hosted
  • ServerlessFree
    • Managed service
    • Auto-scaling

Weka

Free
  • Open SourceFree
    • All ML algorithms
    • GUI and CLI
    • Java API

Which should you pick?

Choose Weaviate if

  • You need vector and keyword search.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, Mac, Windows, Web.
  • You also want built-in vectorizers.
Weaviate review

Choose Weka if

  • You need classification.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, Mac, Windows.
  • You also want regression.
Weka review

Questions people ask

Is Weaviate or Weka better?
Neither clearly leads. Weaviate starts at Free and Weka at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Weaviate or Weka?
Weaviate starts at Free and Weka at Free.
Does Weaviate or Weka run on more platforms?
Weaviate runs on Linux, Mac, Windows, Web. Weka runs on Linux, Mac, Windows.
Can I use Weaviate for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Weaviate best used for?
Weaviate is most often used for running a vector database for semantic and hybrid search, generating and storing embeddings alongside the objects they describe. Of those, running a vector database for semantic and hybrid search and generating and storing embeddings alongside the objects they describe are not what Weka is typically brought in for.
What can Weaviate do that Weka cannot?
Weaviate covers Vector and keyword search, Built-in vectorizers, GraphQL API, Multi-tenancy. Weka covers Classification, Regression, Clustering, Association rules. Both handle Linux support, Mac support, Windows support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Weaviate: What pricing options does Weaviate offer?

Weaviate provides a free tier with usage-based pricing, plus enterprise options. Visit the pricing page for detailed information on plans.

Source
Weka: What is the cost of Weka software?

Weka is provided at no cost as open-source software released under the GNU General Public License, making it freely available for download and use.

Source
Weaviate: Does Weaviate offer customer support?

Yes, support is included with Weaviate's cloud offerings. Enterprise customers receive first-class support from their global team of experts.

Source
Weka: Are there commercial licensing options available?

Yes, the project offers information about commercial licenses for organizations requiring non-GPL terms, which can be found in their commercial applications documentation.

Source
Weaviate: Can I deploy Weaviate on my own infrastructure?

Yes. Weaviate is open source and deployment-agnostic. You can run it in your own cloud environment or use their managed cloud service.

Source
Weka: What support resources are available to users?

Multiple support avenues exist including comprehensive documentation, frequently asked questions, dedicated help resources, and access to courses for learning the platform.

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Weaviate: What data security features does Weaviate provide?

Weaviate includes security & governance, RBAC, SOC 2 and HIPAA compliance, along with multi-tenancy and high availability for enterprise requirements.

Source
Weka: Is source code access provided?

Yes, developers have full access to source code through the Git repository, along with development documentation and code credits for contributors.

Source
Weaviate: How do I get started with Weaviate?

Sign up for their cloud tier, create your first dataset, connect an LLM, and build your AI app. Documentation and quickstart guides are available for Python, Go, TypeScript, and JavaScript.

Source
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