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Databases · head to head

Zilliz vs Memcached

Zilliz logo

Zilliz

Databases

Managed vector database and vector lakebase for AI applications

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Memcached logo

Memcached

Databases

Distributed memory object caching system

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Zilliz pricing structure not publicly disclosed, requires sales contact; Memcached no persistence at all: restart a node and its cache is gone, which every design must assume
  • They diverge on capability: Zilliz covers Vector indexing, Memcached covers In-memory key-value cache.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Zilliz and Memcached actually diverge.

Attributes where Zilliz and Memcached differ
AttributeZillizMemcached
Pricing modelcontact-salesOpen source, no licence fee; managed cloud billed separately
PlatformsCloud, Self-hostedLinux, macOS, Windows, Docker, Self-hosted
Founded2017Unknown

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 Zilliz

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

Only in Memcached

  • In-memory key-value cache
  • Multithreaded
  • Client-side sharding
  • Predictable memory use

What people use each for

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

Zilliz

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

Memcached

  • Caching expensive database query results to cut loadnot Zilliz
  • Session storage where losing sessions on restart is acceptablenot Zilliz
  • Fronting an API whose responses are costly and change slowlynot Zilliz

Where each one falls short

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

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

Memcached

  • No persistence at all: restart a node and its cache is gone, which every design must assume
  • No replication or failover, so losing a node loses that share of the cache
  • Only simple key-value, with none of the lists, sorted sets or streams Redis offers
  • Values are capped at 1MB by default, which surprises teams caching large documents

Pricing, plan by plan

Zilliz

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Zilliz review.

Memcached

Free
  • MemcachedFree
    • Full functionality
    • Self-hosted
    • No usage limits

Which should you pick?

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

Choose Memcached if

  • You need in-memory key-value cache.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, macOS, Windows, Docker, Self-hosted.
  • You also want multithreaded.
Memcached review

Questions people ask

Is Zilliz or Memcached better?
Neither clearly leads. Zilliz starts at Free and Memcached at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Zilliz or Memcached?
Zilliz starts at Free and Memcached at Free.
Does Zilliz or Memcached run on more platforms?
Zilliz runs on Cloud, Self-hosted. Memcached runs on Linux, macOS, Windows, Docker, Self-hosted.
Can I use Zilliz for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Zilliz best used for?
Zilliz is most often used for build retrieval-augmented generation (rag) systems, implement semantic search over documents, create multimodal search with text and images, power recommendation engines with vector similarity. Of those, build retrieval-augmented generation (rag) systems and implement semantic search over documents are not what Memcached is typically brought in for.
What can Zilliz do that Memcached cannot?
Zilliz covers Vector indexing, Distributed architecture, SQL interface, Tensor support. Memcached covers In-memory key-value cache, Multithreaded, Client-side sharding, Predictable memory use.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

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
Memcached: Is Memcached free?

Yes, open source with no licence fee.

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
Memcached: Memcached or Redis?

Memcached is a pure cache: simpler, multithreaded and very predictable. Redis adds persistence, replication and rich data structures, which is why it is the default choice unless you specifically want a cache and nothing more.

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
Memcached: Does Memcached persist data?

No. Everything is in memory and lost on restart, by design.

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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