What is Chroma?
Chroma is an open-source search infrastructure for AI, released under the Apache 2.0 license. It supports vector (semantic) search, sparse vector search (BM25, SPLADE), full-text and trigram/regex search, and metadata filtering, and is offered both as Chroma Cloud (serverless) and as a self-hosted local install.
It is built on object storage with automatic data tiering between memory, SSD and S3/GCS, which the site says makes it up to 10x cheaper than memory-based systems. Developers create collections, add documents with embeddings, and run ranked searches through TypeScript, Python or Rust clients, including forking for dataset versioning and A/B tests, plus a CLI for development.
Key features
- Vector (semantic) search
- Sparse vector search with BM25 and SPLADE
- Full-text, trigram and regex search
- Metadata filtering and faceted search
- Dataset forking for versioning and A/B testing
- Command-line tools and TypeScript, Python and Rust clients
Who is it for
- AI application developers
- Teams building RAG and retrieval systems
- Enterprises needing self-hosted or BYOC search
Pros and cons
- Open source under Apache 2.0 with self-hosting option
- Serverless, zero-ops cloud with usage-based pricing
- Supports vector, lexical and regex search in one system
- Costs scale with storage, writes and queries, so large workloads need estimating
- Enterprise features such as BYOC and dedicated clusters require contacting sales
Chroma pricing
| Plan | Price | Includes |
|---|---|---|
| Starter | 0 USD / month | + usage, $5 free credits, 10 databases, 10 team members, community Slack |
| Team | 250 USD / month | + usage, $100 included usage (does not roll over), 100 databases, 30 team members, Slack support, SOC II, volume discounts |
Prices copied from Chroma pricing, checked October 12, 2026. Currency as shown by the vendor; taxes may apply.
Is Chroma free?
Yes, there is a free plan. Starter plan at $0/month plus usage, with $5 in free credits; 10 databases and 10 team members; community Slack support.
Chroma alternatives
| Tool | Price from | Free plan | Category |
|---|---|---|---|
 Google AI Studio | 0,75 USD | ? | APIs & models |
 OpenAI Platform | 0,10 USD | ? | APIs & models |
 Cline | not listed | yes | APIs & models |
 Amazon Bedrock | od 0,20 USD | ? | APIs & models |
 Claude Platform (Anthropic API) | 2 USD input / 10 USD output | no | APIs & models |
 MongoDB Atlas | 0.011 USD | yes | APIs & models |
FAQ
What is Chroma used for?
Open-source search infrastructure for AI apps, offering vector, full-text, regex and metadata search for developers building retrieval systems.
Is Chroma free?
Yes, there is a free plan. Starter plan at $0/month plus usage, with $5 in free credits; 10 databases and 10 team members; community Slack support.
How much does Chroma cost?
The cheapest paid plan is 250 USD/mo (vendor pricing, October 12, 2026).
What are the best Chroma alternatives?
Closest alternatives: Google AI Studio, OpenAI Platform, Cline, Amazon Bedrock, Claude Platform (Anthropic API).
Data checked October 12, 2026 on the vendor website (trychroma.com).