Chroma
trychroma.com
Open-source embedding database for AI apps.
Quick Information
- Category:
- MLOps & Infrastructure
- Pricing:
- Freemium
- Platforms:
- Python, Cloud, Self-hosted
- Free Plan:
- Yes
- API Available:
- Yes
- Last Verified:
- October 2026
What Is Chroma?
Chroma is an open-source embedding database for AI applications, and Chroma Cloud is its hosted service. The licence is Apache 2.0, confirmed by Chroma's docs and the repository metadata, and one source says no paid tier, enterprise edition or licence-key build sits beside the open-source core. The cloud pricing figures come from third-party aggregators because I did not reach trychroma.com. The Starter plan is $0 a month with $5 in free credits, with every action metered after that, and some sources list up to 10 databases and 10 team members. The Team plan is mostly described as a $250 a month platform fee with $100 of included usage credits that do not roll over, 100 databases and 30 team members, although CostBench shows Team as usage-based with no published annual price.
Usage rates are consistent across several sources: $2.50 per GiB written, $0.33 per GiB-month stored, $0.0075 per TiB queried and $0.09 per GiB of egress. Enterprise is custom, with single-tenant or bring-your-own-cloud clusters, dedicated support and SLAs. One source, AgentDeals, flags a free-tier change as unconfirmed. A 2024 page from MetaCTO shows the same Team fee, so it is older rather than contradictory. If you only need embedded vector search for prototypes or a single app, the open-source version running locally costs nothing beyond your own hardware.
Chroma suits developers who want the quickest path from prototype to a working vector store. Compare Pinecone, Qdrant and Weaviate. Browse the MLOps & Infrastructure tools directory for more.
What Can You Use Chroma For?
Prototyping RAG apps
Embedded database.
Hosted vector search
Chroma Cloud.
Chroma Features
- Apache 2.0 core — Confirmed in docs.
- Usage-based cloud — Write, store, query.
- Starter credits — $5.
Who Is Chroma For?
- Developers and startups — Simple start.
- Enterprise teams — BYOC.
Chroma Pros & Limitations
What We Like
- Simple and open source
- Cheap to start
- Clear usage meters
Limitations
- Team price differs by source
- Cloud rates from third parties
- Free-tier change unconfirmed
Chroma Pricing
| Plan | Price | Main Features |
|---|---|---|
| Open source | Free (Apache 2.0) | Self-host or embedded |
| Cloud Starter | $0 with $5 credits | Metered after credits; up to 10 databases |
| Cloud Team | About $250/month (one listing shows usage-based) | $100 included credits, 100 databases, 30 members |
| Usage rates | $2.50/GiB written, $0.33/GiB-mo stored, $0.0075/TiB queried, $0.09/GiB egress | Consistent across sources |
| Enterprise | Custom | Single-tenant or BYOC, SLAs |
Pricing was last verified October 2026. Check the official website for the latest pricing.
AI Listing Jungle Ranking
- Global Rank:
- #77
- Overall Score:
- 85.6/100
- Monthly Users:
- –
- Rank Change:
- ▲ 1518
This ranking reflects AI Listing Jungle's own independent scoring methodology and is not an endorsement by Chroma or its company. How Our Rankings Work
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Chroma free?
Open source yes; Cloud Starter $0 with credits.
Team plan price?
About $250 a month per most sources.
Licence?
Apache 2.0.
Storage cost?
$0.33 per GiB-month.
Our Take
The easiest vector database to start with.
Check the Team price.
Chroma Alternatives
Chroma Comparisons
Ready to try Chroma?
Visit the official website to get started.
Visit Official WebsiteAI Listing Jungle is an independent AI tools directory. Product names, logos, and trademarks belong to their respective owners.