# Vector databases for RAG and agents — The Agents Index

> Source: https://theagentsindex.com/category/vector-databases (curated, re-verified)
> Updated 1 November 2026 · Reviewed by The Agents Index editorial team

Databases that store embeddings and find the closest matches, for retrieval and agent memory.

2 agents in this category, A to Z. Each name links to its answer-first markdown twin.

## Facts

- Free to start: 2 of 2
- API: 0 of 2
- First paid plan a month: 1 of 2 publish one, $20
- Checked against their own sites: 29 October 2026 (2 of 2)
- Added in November 2026: 1

| Name | What it is | Pricing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| [Pinecone](https://theagentsindex.com/pinecone.md) | Managed vector and knowledge platform with retrieval, grounded RAG, and customer-cloud deployment. | Free, then $20 a month |
| [Qdrant](https://theagentsindex.com/qdrant.md) | Open-source vector database with managed, hybrid, and private-cloud deployment choices. | Free |

## Vector databases for RAG and agents compared

| Agent | Vendor's price | MCP server | API | Open source | Self-host |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| [Pinecone](https://theagentsindex.com/pinecone) | Free, then $20 a month | Yes | Not stated | Partly | Partly |
| [Qdrant](https://theagentsindex.com/qdrant) | Free | Yes | Not stated | Yes | Yes |

All 2 vector databases for RAG and agents we list.

## 1 of these 2 are open source, and 1 can be self-hosted.

*How open each agent is*

| Agent | API | Free | MCP | Key | Open | Self |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| [Pinecone](https://theagentsindex.com/pinecone) | Not stated | Yes | Yes | Partly | Partly | Partly |
| [Qdrant](https://theagentsindex.com/qdrant) | Not stated | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |

Each answer is read from the agent's own docs and pricing pages. [How we check →](https://theagentsindex.com/methodology/)

2 agents in this ranking, sheets checked by 29 October 2026.

## Questions buyers ask

### Which database here costs the least?

All 2 have a free plan: Pinecone and Qdrant.

### When were these prices checked?

On 29 October 2026, each read on the maker's own pricing page.

## Sources and method

Listed A to Z. [How we check](https://theagentsindex.com/methodology/)

Every price here was read on the maker's own pricing page.

- [Pinecone](https://theagentsindex.com/pinecone): [pinecone.io/pricing](https://www.pinecone.io/pricing/), checked 29 October 2026