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Chroma Review

Open-source embedding database for AI apps

LLMs & APIs Vector databases Open source
Try Chroma free trychroma.com

What is Chroma?

Chroma is a simple, open-source embedding database popular for prototyping RAG apps, now with a serverless Chroma Cloud offering.

Best for: Developers prototyping RAG.

Key features

  • Simple Python/JS API
  • Local or cloud
  • Full-text and vector search
  • Metadata filtering

Pros and cons

Pros

  • Very easy to get started
  • Open-source

Cons

  • Less battle-tested at huge scale
  • Fewer enterprise features than managed rivals

Chroma pricing

Pricing modelOpen source
Starting priceFree
PlatformsAPI
Launched2022

Prices change often. Check the Chroma website for current plans.

Our verdict

Chroma scores 7.8/10 in our review. Its biggest strength: very easy to get started. The main drawback: less battle-tested at huge scale. If it isn't the right fit, OpenAI API is the closest alternative.

Visit Chroma

Frequently asked questions

What is Chroma?

Chroma is a simple, open-source embedding database popular for prototyping RAG apps, now with a serverless Chroma Cloud offering.

Is Chroma free?

Yes. Chroma is open source and free to use.

What are the best Chroma alternatives?

Popular alternatives include OpenAI API, Anthropic API, Google Gemini API, Hugging Face.

Who is Chroma best for?

Chroma is best for developers prototyping rag.