# Chroma

> Apache-2.0 open-source embedding database for AI apps

**Category:** Databases  
**Pricing:** open-source  
**URL:** https://www.trychroma.com  
**GitHub:** https://github.com/chroma-core/chroma  
**Added:** 2026-09-06

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## The Hook

Chroma is the open embedding database you run locally before you rent vector SaaS.

## What's Good

Apache-2.0. Python/JS SDKs, local-first collections, metadata filters.

## The Catch

Hosted Chroma is commercial; self-host ops still yours. Distinct from Qdrant and Pinecone.

## Verdict

Apache-2.0 embedding DB. Free self-host.