Apache Solr vs Elasticsearch
Apache Solr: The original Lucene search server: battle-tested, Apache-governed, now with GPU-accelerated vectors. Elasticsearch: Lucene-based distributed search and analytics engine for text, vectors, logs and metrics.
key differences
- Licensing: Apache Solr is open source (permissive) (Apache License 2.0); Elasticsearch is open source (copyleft) (AGPL-3.0, SSPL 1.0 or Elastic License 2.0 (your choice)).
- Elasticsearch is built for larger datasets (Multi-PB) than Apache Solr (≤ 1 PB).
- Only Apache Solr has ttl / expiry.
- Only Elasticsearch has streaming ingest.
- Elasticsearch has a serverless option; Apache Solr does not.
choose apache-solr for
- +Enterprise and intranet search
- +Digital library and publishing search
- +E-commerce catalog faceting
- +Hybrid keyword and vector retrieval on existing Solr estates
best at · Search, Vector search, RAG
choose elasticsearch for
- +E-commerce and site search with faceting
- +Log, metrics and SIEM analytics
- +Hybrid keyword plus semantic retrieval for RAG
- +Geospatial search and aggregations
best at · Search, Vector search, RAG
Apache Solr vs Elasticsearch: FAQ
What is the difference between Apache Solr and Elasticsearch?
Apache Solr: The original Lucene search server: battle-tested, Apache-governed, now with GPU-accelerated vectors. Elasticsearch: Lucene-based distributed search and analytics engine for text, vectors, logs and metrics. Licensing: Apache Solr is open source (permissive) (Apache License 2.0); Elasticsearch is open source (copyleft) (AGPL-3.0, SSPL 1.0 or Elastic License 2.0 (your choice)). Elasticsearch is built for larger datasets (Multi-PB) than Apache Solr (≤ 1 PB). Only Apache Solr has ttl / expiry.
When should I choose Apache Solr over Elasticsearch?
Choose Apache Solr for enterprise and intranet search; digital library and publishing search; and E-commerce catalog faceting. Choose Elasticsearch for E-commerce and site search with faceting; log, metrics and SIEM analytics; and hybrid keyword plus semantic retrieval for RAG.
Is Apache Solr or Elasticsearch more popular?
Elasticsearch ranks #6 on the WhichDB Score (75.1/100) and Apache Solr ranks #46 (39.8/100). Popularity is not fit: check the requirements that matter for your project.
Are Apache Solr and Elasticsearch open source?
Yes. Apache Solr is open source. License: Apache License 2.0. Yes. Elasticsearch is open source. License: AGPL-3.0, SSPL 1.0 or Elastic License 2.0 (your choice).