Elasticsearch vs OpenSearch
Elasticsearch: Lucene-based distributed search and analytics engine for text, vectors, logs and metrics. OpenSearch: Apache-licensed, foundation-governed fork of Elasticsearch for search, vectors and observability.
key differences
- Licensing: Elasticsearch is open source (copyleft) (AGPL-3.0, SSPL 1.0 or Elastic License 2.0 (your choice)); OpenSearch is open source (permissive) (Apache License 2.0).
- Only Elasticsearch has joins.
- Only OpenSearch has encryption at rest.
- Elasticsearch has a serverless option; OpenSearch does not.
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
choose opensearch for
- +Log analytics and observability
- +Application and e-commerce search
- +Vector and hybrid search for RAG on AWS
- +Security event analytics
best at · Search, Vector search, RAG
Elasticsearch vs OpenSearch: FAQ
What is the difference between Elasticsearch and OpenSearch?
Elasticsearch: Lucene-based distributed search and analytics engine for text, vectors, logs and metrics. OpenSearch: Apache-licensed, foundation-governed fork of Elasticsearch for search, vectors and observability. Licensing: Elasticsearch is open source (copyleft) (AGPL-3.0, SSPL 1.0 or Elastic License 2.0 (your choice)); OpenSearch is open source (permissive) (Apache License 2.0). Only Elasticsearch has joins. Only OpenSearch has encryption at rest.
When should I choose Elasticsearch over OpenSearch?
Choose Elasticsearch for E-commerce and site search with faceting; log, metrics and SIEM analytics; and hybrid keyword plus semantic retrieval for RAG. Choose OpenSearch for log analytics and observability; application and e-commerce search; and vector and hybrid search for RAG on AWS.
Is Elasticsearch or OpenSearch more popular?
Elasticsearch ranks #6 on the WhichDB Score (75.1/100) and OpenSearch ranks #18 (56.6/100). Popularity is not fit: check the requirements that matter for your project.
Are Elasticsearch and OpenSearch open source?
Yes. Elasticsearch is open source. License: AGPL-3.0, SSPL 1.0 or Elastic License 2.0 (your choice). Yes. OpenSearch is open source. License: Apache License 2.0.