OpenSearch vs ParadeDB
OpenSearch: Apache-licensed, foundation-governed fork of Elasticsearch for search, vectors and observability. ParadeDB: Elasticsearch-quality BM25 search and fast aggregations inside Postgres via the pg_search extension.
key differences
- Licensing: OpenSearch is open source (permissive) (Apache License 2.0); ParadeDB is open source (copyleft) (GNU AGPL v3 (Community); commercial license for Enterprise).
- OpenSearch is built for larger datasets (Multi-PB) than ParadeDB (≤ 10 TB).
- Horizontal scaling is native in OpenSearch and none in ParadeDB.
- Transactions: OpenSearch offers limited ACID; ParadeDB offers full.
- Only OpenSearch has geospatial, encryption at rest, streaming ingest.
- Only ParadeDB has transactions, joins, change data capture, triggers, stored procedures.
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
choose paradedb for
- +Search inside a Postgres-backed SaaS app
- +Hybrid search for RAG next to relational data
- +Faceted catalog and marketplace search
- +Replacing Elasticsearch + ETL with one database
best at · Search, Vector search, RAG
OpenSearch vs ParadeDB: FAQ
What is the difference between OpenSearch and ParadeDB?
OpenSearch: Apache-licensed, foundation-governed fork of Elasticsearch for search, vectors and observability. ParadeDB: Elasticsearch-quality BM25 search and fast aggregations inside Postgres via the pg_search extension. Licensing: OpenSearch is open source (permissive) (Apache License 2.0); ParadeDB is open source (copyleft) (GNU AGPL v3 (Community); commercial license for Enterprise). OpenSearch is built for larger datasets (Multi-PB) than ParadeDB (≤ 10 TB). Horizontal scaling is native in OpenSearch and none in ParadeDB.
When should I choose OpenSearch over ParadeDB?
Choose OpenSearch for log analytics and observability; application and e-commerce search; and vector and hybrid search for RAG on AWS. Choose ParadeDB for search inside a Postgres-backed SaaS app; hybrid search for RAG next to relational data; and faceted catalog and marketplace search.
Is OpenSearch or ParadeDB more popular?
OpenSearch ranks #18 on the WhichDB Score (56.6/100) and ParadeDB ranks #122 (25.1/100). Popularity is not fit: check the requirements that matter for your project.
Are OpenSearch and ParadeDB open source?
Yes. OpenSearch is open source. License: Apache License 2.0. Yes. ParadeDB is open source. License: GNU AGPL v3 (Community); commercial license for Enterprise.