ScaNN vs Vertex AI Vector Search
ScaNN: Google Research's ANN library using anisotropic quantization; the tech behind Vertex AI and AlloyDB vectors. Vertex AI Vector Search: Google Cloud's managed ANN service built on ScaNN, now part of Gemini Enterprise Agent Platform.
key differences
- Licensing: ScaNN is open source (permissive) (Apache License 2.0); Vertex AI Vector Search is proprietary (Proprietary (Google Cloud service)).
- Vertex AI Vector Search is built for larger datasets (Multi-PB) than ScaNN (≤ 1 PB).
- Horizontal scaling is manual in ScaNN and native in Vertex AI Vector Search.
- Only ScaNN has in-memory, compression.
- Only Vertex AI Vector Search has secondary indexes, durable persistence, encryption at rest, role-based access, streaming ingest.
- ScaNN can run embedded in your application process.
choose scann for
- +High-throughput batch similarity search
- +ANN research and benchmarking
- +Embedding retrieval inside Python ML pipelines
best at · Vector search, Embedded, Scientific
choose vertex-ai-vector-search for
- +Large-scale semantic search on GCP
- +Recommendation candidate retrieval
- +RAG for Gemini-based agents
- +Image and product similarity
best at · Vector search, RAG
ScaNN vs Vertex AI Vector Search: FAQ
What is the difference between ScaNN and Vertex AI Vector Search?
ScaNN: Google Research's ANN library using anisotropic quantization; the tech behind Vertex AI and AlloyDB vectors. Vertex AI Vector Search: Google Cloud's managed ANN service built on ScaNN, now part of Gemini Enterprise Agent Platform. Licensing: ScaNN is open source (permissive) (Apache License 2.0); Vertex AI Vector Search is proprietary (Proprietary (Google Cloud service)). Vertex AI Vector Search is built for larger datasets (Multi-PB) than ScaNN (≤ 1 PB). Horizontal scaling is manual in ScaNN and native in Vertex AI Vector Search.
When should I choose ScaNN over Vertex AI Vector Search?
Choose ScaNN for high-throughput batch similarity search; ANN research and benchmarking; and embedding retrieval inside Python ML pipelines. Choose Vertex AI Vector Search for large-scale semantic search on GCP, recommendation candidate retrieval and RAG for Gemini-based agents.
Is ScaNN or Vertex AI Vector Search more popular?
Vertex AI Vector Search ranks #141 on the WhichDB Score (21.2/100) and ScaNN ranks #365 (6.3/100). Popularity is not fit: check the requirements that matter for your project.
Are ScaNN and Vertex AI Vector Search open source?
Yes. ScaNN is open source. License: Apache License 2.0. No. Vertex AI Vector Search is proprietary, closed-source software.