Apache Solr vs Pagefind
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted search engines options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
Not the right match-up?
Apache Solr
Enterprise-grade open-source search platform
VS
Pagefind
Static-site search that runs fully in the browser
| Feature | Apache Solr | Pagefind |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Search Engines | Search Engines |
| License | Apache-2.0 | MIT |
| Language | Java | Rust |
| Setup difficulty | Hard | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 1,024 MB | 64 MB |
| Deployment | docker, kubernetes, bare-metal | source, binary |
| GitHub stars | ★ 1,650 | ★ 5,390 |
| First released | 2006 | 2022 |
| Replaces | Elasticsearch, Algolia | Algolia, Elasticsearch |
Why pick each one
Frequently asked questions
Is Apache Solr or Pagefind better?
Pagefind is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler easy setup. Consider Apache Solr if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are Apache Solr and Pagefind free and open-source?
Yes. Apache Solr is licensed under Apache-2.0 and Pagefind under MIT. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Apache Solr and Pagefind with Docker?
Apache Solr: yes. Pagefind: check the project docs for container support.