From $1 usage-based · Free plan🇺🇸
Distributed graph database with vector search for GraphRAG, fraud detection and customer analytics, in the cloud or self-managed.
Pinecone AI features, pricing and GDPR (October 2026)
Fully managed vector database with integrated embedding models, full-text search and an assistant component for RAG applications.
Usage-basedFree plan
from $20 per month
Pricing details
Starter free; Builder flat $20 per month; Standard with a $50 monthly minimum and a three-week trial with $300 credit; Enterprise from a $500 monthly minimum; usage billed above the minimum (as of September 2026).
What is Pinecone?
Pinecone is a fully managed vector database for semantic search, retrieval-augmented generation and recommendations. Teams store embeddings and query them without running database servers themselves, from a free starter tier to enterprise deployments in their own cloud.
Pinecone offers serverless indexes on AWS, Google Cloud and Azure, dedicated read nodes for high query loads, backups, import from object storage and role-based access control. Pinecone Inference hosts embedding and reranking models, and Pinecone Assistant packages document upload, retrieval and answering. Enterprise customers can run Pinecone in their own cloud account through Bring Your Own Cloud. Paid indexes can be created in regions such as AWS eu-west-1 in Ireland and GCP europe-west4 in the Netherlands.
Pinecone AI features and use cases
- Retrieves context for chatbotsPinecone stores document embeddings and returns the passages closest to a question in milliseconds. Teams building internal assistants give the language model relevant company content instead of generic answers.
- Combines keyword and semantic searchSparse, dense and full-text indexes support hybrid queries that match exact terms and meaning. Search results work for product codes as well as for vague descriptions.
- Embeds data without a separate serviceIntegrated inference creates embeddings and reranks results inside Pinecone. Engineering teams manage one service instead of wiring a separate embedding API into each pipeline.
What sets Pinecone apart
- Bring Your Own Cloud runs Pinecone in the customer's cloud account without inbound network access.
- Built-in embedding and reranking models plus a document assistant on the same platform.
- Region choice on AWS, Google Cloud and Azure from the Builder plan, free Starter in us-east-1 only.
Where Pinecone is strongest
United States Available internationally
Pinecone Systems, Inc. is a US company; the free Starter plan runs only in the AWS us-east-1 region.
Questions to ask before you buy Pinecone
Choose a paid plan if data must stay in the EU, since the free Starter plan only runs in the US. Check which plan includes SAML single sign-on, audit logs and private endpoints. Model the monthly minimum and usage fees, and request the BAA if you store health data.
Using Pinecone in the EU: GDPR and AI Act
- Data locationMultiple regions, EU region available (according to the vendor). Hosting regions: United States, EU, Singapore.
- Data processing agreementNot published by the vendor: ask for one (Art. 28 GDPR).
- EU AI ActCheck whether the AI prepares decisions about people. If not, the high-risk rules usually do not apply. The high-risk obligations apply from December 2, 2027 (Digital Omnibus).
General information with sources, not legal advice.
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Questions about Pinecone
Can Pinecone store data in the EU?
Yes, on paid plans. Pinecone lists regions such as AWS eu-west-1 (Ireland), AWS eu-central-1 and GCP europe-west4 (Netherlands). The free Starter plan only supports AWS us-east-1.
Is there a free plan?
Yes. Starter is free for trying out and small applications. Standard also offers a three-week trial with $300 in credits.
Which certifications does Pinecone hold?
Pinecone states it is SOC 2 Type II certified, HIPAA compliant with a BAA on request and GDPR ready.
Pinecone update historyno updates yet
No changes recorded for Pinecone yet.
Changes the vendor made and confirmed user reports, each checked against the vendor's own pages. We review every tool monthly.
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