# Multimodal Vector Database for Image, Video & Text

LanceDB keeps images, video, audio, text, metadata, and embeddings in one engine. Stop wiring together SQL databases and separate layers for embeddings and blobs. LanceDB collocates everything - simpler governance, less I/O, better performance.

# Why teams switch

### Compute-storage separation

Storage on object storage. Compute scales independently. Up to 100x savings vs RAM-bound architectures.

### One table, not six systems

Images, video, audio, text, metadata, and embeddings in one table. No sync jobs, no pointer-chasing.

### Schema evolution without rebuilds

Add embedding columns as models improve. No re-indexing, no migrations, no downtime.

### Full-text + hybrid search, native

Dense vectors, sparse vectors, and keyword scores in one query.

## Comparison

| Feature  | Text-Only Vector DB                             | LanceDB                                            |
|----------|------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------|
| **Cost** | Multiple systems - vector DB + blob storage + SQL for metadata. | One system. Object storage pricing.               |
| **Scale** | Scaling means coordinating multiple systems.    | 20 PB largest table. 20K+ QPS. Billions of vectors. |
| **Search** | Vector search only. Metadata in separate system. | Native vector, full-text, and SQL hybrid search in one query. |
| **Data model** | Embeddings only. Blobs and metadata elsewhere.   | Raw data, embeddings, and features in one table.  |
| **Purpose** | Text-only vector search.                         | Multimodal AI - vision, video, audio, text.     |
| **Best for** | Text-only RAG.                                 | Multimodal RAG, autonomous vehicles, media search. |

## The Power of the Lance Format

### Vector Search
- Fast scans and random access from the same table — no tradeoff
- Zero-copy access for high throughput without serialization overhead

### Multi-Modal
- Raw data, embeddings, and metadata in one table — not pointers to blob storage
- No separate metadata store to keep in sync

## Enterprise-Grade Requirements

### Security
Granular RBAC, SSO integration, and VPC deployment options.

### Governance
Data versioning and time-travel capabilities for auditability.

### Support
Dedicated technical account management and guaranteed SLAs.

### Talk to Engineering
Or try LanceDB OSS — same code, scales to Cloud.