Typesense or Meilisearch?

Typesense if you want the published Typesense Cloud path (GPL-3.0). Meilisearch if you want the published Algolia path — /compare/meilisearch-vs-typesense.

Algolia stays on /replace/algolia (Meilisearch). This page is hosted Typesense → Typesense you run.

XERJ is local AI search over a mixed folder. This page is typo-tolerant site search.

Typesense is GPL-3.0. Meilisearch community is MIT; skip BUSL EE. You pay hosting. Template users never pay c17.

Stacks / SEO

Easy

Typesense

Typo-tolerant search you host. Typesense is GPL-3.0 — Typesense Cloud without the hosted cluster seat.

The problem

Typesense Cloud is hosted Typesense. You wanted the same typo-tolerant API on a box you run. Typesense is GPL-3.0 (typesense/typesense; last push 25 Oct 2026) — an in-memory search engine. Meilisearch is the published Algolia path (MIT community; LICENSE also names BUSL-1.1 EE — skip EE). This is not Typesense Cloud's every HA, branding, or support SKU, and not Algolia's request meter — /replace/algolia. A metasearch box stays on /replace/google-search (SearXNG). A mixed-folder agent index stays on /tools/xerj.

Replaces

Typesense Cloud

Replace Typesense Cloud See all best open-source self-hosted site search engines

Estimated SaaS saved

$1,200

per year, small team, before lock-in

Start on Railway

Meilisearch if this is the published Algolia path, not Typesense Cloud

Sponsor this stack Tip jar

Placeholder: Typesense as a Railway service with a volume for the data dir. Bind HTTP to 0.0.0.0:$PORT. Set a strong API key. No one-click template in this repo yet — Start on Railway. Algolia stays on /stacks/meilisearch-search.

The stack

Typesense
GPL-3.0 in-memory search — the published Typesense Cloud path
Catalog entry →
Meilisearch
MIT community search if Algolia is the vendor you are leaving
Catalog entry →

Cost table

You stop paying	Typical / year	Self-host instead
Typesense Cloud (small cluster)	$1,200	Typesense + a volume

Agent setup prompt

Replace Typesense Cloud with Typesense (https://typesense.org).

- Official docs. Persist the data directory. Create one collection and one search. Do not claim Typesense Cloud HA or support SKUs.
- Meilisearch if the vendor you are leaving is Algolia — /replace/algolia and /compare/meilisearch-vs-typesense.
- Write AGENT_PROMPT.md.

Also as markdown: /stacks/typesense-search.md

FAQ

Typesense or Meilisearch?: Typesense if you want the published Typesense Cloud path (GPL-3.0). Meilisearch if you want the published Algolia path — /compare/meilisearch-vs-typesense.
Is this Algolia?: Algolia stays on /replace/algolia (Meilisearch). This page is hosted Typesense → Typesense you run.
Is this XERJ?: XERJ is local AI search over a mixed folder. This page is typo-tolerant site search.
Are these free?: Typesense is GPL-3.0. Meilisearch community is MIT; skip BUSL EE. You pay hosting. Template users never pay c17.