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Meilisearch

Open-source search engine with a free Community Edition and a hosted cloud.

Price
Open source · from $20/month
License
Open core · MIT AND BUSL-1.1
Works on
Windows, Mac, Linux, Web browser, Your own server
Download Official site Releases on GitHub

Latest release: v1.54.3 · released Oct 1, 2026

In short

A fast, typo-tolerant search engine you run yourself or rent as Meilisearch Cloud. The MIT Community Edition is free; a few Enterprise features use a different licence. You connect it to your site with code.

Made by: Meili SAS · Where your data lives: On your own machine or server, or in the Meilisearch Cloud region you pick when you create a project.

Logo from: github.com

The editor’s take

Quick to try with the 14-day cloud trial or a single command on your computer. Check which edition you are running before going to production.

Best for

Small to mid-size sites

Teams that want useful results without much tuning and a simple API.

Check first

Edition and licence

Enterprise Edition features need a commercial agreement in production.

Download & install

Every link goes to the official site, an official app store, or the project’s own GitHub releases.

Official download page meilisearch.com
Windows Your device
Windows binary on GitHub releases Community Edition for Windows (.exe, runs from a terminal)

Take “meilisearch-windows-amd64.exe”, not the “meilisearch-enterprise” files.

Direct files from GitHub release v1.54.3: meilisearch-windows-amd64.exe (336 MB)

Web browser Your device
Meilisearch Cloud (14-day trial)
Your own server Your device
Self-hosting overview

Latest release: v1.54.3 · released Oct 1, 2026 · fetched from GitHub on Oct 3, 2026 · Releases on GitHub

Getting started without coding

Plain-language steps based on the official install guide.

Difficulty: Advanced

You need to run a server (Docker or command line), or ask someone who can.

The free Community Edition is a server you start from the command line or Docker; the no-code Cloud dashboard is only free for a 14-day trial.

Is there an installer?

  • Windows Not available
  • Mac Package
  • Linux Package
  • iPhone & iPad Not available
  • Android Not available
Hosted version

Meilisearch Cloud — 14-day free trial with no card, then from US$20 a month.

Steps for Windows

  1. Windows 10/11 may work but is not officially supported (official: Windows Server 2022 or later); Docker is another option.
  2. Download meilisearch-windows-amd64.exe from the latest GitHub release.
  3. Run it from Command Prompt or PowerShell, then open http://localhost:7700.

Steps for Mac

  1. Check that your Mac runs macOS 14 Sonoma or later.
  2. With Homebrew installed, run “brew install meilisearch”, then start it with “meilisearch”.
  3. Open http://localhost:7700 for the built-in search preview.

Steps for Linux

  1. Check your system has glibc 2.35 or newer.
  2. Install with the official script or APT repository from the install guide, then start “meilisearch”.
  3. Open http://localhost:7700.

Steps for Web browser

  1. Register at cloud.meilisearch.com for the 14-day free trial (no card).
  2. Create a project and pick the region closest to you; it cannot be changed later.
  3. Create an index, upload a JSON file of your data and try the search preview.

Steps for Your own server

  1. You need a server you manage or a Docker host.
  2. Run the official Docker image with a pinned version and a data volume.
  3. Set a master key and follow the production security guide before exposing it to the internet.

Official install guide

What we could verify

We checked key factual claims and linked to primary sources so you can confirm the details. Last reviewed Oct 3, 2026

Pricing & license Community Edition MIT and free; Enterprise Edition BUSL-1.1. Meilisearch Cloud from US$20/month after a 14-day trial with no card. View vendor pricing · Checked Oct 3, 2026 · meilisearch.com
Where your data lives Self-hosted: on your machine or server. Cloud: in one of nine regions, chosen when the project is created. See cloud regions · Checked Oct 3, 2026 · meilisearch.com
Platform support Linux (glibc 2.35+), macOS 14+, Windows (officially Windows Server 2022+), Docker, Homebrew and APT. Check install options · Checked Oct 3, 2026 · meilisearch.com

Try before you move

A simple way to see if it fits your needs.

  1. Index a copy of your real dataLoad a realistic sample, including messy records and other languages.
  2. Run your top queries side by sideCompare the top results for the 20 searches your users make most.
  3. Count the real costInclude hosting, backups, upgrades and who will look after it.

Good to know

  • GitHub releases also include files named “meilisearch-enterprise…”. Enterprise Edition features are under BUSL-1.1 and need a commercial agreement for production use. Source: github.com

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