In this comprehensive guide, we compare Glean and Supavec across various parameters including features, pricing, performance, and customer support to help you make the best decision for your business needs.
Overview
When choosing between Glean and Supavec, understanding their unique strengths and architectural differences is crucial for making an informed decision. Both platforms serve the RAG (Retrieval-Augmented Generation) space but cater to different use cases and organizational needs.
Quick Decision Guide
Choose Glean if: you value permissions-aware ai is genuinely differentiated - real-time enforcement across 100+ datasources addresses critical enterprise concern
Choose Supavec if: you value 100% open source with no vendor lock-in
About Glean
Glean is enterprise work ai with permissions-aware rag across 100+ apps. Glean is a premium enterprise RAG platform with permissions-aware AI as its core differentiator. Founded by ex-Google Search engineers, Glean achieved $100M ARR in three years and a $7.2B valuation (2025). It connects 100+ enterprise apps with real-time access controls, supports 15+ LLMs, and offers comprehensive APIs with 4-language SDKs. Trade-offs: enterprise-only sales (~$50/user/month, ~$60K minimum), no consumer messaging channels, and premium positioning over plug-and-play simplicity. Founded in 2019, headquartered in Palo Alto, CA, the platform has established itself as a reliable solution in the RAG space.
Overall Rating
96/100
Starting Price
$50/mo
About Supavec
Supavec is the open source rag as a service platform. SupaVec is an open-source RAG platform that serves as an alternative to Carbon.ai. Built on transparency and data sovereignty, it allows developers to build powerful RAG applications with complete control over their infrastructure, supporting any data source at any scale. Founded in 2024, headquartered in Remote, the platform has established itself as a reliable solution in the RAG space.
Overall Rating
84/100
Starting Price
Custom
Key Differences at a Glance
In terms of user ratings, Glean in overall satisfaction. From a cost perspective, Supavec offers more competitive entry pricing. The platforms also differ in their primary focus: Enterprise RAG versus RAG Platform. These differences make each platform better suited for specific use cases and organizational requirements.
⚠️ What This Comparison Covers
We'll analyze features, pricing, performance benchmarks, security compliance, integration capabilities, and real-world use cases to help you determine which platform best fits your organization's needs. All data is independently verified from official documentation and third-party review platforms.
Detailed Feature Comparison
Glean
Supavec
CustomGPTRECOMMENDED
Data Ingestion & Knowledge Sources
100+ native connectors covering major enterprise categories
Cloud Storage: Google Drive, SharePoint, OneDrive, Dropbox, Box
Communication: Slack, Microsoft Teams, Gmail, Outlook, Zoom
No one-click Google Drive or Notion connectors—you’ll script the fetch and hit the API yourself.
Because it’s open source, you can build connectors to anything—Postgres, Mongo, S3, you name it.
Runs on Supabase and scales sideways, chunking millions of docs for fast retrieval.
Lets you ingest more than 1,400 file formats—PDF, DOCX, TXT, Markdown, HTML, and many more—via simple drag-and-drop or API.
Crawls entire sites through sitemaps and URLs, automatically indexing public help-desk articles, FAQs, and docs.
Turns multimedia into text on the fly: YouTube videos, podcasts, and other media are auto-transcribed with built-in OCR and speech-to-text.
View Transcription Guide
Connects to Google Drive, SharePoint, Notion, Confluence, HubSpot, and more through API connectors or Zapier.
See Zapier Connectors
Supports both manual uploads and auto-sync retraining, so your knowledge base always stays up to date.
L L M Model Options
Model Hub supports 15+ LLMs across multiple hosting providers
OpenAI: GPT-3.5, GPT-4
Azure OpenAI: GPT models
Google Vertex AI: Gemini 1.5 Pro
Amazon Bedrock: Claude 3 Sonnet
Per-step model selection: Different LLMs for each workflow step
Temperature controls: Factual, balanced, or creative output settings
Model tiers: Basic, Standard, Premium (premium consumes FlexCredits on Enterprise Flex)
Two access options: Glean Universal Key (managed) or Customer Key (BYOK)
Zero data retention: Customer data never used for model training
Automatic model updates: Deprecated models replaced with latest versions
Automatic routing: Optimizes using best-in-class models per query type
Model-agnostic: defaults to GPT-3.5, but switch to GPT-4 or any self-hosted model if you’d like.
No fancy toggle—just change a config or prompt path in code.
No extra prompt magic or anti-hallucination layer—plain RAG.
Quality rests on the LLM you choose and how you prompt it.
Taps into top models—OpenAI’s GPT-5.1 series, GPT-4 series, and even Anthropic’s Claude for enterprise needs (4.5 opus and sonnet, etc ).
Automatically balances cost and performance by picking the right model for each request.
Model Selection Details
Uses proprietary prompt engineering and retrieval tweaks to return high-quality, citation-backed answers.
Handles all model management behind the scenes—no extra API keys or fine-tuning steps for you.
Performance & Accuracy
74% human-agreement rate on AI Evaluator benchmarks
25% precision increases reported in customer case studies
20% response time decreases documented
141% ROI over 3 years (Forrester Total Economic Impact study)
$15.6M NPV for composite organizations
110 hours saved per employee annually
AI Evaluator metrics: Context relevance, recall, answer relevance, completeness, groundedness
Embeddings control: Via Indexing API and custom datasources
Performance benchmarks: Strong (Forrester TEI, customer case studies)
Permissions & governance: Best-in-class (real-time enforcement, Active Data Governance)
Best for: Large enterprises requiring permissions-aware RAG with compliance needs
Not ideal for: SMBs with budget constraints, teams needing consumer messaging channels
Platform Type: TRUE RAG-AS-A-SERVICE API - Lightweight MIT-licensed open-source RAG backend built on Supabase with self-hosting capability and minimal API surface
Core Mission: Provide transparent, open-source alternative to proprietary RAG services (Carbon.ai shutdown response) with full cost control and no vendor lock-in
Target Market: Developers building custom RAG applications on budget, startups minimizing costs with self-hosting, organizations requiring data sovereignty with Supabase infrastructure
RAG Implementation: Standard RAG architecture with document chunking, OpenAI embeddings, Postgres pgvector semantic search—focused on simplicity over advanced techniques
API-First Design: Pure REST API for retrieval and generation without GUI, widgets, or conversational features—intentionally minimal abstraction for developer control
Self-Hosting Advantage: MIT license enables complete on-premises deployment keeping all data on your servers—ideal for GDPR, HIPAA, data residency compliance
Managed Service Option: Cloud-hosted plans (Free: 100 calls/month, Basic: $190/year for 750 calls/month, Enterprise: $1,490/year for 5K calls/month) eliminate infrastructure management
Pricing Model: Free self-hosting (MIT license) or extremely affordable hosted plans—40-90% cheaper than commercial RAG platforms with no per-document charges or user seat fees
Data Sources: File uploads (PDF, Markdown, TXT) via REST API or raw text ingestion—NO pre-built Google Drive, Notion, or cloud storage connectors (manual scripting required)
Model Flexibility: Model-agnostic with GPT-3.5 default, GPT-4, or self-hosted LLM support—users connect own OpenAI API keys without Supavec markup on AI costs
Security Foundation: Supabase Row-Level Security (RLS) for multi-tenant data isolation, HTTPS encryption, AES-256 at-rest encryption—self-hosting enables GDPR/HIPAA compliance
Support Model: Community GitHub/Discord support for free tier, email support for paid plans—no dedicated CSMs, SLAs, or enterprise account management
Open-Source Ecosystem: Transparent code on GitHub welcoming PRs, forks, and community contributions—no proprietary components or vendor lock-in
LIMITATION - Developer-Only Platform: Requires coding skills for setup, integration, and maintenance—non-technical teams cannot use without developer support
LIMITATION - Basic RAG Features: Standard retrieval without hybrid search, reranking, knowledge graphs, multi-query fusion, or hallucination detection—advanced features require custom development
LIMITATION - No Turnkey Features: No GUI dashboard, conversation management, lead capture, analytics, or multi-channel integrations—pure RAG API requiring application layer development
Comparison Validity: Architectural comparison to full-featured chatbot platforms like CustomGPT.ai requires context—Supavec is lightweight RAG backend API vs complete no-code chatbot builder
Use Case Fit: Perfect for developers wanting lightweight RAG backend without heavy frameworks, startups minimizing costs with Supabase self-hosting, teams building custom chatbots needing simple REST API for retrieval without paying for unused dashboard features
Core Architecture: Serverless RAG infrastructure with automatic embedding generation, vector search optimization, and LLM orchestration fully managed behind API endpoints
API-First Design: Comprehensive REST API with well-documented endpoints for creating agents, managing projects, ingesting data (1,400+ formats), and querying chat
API Documentation
Developer Experience: Open-source Python SDK (customgpt-client), Postman collections, OpenAI API endpoint compatibility, and extensive cookbooks for rapid integration
No-Code Alternative: Wizard-style web dashboard enables non-developers to upload content, brand widgets, and deploy chatbots without touching code
Hybrid Target Market: Serves both developer teams wanting robust APIs AND business users seeking no-code RAG deployment - unique positioning vs pure API platforms (Cohere) or pure no-code tools (Jotform)
RAG Technology Leadership: Industry-leading answer accuracy (median 5/5 benchmarked), 1,400+ file format support with auto-transcription, proprietary anti-hallucination mechanisms, and citation-backed responses
Benchmark Details
Deployment Flexibility: Cloud-hosted SaaS with auto-scaling, API integrations, embedded chat widgets, ChatGPT Plugin support, and hosted MCP Server for Claude/Cursor/ChatGPT
Enterprise Readiness: SOC 2 Type II + GDPR compliance, full white-labeling, domain allowlisting, RBAC with 2FA/SSO, and flat-rate pricing without per-query charges
Use Case Fit: Ideal for organizations needing both rapid no-code deployment AND robust API capabilities, teams handling diverse content types (1,400+ formats, multimedia transcription), and businesses requiring production-ready RAG without building ML infrastructure from scratch
Competitive Positioning: Bridges the gap between developer-first platforms (Cohere, Deepset) requiring heavy coding and no-code chatbot builders (Jotform, Kommunicate) lacking API depth - offers best of both worlds
Competitive Positioning
vs CustomGPT: Enterprise-premium vs developer-friendly; permissions-aware AI vs flexible customization
vs Zendesk: Enterprise search + RAG vs customer service platform
Unique strength: Real-time permissions-aware AI across 100+ datasources (no competitor matches this)
Target audience: Large enterprises (1K-100K users) with complex permission hierarchies
Pricing barrier: ~$50/user/month with ~$60K minimum excludes SMBs
Enterprise focus: Security, governance, compliance over plug-and-play simplicity
Market position: MIT-licensed open-source RAG API built on Supabase, offering lightweight alternative to Carbon.ai with self-hosting capability and minimal API surface
Target customers: Developers building custom RAG applications on budget, startups wanting to avoid RAG platform costs, and organizations requiring self-hosted solutions with Supabase infrastructure for data sovereignty
Key competitors: Carbon.ai, LangChain, SimplyRetrieve, and hosted RAG APIs like CustomGPT/Pinecone Assistant
Competitive advantages: MIT open-source license with no vendor lock-in, Supabase foundation for familiar infrastructure, model-agnostic with easy LLM swapping (GPT-3.5, GPT-4, self-hosted), REST API simplicity with straightforward endpoints, privacy-focused with self-hosting option keeping data on your servers, and minimal abstraction enabling deep customization
Pricing advantage: Free (MIT license) for self-hosting; hosted plans extremely affordable ($190/year Basic for 750 calls/month, $1,490/year Enterprise for 5K calls/month); best value for low-volume applications or teams with Supabase expertise wanting to avoid expensive RAG platforms; 40-90% cheaper than commercial alternatives
Use case fit: Perfect for developers wanting lightweight RAG backend without heavy frameworks, startups minimizing costs with self-hosting on existing Supabase infrastructure, and teams building custom chatbot front-ends needing simple REST API for retrieval without paying for unused dashboard features
Market position: Leading all-in-one RAG platform balancing enterprise-grade accuracy with developer-friendly APIs and no-code usability for rapid deployment
Target customers: Mid-market to enterprise organizations needing production-ready AI assistants, development teams wanting robust APIs without building RAG infrastructure, and businesses requiring 1,400+ file format support with auto-transcription (YouTube, podcasts)
Key competitors: OpenAI Assistants API, Botsonic, Chatbase.co, Azure AI, and custom RAG implementations using LangChain
Competitive advantages: Industry-leading answer accuracy (median 5/5 benchmarked), 1,400+ file format support with auto-transcription, SOC 2 Type II + GDPR compliance, full white-labeling included, OpenAI API endpoint compatibility, hosted MCP Server support (Claude, Cursor, ChatGPT), generous data limits (60M words Standard, 300M Premium), and flat monthly pricing without per-query charges
Pricing advantage: Transparent flat-rate pricing at $99/month (Standard) and $449/month (Premium) with generous included limits; no hidden costs for API access, branding removal, or basic features; best value for teams needing both no-code dashboard and developer APIs in one platform
Use case fit: Ideal for businesses needing both rapid no-code deployment and robust API capabilities, organizations handling diverse content types (1,400+ formats, multimedia transcription), teams requiring white-label chatbots with source citations for customer-facing or internal knowledge projects, and companies wanting all-in-one RAG without managing ML infrastructure
A I Models
Model Hub supports 15+ LLMs across multiple hosting providers with per-step model selection
OpenAI: GPT-3.5, GPT-4 via OpenAI or Azure OpenAI endpoints
Google Vertex AI: Gemini 1.5 Pro with multimodal capabilities
Amazon Bedrock: Claude 3 Sonnet for high-accuracy enterprise use cases
Temperature controls: Factual, balanced, or creative output settings per workflow
Model tiers: Basic, Standard, Premium (premium consumes FlexCredits on Enterprise Flex plan)
Two access options: Glean Universal Key (managed) or Customer Key (BYOK) for data sovereignty
Zero data retention: Customer data never used for model training with automatic model updates
Automatic routing: Optimizes using best-in-class models per query type for accuracy and cost
Model-agnostic architecture: Defaults to GPT-3.5 Turbo for cost-effectiveness, with full support for GPT-4, GPT-4-turbo, and any OpenAI-compatible models
Self-hosted model support: Bring your own LLM - compatible with self-hosted models like Llama, Mistral, or custom fine-tuned models via API endpoints
No model lock-in: Switch between models by changing configuration or prompt path in code without platform restrictions
No markup on AI costs: Users connect their own OpenAI API keys or self-hosted endpoints, paying providers directly without Supavec markup
Note: No built-in model routing: No automatic model selection or load balancing - developers must implement routing logic manually
Note: No prompt optimization layer: Plain RAG implementation without advanced prompt engineering or anti-hallucination guardrails
Quality dependency: Output quality rests entirely on chosen LLM and developer's prompt engineering skills
Primary models: GPT-5.1 and 4 series from OpenAI, and Anthropic's Claude 4.5 (opus and sonnet) for enterprise needs
Automatic model selection: Balances cost and performance by automatically selecting the appropriate model for each request
Model Selection Details
Proprietary optimizations: Custom prompt engineering and retrieval enhancements for high-quality, citation-backed answers
Managed infrastructure: All model management handled behind the scenes - no API keys or fine-tuning required from users
Anti-hallucination technology: Advanced mechanisms ensure chatbot only answers based on provided content, improving trust and factual accuracy
R A G Capabilities
Hybrid search: Combines semantic (vector-based) and lexical (keyword) approaches for maximum accuracy
Knowledge Graph Framework: Proprietary anchors and signals across enterprise data with rich, scalable crawler
LLM Control Layer: Optimizes and controls LLM outputs with permission-safe document retrieval and ranking
Real-time permissions enforcement: Users only see authorized content with identity crawling and connector-level permission mirroring
Context-aware query rewriting: LLM determines optimal query set with enterprise-specific rewrites
Hallucination prevention: RAG grounding, permission-aware retrieval, citation/source attribution for every answer
74% human-agreement rate on AI Evaluator benchmarks with 25% precision increases in customer case studies
141% ROI over 3 years: $15.6M NPV for composite organizations, 110 hours saved per employee annually (Forrester)
Permissions-aware AI (unique): Real-time access control enforcement across all 100+ datasources - no competitor matches this capability
Standard RAG architecture: Document chunking with vector embeddings stored in Postgres pgvector extension for semantic search
Embedding generation: Automatic embedding creation during document upload using OpenAI embedding models or custom embedding endpoints
Vector search: Postgres vector search with cosine similarity for retrieval, handling millions of chunks efficiently
Re-indexing speed: Almost instant document re-embedding when updating or overwriting knowledge sources
Metadata support: Custom metadata tagging and filtering capabilities for organized knowledge management
Note: No advanced RAG features: No hybrid search (semantic + keyword), no reranking, no multi-query retrieval, no query expansion
Note: No hallucination detection: No built-in citation validation, factual consistency scoring, or confidence thresholds - developers must implement manually
Note: No retrieval parameter controls: Chunking strategy, similarity thresholds, and top-k configuration require code-level changes
Core architecture: GPT-4 combined with Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) technology, outperforming OpenAI in RAG benchmarks
RAG Performance
Anti-hallucination technology: Advanced mechanisms reduce hallucinations and ensure responses are grounded in provided content
Benchmark Details
Automatic citations: Each response includes clickable citations pointing to original source documents for transparency and verification
Optimized pipeline: Efficient vector search, smart chunking, and caching for sub-second reply times
Scalability: Maintains speed and accuracy for massive knowledge bases with tens of millions of words
Context-aware conversations: Multi-turn conversations with persistent history and comprehensive conversation management
Source verification: Always cites sources so users can verify facts on the spot
Use Cases
Enterprise knowledge retrieval: Unified search across 100+ datasources (Google Drive, SharePoint, Confluence, Salesforce, Zendesk, GitHub, Slack) for 10K-100K user organizations
Permissions-aware search: Complex permission hierarchies requiring real-time enforcement - healthcare, finance, legal industries with sensitive data access controls
AI agents and automation: 30+ prebuilt agents for sales, engineering, IT, HR use cases with workflow automation capabilities
Developer-friendly RAG: Official SDKs (Python, Java, Go, TypeScript), LangChain integration, MCP Server for Claude Desktop/Cursor/VS Code
Active Data Governance: Continuous scanning with 100+ predefined infotypes (PII, PCI, M&A) and customizable policies with auto-hide
Cloud-Prem deployment: Customer-hosted in AWS or GCP for regulated industries requiring full data residency control
NOT suitable for: SMBs with <100 users or <$60K budgets, simple document Q&A without permission requirements, consumer messaging channels (WhatsApp, Telegram)
Custom chatbot backends: Ideal for developers building custom chat interfaces needing simple RAG API without heavy platform overhead
Self-hosted knowledge retrieval: Perfect for organizations requiring data sovereignty with Supabase infrastructure for compliance (GDPR, HIPAA when self-hosted)
Budget-conscious RAG applications: Startups and small teams minimizing costs with MIT open-source license and affordable hosted plans ($190-$1,490/year)
Supabase-native projects: Teams already using Supabase can integrate Supavec seamlessly without additional infrastructure complexity
Developer-first RAG: Code-first teams wanting full control over RAG implementation, eschewing GUI dashboards for API-driven workflows
Not ideal for: Non-technical users requiring no-code interfaces, enterprises needing advanced RAG features (hybrid search, reranking), or teams requiring built-in analytics/monitoring
Not ideal for: Production applications requiring hallucination detection, citation validation, or confidence scoring without custom development
Customer support automation: AI assistants handling common queries, reducing support ticket volume, providing 24/7 instant responses with source citations
Internal knowledge management: Employee self-service for HR policies, technical documentation, onboarding materials, company procedures across 1,400+ file formats
Sales enablement: Product information chatbots, lead qualification, customer education with white-labeled widgets on websites and apps
Documentation assistance: Technical docs, help centers, FAQs with automatic website crawling and sitemap indexing
Educational platforms: Course materials, research assistance, student support with multimedia content (YouTube transcriptions, podcasts)
Healthcare information: Patient education, medical knowledge bases (SOC 2 Type II compliant for sensitive data)
E-commerce: Product recommendations, order assistance, customer inquiries with API integration to 5,000+ apps via Zapier
SaaS onboarding: User guides, feature explanations, troubleshooting with multi-agent support for different teams
Security & Compliance
SOC 2 Type II certified: Annual audits ensuring enterprise security standards
ISO 27001 certified: International information security management compliance
HIPAA compliant: Healthcare data protection standards for sensitive medical information
GDPR compliant: European data protection regulation adherence with data subject rights
TX-RAMP Level 2 certified: Texas state government security standard
NO FedRAMP certification: Not authorized for US federal government use
AES-256 encryption at rest, TLS 1.2+ in transit with automatic key rotation
Single-tenant infrastructure: Isolated environment per customer for maximum security
Zero data retention for LLMs: Customer data never used for model training with formal agreements
Cloud-Prem deployment: Customer-hosted in AWS or GCP for complete data residency control
Active Data Governance: Continuous scanning with 100+ predefined infotypes (PII, PCI, M&A), customizable policies, auto-hide
Permissions-aware AI: Real-time access control enforcement with zero-trust architecture meeting regulatory requirements
Self-hosting advantage: MIT license enables complete data sovereignty - all data stays on your servers for strict compliance requirements
[Privacy note]
Supabase security foundation: Row-level security (RLS) fences off each team's data when using hosted Supavec on Supabase infrastructure
No model training: Your documents never used for LLM training - data remains yours with zero retention by OpenAI or other providers
GDPR/HIPAA ready: Self-hosting enables GDPR and HIPAA compliance when deployed on compliant infrastructure - enterprises can go dedicated or on-premises
Encryption: Standard HTTPS encryption for API calls; at-rest encryption depends on hosting infrastructure (Supabase provides AES-256)
Note: No SOC 2 certification: Open-source project lacks formal SOC 2 Type II, ISO 27001, or other enterprise compliance certifications for hosted plans
Note: No built-in access controls: Authentication, authorization, and RBAC must be implemented by developers in their application layer
Note: Limited hosted security features: Hosted plans lack SSO/SAML, IP whitelisting, or advanced security controls without custom configuration
Encryption: SSL/TLS for data in transit, 256-bit AES encryption for data at rest
SOC 2 Type II certification: Industry-leading security standards with regular third-party audits
Security Certifications
GDPR compliance: Full compliance with European data protection regulations, ensuring data privacy and user rights
Access controls: Role-based access control (RBAC), two-factor authentication (2FA), SSO integration for enterprise security
Data isolation: Customer data stays isolated and private - platform never trains on user data
Domain allowlisting: Ensures chatbot appears only on approved sites for security and brand protection
Secure deployments: ChatGPT Plugin support for private use cases with controlled access
Pricing & Plans
No public pricing - enterprise sales only with custom quotes
Estimated cost: ~$45-50+ per user/month based on third-party reports
Minimum ACV: ~$60K (approximately 100 users minimum for entry)
Per-seat model: Annual contracts based on number of users
No free trial: Paid POCs reportedly up to $70K for large enterprises
FlexCredits (Enterprise Flex): For premium LLM usage with consumption-based billing
Support tiers: Standard (24x5, included) or Premium (24x7 critical, additional fee)
Dedicated CSMs: Assigned to enterprise accounts with regular business reviews and hands-on onboarding
Pricing barrier: Excludes SMBs and startups - targets Fortune 500 and mid-market enterprises with 1K-100K users
Open-source (Free): MIT-licensed for self-hosting - pay only your infrastructure costs (Supabase, server, storage) with unlimited API calls and no vendor fees
Hosted Free tier: 100 API calls per month for development and testing
[Pricing]
Basic Plan: $190/year ($15.83/month equivalent) - 750 API calls per month, hosted infrastructure, automatic backups, email support
Enterprise Plan: $1,490/year ($124.17/month equivalent) - 5,000 API calls per month, priority support, SLA guarantees, dedicated resources
No per-document charges: Storage not metered separately - only query volume counts toward plan limits
No user seat fees: Pricing based purely on API call volume, not team size or number of developers
Need more calls? Negotiate custom limits with hosted provider or self-host to eliminate caps entirely
Value proposition: 40-90% cheaper than commercial RAG platforms - Basic plan costs less than 1 month of competing platforms while providing annual service
Standard Plan: $99/month or $89/month annual - 10 custom chatbots, 5,000 items per chatbot, 60 million words per bot, basic helpdesk support, standard security
View Pricing
Premium Plan: $499/month or $449/month annual - 100 custom chatbots, 20,000 items per chatbot, 300 million words per bot, advanced support, enhanced security, additional customization
Enterprise Plan: Custom pricing - Comprehensive AI solutions, highest security and compliance, dedicated account managers, custom SSO, token authentication, priority support with faster SLAs
Enterprise Solutions
7-Day Free Trial: Full access to Standard features without charges - available to all users
Annual billing discount: Save 10% by paying upfront annually ($89/mo Standard, $449/mo Premium)
Flat monthly rates: No per-query charges, no hidden costs for API access or white-labeling (included in all plans)
Managed infrastructure: Auto-scaling cloud infrastructure included - no additional hosting or scaling fees
Support & Documentation
Standard support: 24x5 (Mon-Fri) via portal, email, Slack Connect channels
Premium support: 24x7 for critical issues with additional fee
Dedicated CSMs: Enterprise accounts with hands-on onboarding and regular business reviews
Excellent documentation: developers.glean.com with OpenAPI specs, CodeSandbox demos, comprehensive API references
Official SDKs: Python (pip install glean), Java (Maven), Go, TypeScript with async support and framework integrations
Web SDK: @gleanwork/web-sdk for embeddable components (chat, search, autocomplete, recommendations)
GitHub repositories: github.com/gleanwork with SDK repositories and sample projects
NO FedRAMP certification: Not suitable for US federal government deployments
Limited consumer channels: No native WhatsApp, Telegram integrations - designed for internal enterprise use only
Complex implementation: Initial indexing takes "few days" depending on data volume, requires enterprise IT coordination
Cross-language queries in early access: English query finding Spanish documents still in testing phase
Best for: Large enterprises (1K-100K users) with complex permission hierarchies, $60K+ budgets, and need for permissions-aware AI across 100+ datasources
NOT suitable for: SMBs, startups, simple document Q&A without permission requirements, organizations prioritizing transparent pricing
No GUI/dashboard: Everything via API or CLI - no business-user interface for content management, analytics, or configuration
Developer-only tool: Requires coding skills for setup, integration, and maintenance - non-technical teams cannot use without developer support
Basic RAG only: Standard retrieval-augmented generation without advanced features like hybrid search, query reranking, multi-query fusion, or query expansion
No observability built-in: No metrics dashboard, conversation analytics, or performance monitoring - must wire up your own logging layer
Manual hallucination handling: No built-in citation validation, confidence scoring, or factual consistency checks - developers must implement safeguards
Limited connectors: No one-click Google Drive, Notion, or cloud storage integrations - must script data fetching and API uploads manually
No conversation management: Stateless API calls without chat history, multi-turn context, or session management - build conversation layer yourself
Infrastructure knowledge required: Self-hosting requires Supabase, Postgres, and vector database expertise - not plug-and-play for non-DevOps teams
Minimal abstraction: Intentionally low-level API design provides control but requires more integration work than higher-level RAG platforms
Managed service approach: Less control over underlying RAG pipeline configuration compared to build-your-own solutions like LangChain
Vendor lock-in: Proprietary platform - migration to alternative RAG solutions requires rebuilding knowledge bases
Model selection: Limited to OpenAI (GPT-5.1 and 4 series) and Anthropic (Claude, opus and sonnet 4.5) - no support for other LLM providers (Cohere, AI21, open-source models)
Pricing at scale: Flat-rate pricing may become expensive for very high-volume use cases (millions of queries/month) compared to pay-per-use models
Customization limits: While highly configurable, some advanced RAG techniques (custom reranking, hybrid search strategies) may not be exposed
Language support: Supports 90+ languages but performance may vary for less common languages or specialized domains
Real-time data: Knowledge bases require re-indexing for updates - not ideal for real-time data requirements (stock prices, live inventory)
Enterprise features: Some advanced features (custom SSO, token authentication) only available on Enterprise plan with custom pricing
Core Agent Features
Autonomous AI agents: Agents use AI to understand tasks and take action on behalf of users from answering questions and retrieving information to executing work autonomously
Natural language agent builder: Build agents by describing desired output in simple natural language - Glean understands goal and designs complex multi-step workflows
Agentic reasoning engine: LLM-agnostic engine enables agents to go beyond retrieval and generation - powers sophisticated automation and decision-making by understanding outcomes, building multi-step plans, and using action library
100+ native actions: Supports 100+ new native actions across Slack, Microsoft Teams, Salesforce, Jira, GitHub, Google Workspace and other applications
MCP host support: Gives agents dramatically larger surface area to operate across enterprise applications
Human-in-the-loop design: Agents can autonomously do work end-to-end with human review checkpoints - process customer support tickets, conduct research, prepare responses for employee review before execution
Vibe coding: Upgraded builder makes agent creation as simple as chatting - anyone (not just developers) can create and refine agents without understanding or interacting with code
Grounded in enterprise data: Autonomous agents grounded in most relevant authoritative information for confident work automation
Automatic agent triggering: Orchestrates agents automatically based on schedules or events and surfaces agent recommendations across enterprise
Visual and conversational workflow design: Turn ideas into structured workflows using simple natural language prompts or visual builder
Stateless RAG Architecture: Pure retrieval and generation without built-in conversation state—developers implement multi-turn context and session management in application layer
Model-Agnostic Generation: Defaults to GPT-3.5 but supports GPT-4, self-hosted LLMs (Llama, Mistral), and any OpenAI-compatible models—no vendor lock-in for generation
Postgres Vector Search: Fast approximate nearest neighbor search using pgvector extension with cosine similarity—handles millions of chunks efficiently at enterprise scale
Metadata Filtering: Custom metadata tagging and filtering capabilities enabling organized knowledge management and multi-tenant architectures
Real-Time Re-Indexing: Almost instant document re-embedding when updating or overwriting knowledge sources—no lengthy reprocessing delays
REST API Foundation: Straightforward endpoints for file uploads, text uploads, and search with plain-JSON responses—easy integration from any programming language
Supabase Integration: Built on Supabase infrastructure leveraging PostgreSQL, Row-Level Security (RLS), and battle-tested backend for familiar deployment
LIMITATION - No Built-In Chat UI: API-only platform requiring developers to build custom chat interfaces—not a turnkey chatbot solution with widgets
LIMITATION - No Lead Capture: No built-in lead generation, email collection, or CRM integration capabilities—must be implemented at application layer
LIMITATION - No Human Handoff: No escalation workflows, live agent transfer, or fallback mechanisms—conversational features are developer responsibility
LIMITATION - No Multi-Channel Integrations: No native Slack, Teams, WhatsApp, or messaging platform connectors—developers build integration layer
LIMITATION - No Session Management: Stateless API design without conversation history tracking or multi-turn context retention—application must manage state
LIMITATION - No Advanced RAG: Missing hybrid search, reranking, knowledge graphs, multi-query retrieval, query expansion found in enterprise platforms
LIMITATION - No Observability Dashboard: No analytics, conversation metrics, or performance monitoring UI—must integrate external logging tools
Custom AI Agents: Build autonomous agents powered by GPT-4 and Claude that can perform tasks independently and make real-time decisions based on business knowledge
Decision-Support Capabilities: AI agents analyze proprietary data to provide insights, recommendations, and actionable responses specific to your business domain
Multi-Agent Systems: Deploy multiple specialized AI agents that can collaborate and optimize workflows in areas like customer support, sales, and internal knowledge management
Memory & Context Management: Agents maintain conversation history and persistent context for coherent multi-turn interactions
View Agent Documentation
Tool Integration: Agents can trigger actions, integrate with external APIs via webhooks, and connect to 5,000+ apps through Zapier for automated workflows
Hyper-Accurate Responses: Leverages advanced RAG technology and retrieval mechanisms to deliver context-aware, citation-backed responses grounded in your knowledge base
Continuous Learning: Agents improve over time through automatic re-indexing of knowledge sources and integration of new data without manual retraining
Additional Considerations
Cannot create content directly: Glean focuses purely on search and retrieval - not suitable for organizations needing content creation within platform
Platform designed for large organizations: Feature set and pricing optimized for large enterprises - smaller teams may find it overkill and less cost-effective
AI production challenges: 68% of organizations report moving only 30% or fewer AI experiments into full production highlighting persistent scaling difficulties beyond proof-of-concept
Integration complexity: Requires strategic overhaul of processes to ensure seamless technology incorporation into existing workflows
Change management: Overcoming resistance to change demands strong leadership and commitment to fostering innovation and adaptability environment
Data reliability monitoring: Potential for inaccuracies in AI outputs necessitates rigorous monitoring frameworks to ensure data reliability and trustworthiness
Cybersecurity concerns: As AI deployment expands, cybersecurity threats become more pronounced requiring enhanced protective measures for sensitive information
Bias in AI models: Models can inadvertently learn and replicate biases in training data leading to unfair or discriminatory outcomes particularly in hiring, customer service, legal decisions
Training investment required: Enterprises must invest in training workforce to effectively use AI tools - upskilling employees, hiring AI talent, or partnering with consultants
Security risks and shadow IT: Many organizations hesitate due to uncertainties from security risks and shadow IT - ad hoc generative AI adoption comes with heavy risks and costs
No vendor lock-in: transparent code, offline option, host wherever you like.
Focuses on core RAG—no SSO, dashboards, or fancy UI included.
Great for devs who want full control or must keep data in-house.
Conversation flow, advanced prompts, fancy UI—all yours to build.
Slashes engineering overhead with an all-in-one RAG platform—no in-house ML team required.
Gets you to value quickly: launch a functional AI assistant in minutes.
Stays current with ongoing GPT and retrieval improvements, so you’re always on the latest tech.
Balances top-tier accuracy with ease of use, perfect for customer-facing or internal knowledge projects.
Core Chatbot Features
Glean Chat interface: Primary interface for interacting with Glean Assistant offering familiar chat-like experience enabling natural conversations with company knowledge base
Multi-turn conversations: Supports conversational AI with natural language and context awareness maintaining context across conversation turns
Streaming responses: Real-time response streaming for better user experience with automatic source citations for transparency
Chatbot context understanding: Understands thread and sequence of conversations tracking references like "their" and "they" across multiple exchanges
Enterprise knowledge integration: Works across all company apps and knowledge sources including Microsoft 365, Google Workspace, Salesforce, Jira, GitHub and nearly 100 more applications
Personalization and security: Delivers answers highly customized to each user based on deep understanding of company content, employees, and activity while adhering to real-time enterprise data permissions and governance rules
Citation and transparency: Provides full linking to source information across documents, conversations and applications for transparency and trust
Simple chatbot API: Powerful tool for integrating conversational AI into products creating custom conversational interfaces leveraging Glean's AI capabilities
Use case flexibility: Build chatbots answering customer questions using help documentation, FAQs, knowledge bases or create internal tools helping employees find company policies, procedures, documentation
Just the essentials: retrieve chunks + LLM answer. Calls are stateless, no baked-in chat history.
No lead capture or human handoff—add those in your own layer.
Pulls the right text fast, then lets your LLM craft the reply.
Perfect if you only need raw RAG and will build the conversation bits yourself.
Reduces hallucinations by grounding replies in your data and adding source citations for transparency.
Benchmark Details
Handles multi-turn, context-aware chats with persistent history and solid conversation management.
Speaks 90+ languages, making global rollouts straightforward.
Includes extras like lead capture (email collection) and smooth handoff to a human when needed.
After analyzing features, pricing, performance, and user feedback, both Glean and Supavec are capable platforms that serve different market segments and use cases effectively.
When to Choose Glean
You value permissions-aware ai is genuinely differentiated - real-time enforcement across 100+ datasources addresses critical enterprise concern
Model flexibility without vendor lock-in - 15+ LLMs with per-step selection and bring-your-own-key option
Best For: Permissions-aware AI is genuinely differentiated - real-time enforcement across 100+ datasources addresses critical enterprise concern
When to Choose Supavec
You value 100% open source with no vendor lock-in
Complete control over data and infrastructure
Strong privacy with Supabase RLS integration
Best For: 100% open source with no vendor lock-in
Migration & Switching Considerations
Switching between Glean and Supavec requires careful planning. Consider data export capabilities, API compatibility, and integration complexity. Both platforms offer migration support, but expect 2-4 weeks for complete transition including testing and team training.
Pricing Comparison Summary
Glean starts at $50/month, while Supavec begins at custom pricing. Total cost of ownership should factor in implementation time, training requirements, API usage fees, and ongoing support. Enterprise deployments typically see annual costs ranging from $10,000 to $500,000+ depending on scale and requirements.
Our Recommendation Process
Start with a free trial - Both platforms offer trial periods to test with your actual data
Define success metrics - Response accuracy, latency, user satisfaction, cost per query
Test with real use cases - Don't rely on generic demos; use your production data
Evaluate total cost - Factor in implementation time, training, and ongoing maintenance
Check vendor stability - Review roadmap transparency, update frequency, and support quality
For most organizations, the decision between Glean and Supavec comes down to specific requirements rather than overall superiority. Evaluate both platforms with your actual data during trial periods, focusing on accuracy, latency, ease of integration, and total cost of ownership.
📚 Next Steps
Ready to make your decision? We recommend starting with a hands-on evaluation of both platforms using your specific use case and data.
• Review: Check the detailed feature comparison table above
• Test: Sign up for free trials and test with real queries
• Calculate: Estimate your monthly costs based on expected usage
• Decide: Choose the platform that best aligns with your requirements
Last updated: December 16, 2025 | This comparison is regularly reviewed and updated to reflect the latest platform capabilities, pricing, and user feedback.
The most accurate RAG-as-a-Service API. Deliver production-ready reliable RAG applications faster. Benchmarked #1 in accuracy and hallucinations for fully managed RAG-as-a-Service API.
DevRel at CustomGPT.ai. Passionate about AI and its applications. Here to help you navigate the world of AI tools and make informed decisions for your business.
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