Pyyan / Compare / Neo4j vs Haystack
Neo4j vs Haystack
2 of 5RAG & Knowledge Graphs · verified 13 Aug 2026
Neo4jNeo4jcurrent
Haystackdeepsetcurrent| Specification | Neo4j | Haystack |
|---|---|---|
| Summary | The graph database most knowledge graphs are stored in. | A strict pipeline abstraction, built for regulated work. |
| Kind | Database | Framework |
| Graph | Yes, native | Via integrations |
| Language | Cypher | Python |
| Licence | GPL-3.0 / commercial | Apache 2.0 |
| GitHub stars | ~14k | ~20k |
| Category | RAG & Knowledge Graphs | RAG & Knowledge Graphs |
| Official | Neo4j ↗ | deepset ↗ |
Highlighted rows are where these differ.
Neo4j
- Native vector index alongside graph traversal
- GraphRAG and Graphiti both commonly sit on it
Best for the storage layer under a knowledge graph.
Haystack
- Every step is declared, which is what audits need
- Cleanest option where a wrong answer has consequences
Best for finance, health, legal and government.