---
title: "Basic Memory vs Qdrant MCP: Long-Term Memory for AI"
url: "https://mcpshelf.co/compare/basic-memory-vs-qdrant"
description: "Basic Memory keeps notes as Markdown files you can edit; Qdrant stores them as vectors and finds them by meaning. Two ways to give an assistant memory."
updated: "2026-10-27"
site: "MCP Shelf"
---

# Basic Memory vs Qdrant

Both give an assistant a memory that lasts between chats. Basic Memory stores it as ordinary Markdown files you can open, edit and keep in git, linked into a graph. Qdrant stores text as vectors and finds it by meaning, which suits a large pile of snippets better than a set of notes you curate.

## Side by side

|  | Basic Memory | Qdrant |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Made by | Basic Machines | Qdrant |
| Stored as | Markdown files in a folder | Vectors in a Qdrant collection |
| Finding things | Full-text search and links between notes | Similarity search by meaning |
| Tools | Many: write, edit, move, search, build context | Two: store and find |
| Edit by hand | Yes, in any editor or Obsidian | Not practical |
| Read-only switch | No; keep the folder in git | QDRANT_READ_ONLY=true |
| Runs on | Your computer | Your computer |
| You need | uv (for uvx) | uv (for uvx); A Qdrant instance, or a local path for embedded storage |
| GitHub stars | 4.4K | 1.6K |

## Pick Basic Memory if

- You want to read and correct what the assistant remembers
- You keep project notes or a personal knowledge base
- You want memory that stays as files on your machine

## Pick Qdrant if

- You store many short snippets and look them up by meaning
- You want two simple tools rather than a note system
- You already run Qdrant, locally or in the cloud

## Can you run both?

Two memory servers in one client tend to split what the assistant remembers. Choose one, or use Qdrant as a read-only snippet library next to Basic Memory for notes.

Setup for each: [Basic Memory](https://mcpshelf.co/servers/basic-memory), [Qdrant](https://mcpshelf.co/servers/qdrant).

---

From [MCP Shelf](https://mcpshelf.co/): A short shelf of MCP servers that are worth installing. Index for agents: https://mcpshelf.co/llms.txt