# Choosing an Embedding Model — Embeddings & Vector Search

Source: https://www.geekswithgeeks.com/en/embeddings/c-models

> Weigh language, domain, size, cost and licence.

## There is no universally best model

Options include **hosted APIs** (a provider embeds text for a per-token fee; easy, but data leaves your system and you depend on the provider) and **open models** you run yourself (sentence-transformers-style encoders, multilingual models; you control data and cost, but you manage hardware). Criteria: **languages** (a model must support Hindi if your users write Hindi, and mixed Hindi-English text needs testing), **domain** (legal, medical, code), **maximum input length** (long chunks get truncated), **dimensions** (storage and speed), **latency and throughput**, **price**, **licence**, and **quality on your data**. Public leaderboards such as MTEB are a useful shortlist, but they average over tasks that may not resemble yours, so evaluate 2 to 3 candidates on a small labelled set of your own questions before you commit. Record the exact **model name and version** you used.

## A model-selection checklist

Use it to compare candidates fairly.

```text
[ ] supports all my languages (test real Hindi / Hinglish queries)
[ ] max input tokens >= my chunk size (otherwise text is silently cut)
[ ] dimensions x vectors fits my memory/budget (see the storage arithmetic)
[ ] latency / throughput OK for indexing the corpus and for live queries
[ ] licence and data-handling terms acceptable (hosted: where does the text go?)
[ ] recall@k / MRR measured on 50+ of MY questions, for 2-3 candidates
[ ] exact model name + version recorded; plan for a future re-index
```

## Pin the model version

Providers retire and update embedding models. Pin a version and plan the re-index in advance.

**Quiz:** Why test candidate models on your own questions rather than rely on a leaderboard alone?

- [x] Leaderboards average over tasks that may not resemble your domain or languages
- [ ] Leaderboards are always wrong
- [ ] Your questions are secret
- [ ] It is required by law

*Answer:* Leaderboards average over tasks that may not resemble your domain or languages. Use leaderboards to shortlist and your own data to decide.