whichdb
vs

Amazon MemoryDB vs Redis

Amazon MemoryDB: A durable, Valkey/Redis-compatible in-memory database on AWS backed by a multi-AZ transaction log. Redis: The in-memory data structure server that became the default cache, now with search, JSON and vectors built in.

key differences

  • Licensing: Amazon MemoryDB is proprietary (AWS service terms); Redis is open source (copyleft) (Tri-license: AGPLv3, RSALv2 or SSPLv1 (Redis 8+)).
  • Only Amazon MemoryDB has encryption at rest.
  • Only Redis has secondary indexes, full-text search, json.

choose amazon-memorydb for

  • +Durable session and shopping-cart state
  • +Primary database for microservices using Redis data structures
  • +Real-time leaderboards that must not lose updates
  • +Vector search close to application data

best at · Sessions, Cache, OLTP

choose redis for

  • +Application and database query caching
  • +Session storage and user tokens
  • +Rate limiting and distributed locks
  • +Leaderboards and counters

best at · Cache, Sessions, Queue

Amazon MemoryDBA durable, Valkey/Redis-compatible in-memory database on AWS backed by a multi-AZ transaction log.
RedisThe in-memory data structure server that became the default cache, now with search, JSON and vectors built in.
overview
Primary model
Key-Value
Key-Value
Also supports
Vector
Document, Vector, Time-Series, Search Engine
Type
Managed service
Database engine
Status
Active
Active
Developer
Amazon Web Services
Redis Ltd.
First release
2021
2009
Latest version
–
8.10.3 (Oct 26, 2026)
License
ProprietaryAWS service terms
Open source (copyleft)Tri-license: AGPLv3, RSALv2 or SSPLv1 (Redis 8+)
Free tier
✓
✓
popularity
WhichDB Score
2.5
84.3
Rank
#473
#2
GitHub stars
–
77.1K
Stack Overflow questions
25
25.4K
scale & guarantees
Comfortable data size
Medium (≤ 10 TB)
Medium (≤ 10 TB)
Horizontal scaling
Native
Native
Multi-region
Active active
Active active
ACID
Limited
Limited
Consistency
Strong, Eventual
Eventual
Schema
Schemaless
Schemaless
Architecture
In memory, Distributed, Primary replica
In memory, Single node, Primary replica, Distributed, Client server
deployment
Self-hosted
—
✓
Vendor-managed cloud
✓
✓
Serverless
—
—
Embedded
—
—
Edge
—
—
Clouds
AWS
AWS, Google Cloud, Azure, DigitalOcean, Heroku, Render
capabilities
Transactions
✓
✓
Joins
—
—
Secondary indexes
—
✓
Full-text search
—
✓
Vector search
✓
✓
Geospatial
✓
✓
JSON
—
✓
Change data capture
—
—
Triggers
—
—
Stored procedures
✓
✓
Materialized views
—
—
TTL / expiry
✓
✓
Pub/Sub
✓
✓
Columnar storage
—
—
In-memory
✓
✓
Durable persistence
✓
✓
Compression
—
—
Encryption at rest
✓
—
Role-based access
✓
✓
Time travel
—
—
Branching
—
—
Online schema changes
—
—
Streaming ingest
✓
✓
Offline sync
—
—
Runs in WebAssembly
—
—
interfaces
Query languages
Redis commands (RESP), Lua
Redis commands (RESP), Lua, Redis Query Engine (FT.*)
Client languages
Python, Java, JavaScript, Go, C#, Rust, Ruby, PHP
Python, Java, JavaScript, Go, C#, Rust, Ruby, PHP
Best for
Sessions, Cache, OLTP, Vector search
Cache, Sessions, Queue, Pub/Sub
Add more to this comparisonNot sure either fits? Try smart match

Amazon MemoryDB vs Redis: FAQ

What is the difference between Amazon MemoryDB and Redis?

Amazon MemoryDB: A durable, Valkey/Redis-compatible in-memory database on AWS backed by a multi-AZ transaction log. Redis: The in-memory data structure server that became the default cache, now with search, JSON and vectors built in. Licensing: Amazon MemoryDB is proprietary (AWS service terms); Redis is open source (copyleft) (Tri-license: AGPLv3, RSALv2 or SSPLv1 (Redis 8+)). Only Amazon MemoryDB has encryption at rest. Only Redis has secondary indexes, full-text search, json.

When should I choose Amazon MemoryDB over Redis?

Choose Amazon MemoryDB for durable session and shopping-cart state; primary database for microservices using Redis data structures; and real-time leaderboards that must not lose updates. Choose Redis for application and database query caching; session storage and user tokens; and rate limiting and distributed locks.

Is Amazon MemoryDB or Redis more popular?

Redis ranks #2 on the WhichDB Score (84.3/100) and Amazon MemoryDB ranks #473 (2.5/100). Popularity is not fit: check the requirements that matter for your project.

Are Amazon MemoryDB and Redis open source?

No. Amazon MemoryDB is proprietary, closed-source software. License: AWS service terms. Yes. Redis is open source. License: Tri-license: AGPLv3, RSALv2 or SSPLv1 (Redis 8+).