vs

Apache Kvrocks vs Pika

Apache Kvrocks: A Redis-protocol database on RocksDB that trades a little latency for disk-sized capacity. Pika: Qihoo 360's Redis-compatible, RocksDB-backed store for datasets too big for memory.

key differences

  • Horizontal scaling is native in Apache Kvrocks and addon in Pika.
  • Only Apache Kvrocks has secondary indexes, json, stored procedures.

choose apache-kvrocks for

  • +Large Redis datasets that are too expensive to keep in RAM
  • +Persistent key-value storage with a Redis API
  • +Feature and profile stores accessed by key

best at · Cache, Sessions, Queue

choose pika for

  • +Large persistent key-value data behind a Redis API
  • +Cutting memory cost of oversized Redis deployments

best at · Cache, Sessions, Queue

overview
Primary model
Key-Value
Key-Value
Also supports
Document
–
Type
Database engine
Database engine
Status
Active
Active
Developer
Apache Software Foundation
OpenAtom Foundation (originally Qihoo 360)
First release
2019
2015
Latest version
2.17.0 (Sep 19, 2026)
4.0.4 (Oct 16, 2026)
License
Open source (permissive)Apache License 2.0
Open source (permissive)BSD 3-Clause
Free tier
✓
✓
popularity
WhichDB Score
10.3
5.8
Rank
#299
#375
GitHub stars
4.5K
6.1K
Stack Overflow questions
–
–
scale & guarantees
Comfortable data size
Medium (≤ 10 TB)
Medium (≤ 10 TB)
Horizontal scaling
Native
Addon
Multi-region
None
None
ACID
Limited
Limited
Consistency
Eventual
Eventual
Schema
Schemaless
Schemaless
Architecture
Primary replica, Distributed, Client server
Primary replica, Distributed, Client server
deployment
Self-hosted
✓
✓
Vendor-managed cloud
—
—
Serverless
—
—
Embedded
—
—
Edge
—
—
Clouds
–
–
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)
Client languages
Python, Java, JavaScript, Go, C#, Rust, Ruby, PHP
Python, Java, JavaScript, Go, C#, Rust, Ruby, PHP
Best for
Cache, Sessions, Queue, Pub/Sub
Cache, Sessions, Queue

Apache Kvrocks vs Pika: FAQ

What is the difference between Apache Kvrocks and Pika?

Apache Kvrocks: A Redis-protocol database on RocksDB that trades a little latency for disk-sized capacity. Pika: Qihoo 360's Redis-compatible, RocksDB-backed store for datasets too big for memory. Horizontal scaling is native in Apache Kvrocks and addon in Pika. Only Apache Kvrocks has secondary indexes, json, stored procedures.

When should I choose Apache Kvrocks over Pika?

Choose Apache Kvrocks for large Redis datasets that are too expensive to keep in RAM; persistent key-value storage with a Redis API; and feature and profile stores accessed by key. Choose Pika for large persistent key-value data behind a Redis API and cutting memory cost of oversized Redis deployments.

Is Apache Kvrocks or Pika more popular?

Apache Kvrocks ranks #299 on the WhichDB Score (10.3/100) and Pika ranks #375 (5.8/100). Popularity is not fit: check the requirements that matter for your project.

Are Apache Kvrocks and Pika open source?

Yes. Apache Kvrocks is open source. License: Apache License 2.0. Yes. Pika is open source. License: BSD 3-Clause.