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NCache vs Redis

NCache: A native .NET distributed cache and data grid for Windows and Linux, with an Apache-licensed edition. Redis: The in-memory data structure server that became the default cache, now with search, JSON and vectors built in.

key differences

  • Licensing: NCache is open source (permissive) (Apache 2.0 (Open Source edition); Enterprise is commercial); Redis is open source (copyleft) (Tri-license: AGPLv3, RSALv2 or SSPLv1 (Redis 8+)).
  • Only NCache has encryption at rest.
  • Only Redis has transactions, vector search, geospatial, streaming ingest.

choose ncache for

  • +ASP.NET session and output caching
  • +EF Core second-level caching
  • +Shared cache for .NET microservices on Windows or Linux

best at · Cache, Sessions, Pub/Sub

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

NCacheA native .NET distributed cache and data grid for Windows and Linux, with an Apache-licensed edition.
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
Document
Document, Vector, Time-Series, Search Engine
Type
Database engine
Database engine
Status
Active
Active
Developer
Alachisoft
Redis Ltd.
First release
2005
2009
Latest version
5.3.8 (Oct 21, 2026)
8.10.3 (Oct 26, 2026)
License
Open source (permissive)Apache 2.0 (Open Source edition); Enterprise is commercial
Open source (copyleft)Tri-license: AGPLv3, RSALv2 or SSPLv1 (Redis 8+)
Free tier
✓
✓
popularity
WhichDB Score
7.8
84.3
Rank
#337
#2
GitHub stars
666
77.1K
Stack Overflow questions
70
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, Client server
In memory, Single node, Primary replica, Distributed, Client server
deployment
Self-hosted
✓
✓
Vendor-managed cloud
✓
✓
Serverless
—
—
Embedded
—
—
Edge
—
—
Clouds
Azure, 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
SQL-like query API, LINQ
Redis commands (RESP), Lua, Redis Query Engine (FT.*)
Client languages
C#, Java, Python, JavaScript
Python, Java, JavaScript, Go, C#, Rust, Ruby, PHP
Best for
Cache, Sessions, Pub/Sub
Cache, Sessions, Queue, Pub/Sub
Add more to this comparisonNot sure either fits? Try smart match

NCache vs Redis: FAQ

What is the difference between NCache and Redis?

NCache: A native .NET distributed cache and data grid for Windows and Linux, with an Apache-licensed edition. Redis: The in-memory data structure server that became the default cache, now with search, JSON and vectors built in. Licensing: NCache is open source (permissive) (Apache 2.0 (Open Source edition); Enterprise is commercial); Redis is open source (copyleft) (Tri-license: AGPLv3, RSALv2 or SSPLv1 (Redis 8+)). Only NCache has encryption at rest. Only Redis has transactions, vector search, geospatial, streaming ingest.

When should I choose NCache over Redis?

Choose NCache for ASP.NET session and output caching; EF Core second-level caching; and shared cache for .NET microservices on Windows or Linux. Choose Redis for application and database query caching; session storage and user tokens; and rate limiting and distributed locks.

Is NCache or Redis more popular?

Redis ranks #2 on the WhichDB Score (84.3/100) and NCache ranks #337 (7.8/100). Popularity is not fit: check the requirements that matter for your project.

Are NCache and Redis open source?

Yes. NCache is open source. License: Apache 2.0 (Open Source edition); Enterprise is commercial. Yes. Redis is open source. License: Tri-license: AGPLv3, RSALv2 or SSPLv1 (Redis 8+).