whichdb
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Redis vs Upstash

Redis: The in-memory data structure server that became the default cache, now with search, JSON and vectors built in. Upstash: Serverless, per-request-priced Redis with an HTTP API built for edge and serverless functions.

key differences

  • Licensing: Redis is open source (copyleft) (Tri-license: AGPLv3, RSALv2 or SSPLv1 (Redis 8+)); Upstash is proprietary (Proprietary service).
  • Redis is built for larger datasets (≤ 10 TB) than Upstash (≤ 100 GB).
  • Only Redis has secondary indexes, full-text search, vector search, streaming ingest.
  • Only Upstash has encryption at rest.
  • Upstash has a serverless option; Redis does not.

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

choose upstash for

  • +Rate limiting and caching in edge and serverless functions
  • +Session storage for Next.js and Vercel apps
  • +Side projects and low-traffic production apps

best at · Cache, Sessions, Queue

RedisThe in-memory data structure server that became the default cache, now with search, JSON and vectors built in.
UpstashServerless, per-request-priced Redis with an HTTP API built for edge and serverless functions.
overview
Primary model
Key-Value
Key-Value
Also supports
Document, Vector, Time-Series, Search Engine
–
Type
Database engine
Managed service
Status
Active
Active
Developer
Redis Ltd.
Upstash, Inc.
First release
2009
2021
Latest version
8.10.3 (Oct 26, 2026)
–
License
Open source (copyleft)Tri-license: AGPLv3, RSALv2 or SSPLv1 (Redis 8+)
ProprietaryProprietary service
Free tier
✓
✓
popularity
WhichDB Score
84.3
20.4
Rank
#2
#158
GitHub stars
77.1K
982
Stack Overflow questions
25.4K
2
scale & guarantees
Comfortable data size
Medium (≤ 10 TB)
Small (≤ 100 GB)
Horizontal scaling
Native
Native
Multi-region
Active active
Read replicas
ACID
Limited
Limited
Consistency
Eventual
Eventual
Schema
Schemaless
Schemaless
Architecture
In memory, Single node, Primary replica, Distributed, Client server
Serverless, Distributed, Primary replica
deployment
Self-hosted
✓
—
Vendor-managed cloud
✓
✓
Serverless
—
✓
Embedded
—
—
Edge
—
✓
Clouds
AWS, Google Cloud, Azure, DigitalOcean, Heroku, Render
AWS, Google Cloud, Azure
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 Query Engine (FT.*)
Redis commands (RESP), Lua
Client languages
Python, Java, JavaScript, Go, C#, Rust, Ruby, PHP
JavaScript, Python, Go, Java, Rust, PHP
Best for
Cache, Sessions, Queue, Pub/Sub
Cache, Sessions, Queue, Pub/Sub
Add more to this comparisonNot sure either fits? Try smart match

Redis vs Upstash: FAQ

What is the difference between Redis and Upstash?

Redis: The in-memory data structure server that became the default cache, now with search, JSON and vectors built in. Upstash: Serverless, per-request-priced Redis with an HTTP API built for edge and serverless functions. Licensing: Redis is open source (copyleft) (Tri-license: AGPLv3, RSALv2 or SSPLv1 (Redis 8+)); Upstash is proprietary (Proprietary service). Redis is built for larger datasets (≤ 10 TB) than Upstash (≤ 100 GB). Only Redis has secondary indexes, full-text search, vector search, streaming ingest.

When should I choose Redis over Upstash?

Choose Redis for application and database query caching; session storage and user tokens; and rate limiting and distributed locks. Choose Upstash for rate limiting and caching in edge and serverless functions; session storage for Next.js and Vercel apps; and side projects and low-traffic production apps.

Is Redis or Upstash more popular?

Redis ranks #2 on the WhichDB Score (84.3/100) and Upstash ranks #158 (20.4/100). Popularity is not fit: check the requirements that matter for your project.

Are Redis and Upstash open source?

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