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2026 Selection Guide

Redis vs Valkey 2026 Definitive Technical Report

An in-depth analysis of technical choices amidst open-source licensing changes. From performance benchmarks and ecosystem compatibility to migration costs, providing you with a comprehensive basis for decision-making.

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The Fork in the Road

In March 2024, Redis Inc. announced a change in Redis's open-source license from BSD to RSALv2/SSPLv1, meaning Redis is no longer truly open source (by OSI definition). In response, the Linux Foundation, joined by tech giants like AWS, Google, and Oracle, launched Valkeyβ€”a truly open source (BSD) fork based on Redis 7.2.4.

Market Trend: Valkey adoption on AWS/GCP has grown by 300% (2025 Q4)
ValkeyRecommended

Hosted by the Linux Foundation, permanently open source (BSD). Fully compatible with Redis 7.2, with added multi-threaded performance optimizations and advanced cluster management. The community-driven successor to Redis.

Redis

Commercially operated by Redis Inc. Shifted to RSALv2/SSPLv1 (non-OSI open source). Focuses on Enterprise features (like Search, JSON module integration) and cloud services (Redis Cloud).

Core Differences

Detailed Feature Breakdown

FeatureValkeyRedis
LicenseBSD-3-Clause (Truly Open Source)RSALv2 / SSPLv1 (Source Available)
GovernanceCommunity (Linux Foundation)Commercial (Redis Inc.)
CompatibilityRedis 7.2.4 API & Protocol CompatibleBackward Compatible, Future divergence possible
PerformanceMulti-threaded I/O, Enhanced Cluster StabilityContinuous Optimization, Enterprise focus
ModulesSupports existing modules, developing new ecosystemOfficial Modules (JSON, Search) Deep Integration
Key BackersAWS, Google, Oracle, EricssonRedis Inc., Azure (Partial)
Performance Benchmarks

Performance Benchmarks

Benchmark results based on AWS c7gn.4xlarge instances. Valkey's multi-threaded I/O and instruction execution optimizations demonstrate superior performance in high-concurrency scenarios. Test scenarios include 100% GET and 100% SET operations.

Valkey 8.0 Read Throughput increased by ~72%
Multi-threaded I/O significantly reduces latency under load
Memory Optimization: Saves ~10-20% memory for same dataset

Read/Write Throughput (Ops/Sec)

Ecosystem

Client Libraries & Cloud Support

Cloud Integration
Major cloud providers have fully embraced Valkey, offering managed services or native support.

aws

Native

Full support for Valkey 8.0+, offering Serverless and Provisioned options.

gcp

Native

GA (Generally Available), offering 99.99% SLA and Cross-Region Replication.

ali

Native

As a Linux Foundation premier member, Alibaba Cloud deeply participates in Valkey core dev and offers managed services.

azure

Currently supported via AKS deployment; official managed cache service focuses on Redis.

Client Library Support
Valkey offers official modern client libraries (GLIDE) while ensuring seamless support for existing Redis clients via full protocol compatibility.
LanguageValkeyRedis
java
Valkey GLIDE (java)
Redisson 3.48+ officially supports Valkey
Jedis
python
Valkey GLIDE (python)
valkey-py is a community maintained fork of redis-py
redis-py
go
Valkey GLIDE (go)
valkey-go supports auto-pipelining and client-side caching
go-redis
node
Valkey GLIDE (node)
Existing ioredis can connect directly to Valkey
node-redis

Migration Guide

  1. 1

    Backup existing dump.rdb file.

  2. 2

    Stop Redis service.

  3. 3

    Install Valkey (supports yum, apt, docker, etc.).

  4. 4

    Point valkey-server to existing config and data directory.

  5. 5

    Start Valkey and verify application connection.

πŸ’‘ Pro Tip:Due to full RESP protocol compatibility, client libraries (like jedis, go-redis, ioredis) typically require no changes.

Which one to choose?