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Software · head to head

Apache Spark vs Redis

A

Apache Spark

Software

A multi-language engine for data engineering, data science, and machine learning

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Redis logo

Redis

Software

The real-time data platform

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Apache Spark licensed under Apache License 2.0 per spark.apache.org; as open source software it has no paid tier or vendor price to compare; Redis licensing changed from BSD to AGPL in 2025, impacting open-source usage

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Apache Spark and Redis actually diverge.

Attributes where Apache Spark and Redis differ
AttributeApache SparkRedis
Pricing modelopen-sourceUnknown
PlatformsWebLinux, macOS, Windows
FoundedUnknown2009

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Apache Spark

Nothing recorded that Redis does not also cover.

Only in Redis

  • In-memory data store
  • Data structures
  • Pub/Sub messaging
  • Lua scripting
  • Transactions
  • Persistence options
  • Replication
  • Clustering

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Apache Spark

No use cases recorded yet. See the Apache Spark review.

Redis

  • Cachingnot Apache Spark
  • Session managementnot Apache Spark
  • Real-time analyticsnot Apache Spark
  • Message queuingnot Apache Spark
  • Leaderboardsnot Apache Spark

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Apache Spark

  • Licensed under Apache License 2.0 per spark.apache.org; as open source software it has no paid tier or vendor price to compare
  • Installation on a laptop requires pip install pyspark or a Docker image per spark.apache.org; there is no hosted single-click deployment offered by the Apache project itself

Redis

  • Licensing changed from BSD to AGPL in 2025, impacting open-source usage
  • All data must fit in memory, limiting scalability to available RAM
  • No built-in support for multi-tenancy
  • Limited transaction support compared to traditional databases

Pricing, plan by plan

Apache Spark

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Apache Spark review.

Redis

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Redis review.

Which should you pick?

Choose Apache Spark if

  • You want to start without paying.
Apache Spark review

Choose Redis if

  • You need in-memory data store.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, macOS, Windows.
  • You also want data structures.
Redis review

Questions people ask

Is Apache Spark or Redis better?
Neither clearly leads. Apache Spark starts at Free and Redis at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Apache Spark or Redis?
Apache Spark starts at Free and Redis at Free.
Does Apache Spark or Redis run on more platforms?
Apache Spark runs on Web. Redis runs on Linux, macOS, Windows.
Can I use Apache Spark for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What can Apache Spark do that Redis cannot?
Redis covers In-memory data store, Data structures, Pub/Sub messaging, Lua scripting.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Redis: Is Redis open source?

Redis was open source under the BSD license since its inception in 2009 and has remained open source. However, in 2024-2025, Redis Labs changed licensing to source-available and AGPL, prompting the creation of Valkey, a BSD-licensed open-source fork.

Source
Redis: What is Redis used for?

Redis is an in-memory data structure store used primarily as a cache, database, and message broker. It provides high-speed data access for real-time applications, sessions, leaderboards, real-time analytics, and other use cases requiring fast data retrieval.

Source
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Related pages

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