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Developer Tools · head to head

Keil MDK vs Redis

Keil MDK logo

Keil MDK

Developer Tools

Microcontroller Development Kit for Arm-based devices

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Redis logo

Redis

Technology

The real-time data platform

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Keil MDK pricing for Essential and Professional subscriptions not disclosed on primary site; Redis licensing changed from BSD to AGPL in 2025, impacting open-source usage

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Keil MDK and Redis actually diverge.

Attributes where Keil MDK and Redis differ
AttributeKeil MDKRedis
Pricing modelfreemiumUnknown
PlatformsWebLinux, macOS, Windows
CategoryDeveloper ToolsTechnology
FoundedUnknown2009

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

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 Keil MDK

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.

Keil MDK

  • Embedded software developmentnot Redis
  • ARM microcontroller programmingnot Redis
  • Professional development environmentsnot Redis

Redis

  • Cachingnot Keil MDK
  • Session managementnot Keil MDK
  • Real-time analyticsnot Keil MDK
  • Message queuingnot Keil MDK
  • Leaderboardsnot Keil MDK

Where each one falls short

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

Keil MDK

  • Pricing for Essential and Professional subscriptions not disclosed on primary site
  • Customers must contact Arm Developer Tools store for subscription rates

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

Keil MDK

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Keil MDK review.

Redis

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Redis review.

Which should you pick?

Choose Keil MDK if

  • You want to start without paying.
Keil MDK 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 Keil MDK or Redis better?
Neither clearly leads. Keil MDK 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, Keil MDK or Redis?
Keil MDK starts at Free and Redis at Free.
Does Keil MDK or Redis run on more platforms?
Keil MDK runs on Web. Redis runs on Linux, macOS, Windows.
Can I use Keil MDK for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Keil MDK best used for?
Keil MDK is most often used for embedded software development, arm microcontroller programming, professional development environments. Of those, embedded software development and arm microcontroller programming are not what Redis is typically brought in for.
What can Keil MDK do that Redis cannot?
Redis covers In-memory data store, Data structures, Pub/Sub messaging, Lua scripting.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Keil MDK: Does Keil MDK have a free version?

Yes, Keil MDK Community Edition is free for non-commercial projects. Essential and Professional editions are available as monthly or annual subscriptions.

Source
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
Keil MDK: How much do Keil MDK paid editions cost?

Specific pricing for Essential and Professional editions is not published on the main site. Rates are available from the Arm Developer Tools store or by contacting Arm sales.

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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