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Databases · head to head

Memcached vs SingleStore

M

Memcached

Databases

Distributed memory object caching system

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
SingleStore logo

SingleStore

Databases

The real-time distributed SQL database for data-intensive applications

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Memcached no persistence at all: restart a node and its cache is gone, which every design must assume; SingleStore high licensing costs that increase with data scale and cluster size
  • They diverge on capability: Memcached covers In-memory key-value cache, SingleStore covers Real-time Analytics.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Memcached and SingleStore actually diverge.

Attributes where Memcached and SingleStore differ
AttributeMemcachedSingleStore
Pricing modelOpen source, no licence fee; managed cloud billed separatelyUnknown
PlatformsLinux, macOS, Windows, Docker, Self-hostedCloud (SingleStoreDB Cloud), Self-Managed
FoundedUnknown2011

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

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 Memcached

  • In-memory key-value cache
  • Multithreaded
  • Client-side sharding
  • Predictable memory use

Only in SingleStore

  • Real-time Analytics
  • Fast Data Ingest
  • In-memory Processing
  • Distributed Architecture
  • MySQL Compatible
  • Columnar Storage
  • Vector Search
  • Kafka

What people use each for

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

Memcached

  • Caching expensive database query results to cut loadnot SingleStore
  • Session storage where losing sessions on restart is acceptablenot SingleStore
  • Fronting an API whose responses are costly and change slowlynot SingleStore

SingleStore

  • Transaction processingnot Memcached
  • Data storagenot Memcached
  • Application backendnot Memcached
  • Reportingnot Memcached
  • Data analyticsnot Memcached

Where each one falls short

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

Memcached

  • No persistence at all: restart a node and its cache is gone, which every design must assume
  • No replication or failover, so losing a node loses that share of the cache
  • Only simple key-value, with none of the lists, sorted sets or streams Redis offers
  • Values are capped at 1MB by default, which surprises teams caching large documents

SingleStore

  • High licensing costs that increase with data scale and cluster size
  • Eventual consistency in replication: secondary replicas may lag during high write loads
  • Complex operational setup requiring specialized knowledge for optimization
  • Vendor lock-in due to proprietary technology without open-source alternatives
  • Disorganized documentation and lack of online training resources

Pricing, plan by plan

Memcached

Free
  • MemcachedFree
    • Full functionality
    • Self-hosted
    • No usage limits

SingleStore

Free
  • Free Tier$0.99/month
    • Usage-based pricing
    • Limited resources

Which should you pick?

Choose Memcached if

  • You need in-memory key-value cache.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, macOS, Windows, Docker, Self-hosted.
  • You also want multithreaded.
Memcached review

Choose SingleStore if

  • You need real-time analytics.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Cloud (SingleStoreDB Cloud), Self-Managed.
  • You also want fast data ingest.
SingleStore review

Questions people ask

Is Memcached or SingleStore better?
Neither clearly leads. Memcached starts at Free and SingleStore at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Memcached or SingleStore?
Memcached starts at Free and SingleStore at Free.
Does Memcached or SingleStore run on more platforms?
Memcached runs on Linux, macOS, Windows, Docker, Self-hosted. SingleStore runs on Cloud (SingleStoreDB Cloud), Self-Managed.
Can I use Memcached for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Memcached best used for?
Memcached is most often used for caching expensive database query results to cut load, session storage where losing sessions on restart is acceptable, fronting an api whose responses are costly and change slowly. Of those, caching expensive database query results to cut load and session storage where losing sessions on restart is acceptable are not what SingleStore is typically brought in for.
What can Memcached do that SingleStore cannot?
Memcached covers In-memory key-value cache, Multithreaded, Client-side sharding, Predictable memory use. SingleStore covers Real-time Analytics, Fast Data Ingest, In-memory Processing, Distributed Architecture.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Memcached: Is Memcached free?

Yes, open source with no licence fee.

SingleStore: Does SingleStore offer a free tier?

Yes, SingleStore offers a free tier starting from $0.99/month with usage-based pricing. The free tier allows developers to evaluate the platform with limited resources before scaling to production workloads.

Source
Memcached: Memcached or Redis?

Memcached is a pure cache: simpler, multithreaded and very predictable. Redis adds persistence, replication and rich data structures, which is why it is the default choice unless you specifically want a cache and nothing more.

SingleStore: Can SingleStore handle both transactional and analytical workloads?

Yes, SingleStore is a hybrid transactional/analytical processing (HTAP) database that combines operational (OLTP) and analytical (OLAP) workloads in a single unified engine, eliminating the need for separate systems.

Source
Memcached: Does Memcached persist data?

No. Everything is in memory and lost on restart, by design.

SingleStore: Does SingleStore integrate with Apache Spark?

Yes, SingleStore provides the Spark Connector 3.0 for bidirectional data integration with Apache Spark. The connector supports SQL, Python, Scala, Java, and R for data loading and extraction.

Source
SingleStore: Can SingleStore ingest data from Kafka?

Yes, SingleStore supports high-throughput streaming ingestion from Apache Kafka and other sources, enabling millions of events per second without requiring ETL pipelines or data movement.

Source
SingleStore: Is SingleStore available as cloud or self-managed?

SingleStore offers both deployment options: SingleStoreDB Cloud (managed service) and SingleStore Self-Managed for on-premises or private cloud deployments. The managed service handles infrastructure, scaling, and maintenance automatically.

Source
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