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Databases · head to head

Memcached vs Turso

Memcached logo

Memcached

Databases

Distributed memory object caching system

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Turso logo

Turso

Databases

The Database for the Age of AI Agents

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; Turso pro tier costs $416.58 monthly, a significant jump from Scaler plan

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Memcached and Turso actually diverge.

Attributes where Memcached and Turso differ
AttributeMemcachedTurso
Pricing modelOpen source, no licence fee; managed cloud billed separatelyfreemium
PlatformsLinux, macOS, Windows, Docker, Self-hostedWeb

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 Turso

Nothing recorded that Memcached does not also cover.

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 Turso
  • Session storage where losing sessions on restart is acceptablenot Turso
  • Fronting an API whose responses are costly and change slowlynot Turso

Turso

  • SQLite database hosting and replicationnot Memcached
  • Edge computing and distributed database deploymentsnot Memcached
  • Applications requiring multi-region database accessnot 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

Turso

  • Pro tier costs $416.58 monthly, a significant jump from Scaler plan
  • Overage charges apply on all tiers beyond storage and row limits
  • Enterprise options require contacting sales for custom pricing

Pricing, plan by plan

Memcached

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

Turso

Free
  • FreeFree
    • 100 databases
    • 5 GB storage
    • 500M monthly rows read
  • Developer$4.99/month
    • Unlimited databases
    • 9 GB storage
    • 2.5B monthly rows read
  • Scaler$24.92/month
    • Unlimited databases
    • 24 GB storage
    • 100B monthly rows read
  • Pro$416.58/month
    • Unlimited databases
    • 50 GB storage
    • 250B monthly rows read

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 Turso if

  • You want to start without paying.
Turso review

Questions people ask

Is Memcached or Turso better?
Neither clearly leads. Memcached starts at Free and Turso at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Memcached or Turso?
Memcached starts at Free and Turso at Free.
Does Memcached or Turso run on more platforms?
Memcached runs on Linux, macOS, Windows, Docker, Self-hosted. Turso runs on Web.
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 Turso is typically brought in for.
What can Memcached do that Turso cannot?
Memcached covers In-memory key-value cache, Multithreaded, Client-side sharding, Predictable memory use.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Memcached: Is Memcached free?

Yes, open source with no licence fee.

Turso: How much does Turso cost?

Turso offers a free tier with 100 databases and 5 GB storage. Paid tiers start at $4.99/month (Developer), $24.92/month (Scaler), and $416.58/month (Pro tier). Enterprise deployments require custom pricing.

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.

Turso: What are the overage charges on Turso plans?

Overage charges vary by tier. Free tier charges $0.75/GB for storage overage and $1 per billion rows over the 500M limit. Developer tier charges $0.75/GB storage and $1 per billion rows. Scaler tier charges $0.50/GB and $0.80 per billion rows. Pro tier charges $0.45/GB and $0.75 per billion rows.

Source
Memcached: Does Memcached persist data?

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

Turso: Is there a free tier on Turso?

Yes, Turso's free tier includes 100 databases, 5 GB storage, and 500 million monthly rows read with overage charges for excess usage.

Source
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