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Web Development · head to head

MySQL vs Redis

MySQL logo

MySQL

Web Development

The world's most popular open source database

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: MySQL hot online backup is not in the free Community Server; MySQL Enterprise Backup is a paid Enterprise Edition component; Redis licensing changed from BSD to AGPL in 2025, impacting open-source usage
  • They diverge on capability: MySQL covers ACID compliance, Redis covers In-memory data store.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which MySQL and Redis actually diverge.

Attributes where MySQL and Redis differ
AttributeMySQLRedis
Pricing modelfreemiumUnknown
PlatformsWindows, Macos, Linux, UnixLinux, macOS, Windows
CategoryWeb DevelopmentTechnology
Founded19952009

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 MySQL

  • ACID compliance
  • SQL support
  • Multi-version concurrency control
  • Partitioning
  • Stored procedures
  • Triggers
  • Views
  • WordPress

Only in Redis

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

Both cover

  • Replication
  • PHP
  • Python
  • Java
  • Node.js

What people use each for

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

MySQL

  • Web application backendnot Redis
  • E-commerce platformsnot Redis
  • Content management systemsnot Redis
  • Data warehousingnot Redis
  • Business applicationsnot Redis

Redis

  • Cachingnot MySQL
  • Session managementnot MySQL
  • Real-time analyticsnot MySQL
  • Message queuingnot MySQL
  • Leaderboardsnot MySQL

Where each one falls short

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

MySQL

  • Hot online backup is not in the free Community Server; MySQL Enterprise Backup is a paid Enterprise Edition component
  • Transparent Data Encryption, data masking and de-identification are Enterprise Edition only
  • MySQL Enterprise Firewall, which guards against SQL injection, and MySQL Enterprise Audit are both paid components
  • External authentication against PAM or Windows Active Directory requires MySQL Enterprise Authentication
  • The thread pool ships as MySQL Enterprise Scalability rather than in the community build

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

MySQL

Free
  • Community EditionFree
    • Open source license
    • Full SQL support
    • InnoDB storage engine
  • Standard Edition$2000/year
    • Commercial license
    • Oracle Premier Support
    • MySQL Enterprise backup
  • Enterprise Edition$5000/year
    • Advanced security
    • MySQL Enterprise Monitor
    • High Availability

Redis

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Redis review.

Which should you pick?

Choose MySQL if

  • You need acid compliance.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Windows, Macos, Linux, Unix.
  • You also want sql support.
MySQL 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 MySQL or Redis better?
Neither clearly leads. MySQL 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, MySQL or Redis?
MySQL starts at Free and Redis at Free.
Does MySQL or Redis run on more platforms?
MySQL runs on Windows, Macos, Linux, Unix. Redis runs on Linux, macOS, Windows.
Can I use MySQL for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is MySQL best used for?
MySQL is most often used for web application backend, e-commerce platforms, content management systems, data warehousing. Of those, web application backend and e-commerce platforms are not what Redis is typically brought in for.
What can MySQL do that Redis cannot?
MySQL covers ACID compliance, SQL support, Multi-version concurrency control, Partitioning. Redis covers In-memory data store, Data structures, Pub/Sub messaging, Lua scripting. Both handle Replication, PHP, Python, Java.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

MySQL: Does MySQL cost money?

MySQL is primarily open-source and free to use. Commercial editions and support services are available but pricing is not published on the main website.

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
MySQL: How do I get MySQL pricing information?

For MySQL commercial editions and support pricing, customers can contact MySQL sales directly at +1-866-221-0634 or navigate to individual product pages.

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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