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Databases · head to head

Qdrant vs Valkey

Qdrant logo

Qdrant

Databases

High-performance vector database for similarity search and embedding-based retrieval

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Valkey logo

Valkey

Databases

Open-source in-memory data store forked from Redis

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Qdrant free tier extremely limited (0.5 vCPU, 1GB RAM, 4GB disk); suitable only for experiments; Valkey younger project, so its track record is short even though the codebase is not
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 29 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Qdrant and Valkey actually diverge.

Attributes where Qdrant and Valkey differ
AttributeQdrantValkey
Pricing modelfreemiumOpen source, no licence fee; managed cloud billed separately
PlatformsCloud (AWS, GCP, Azure), Kubernetes, Self-hosted, Edge (beta), Serverless (coming)Linux, macOS, Docker, Self-hosted

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 Qdrant

Nothing recorded that Valkey does not also cover.

Only in Valkey

  • Redis-compatible
  • BSD licensed
  • Rich data structures
  • Replication and persistence

What people use each for

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

Qdrant

  • Retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) backends for LLM applicationsnot Valkey
  • Semantic search across large document corporanot Valkey
  • Multimodal retrieval (text, images, video) for recommendation systemsnot Valkey
  • Similarity-based product or content recommendationsnot Valkey
  • Real-time vector indexing for streaming embedding datanot Valkey

Valkey

  • Continuing on a permissively licensed in-memory store after the Redis licence changenot Qdrant
  • Caching and session storage where a foundation-governed project is a procurement requirementnot Qdrant
  • Migrating from Redis without rewriting application codenot Qdrant

Where each one falls short

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

Qdrant

  • Free tier extremely limited (0.5 vCPU, 1GB RAM, 4GB disk); suitable only for experiments
  • Standard and Premium pricing usage-based; specific costs not published; requires calculator or quote
  • Requires understanding of embeddings and vector search concepts; not suitable for SQL-only teams
  • Early-stage serverless offering (coming soon) suggests maturity gaps in that deployment model

Valkey

  • Younger project, so its track record is short even though the codebase is not
  • Divergence from Redis grows over time, so compatibility is strongest near the fork point and weakens as both evolve
  • Ecosystem tooling and documentation still frequently assume Redis, leaving translation work

Pricing, plan by plan

Qdrant

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Single-node cluster
    • 0.5 vCPU
    • 1GB RAM
  • Standard$undefined/usage-based
    • Dedicated resources
    • Flexible scaling
    • High availability
  • Premium$undefined/minimum spend
    • SSO and SAML
    • Private VPC links
    • 99.9% uptime SLA

Valkey

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

Which should you pick?

Choose Qdrant if

  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Cloud (AWS, GCP, Azure), Kubernetes, Self-hosted, Edge (beta), Serverless (coming).
Qdrant review

Choose Valkey if

  • You need redis-compatible.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, macOS, Docker, Self-hosted.
  • You also want bsd licensed.
Valkey review

Questions people ask

Is Qdrant or Valkey better?
Neither clearly leads. Qdrant starts at Free and Valkey at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Qdrant or Valkey?
Qdrant starts at Free and Valkey at Free.
Does Qdrant or Valkey run on more platforms?
Qdrant runs on Cloud (AWS, GCP, Azure), Kubernetes, Self-hosted, Edge (beta), Serverless (coming). Valkey runs on Linux, macOS, Docker, Self-hosted.
Can I use Qdrant for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Qdrant best used for?
Qdrant is most often used for retrieval-augmented generation (rag) backends for llm applications, semantic search across large document corpora, multimodal retrieval (text, images, video) for recommendation systems, similarity-based product or content recommendations. Of those, retrieval-augmented generation (rag) backends for llm applications and semantic search across large document corpora are not what Valkey is typically brought in for.
What can Qdrant do that Valkey cannot?
Valkey covers Redis-compatible, BSD licensed, Rich data structures, Replication and persistence.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Qdrant: Can I use Qdrant for free?

Yes, Qdrant offers a free tier that provides a single node cluster with 0.5 vCPU, 1GB RAM, and 4GB disk space. It includes free cloud inference with selected models and is described as free forever for testing and prototypes.

Source
Valkey: Is Valkey free?

Yes, BSD-licensed open source under the Linux Foundation.

Qdrant: How is Qdrant Cloud billing calculated?

Billing is calculated based on actual resource usage during each billing period. You are charged hourly for compute (vCPU), memory (GB), storage (GB), backups, and any paid inference tokens used.

Source
Valkey: Why does Valkey exist?

Redis changed its licence away from BSD in 2024. Valkey is the community fork continuing under permissive terms, backed by AWS, Google Cloud and Oracle among others.

Qdrant: What happens if I scale beyond the free tier?

The Standard Tier uses the same usage-based billing model as the free tier but adds features like dedicated resources with flexible scaling, highly available setups with backup and disaster recovery, and a 99.5% uptime SLA.

Source
Valkey: Can I switch from Redis to Valkey?

At the fork point it is drop-in compatible with existing clients and data. The further both projects move from that point, the more you should verify the specific features you use.

Qdrant: What SLA does Qdrant offer?

The Standard Tier provides 99.5% uptime SLA. The Premium Tier, which requires a minimum spend for enterprises, offers 99.9% uptime SLA along with single sign-on and private VPC links.

Source
Qdrant: Are there dedicated cloud infrastructure options?

Yes, Qdrant offers Hybrid Cloud (runs on your infrastructure) and Private Cloud (complete isolation) options, both with custom pricing that requires contacting the sales team.

Source
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