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Redis vs Apache Spark

Redis logo

Redis

Software

The real-time data platform

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
A

Apache Spark

Software

A multi-language engine for data engineering, data science, and machine learning

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Redis licensing changed from BSD to AGPL in 2025, impacting open-source usage; Apache Spark licensed under Apache License 2.0 per spark.apache.org; as open source software it has no paid tier or vendor price to compare

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Redis and Apache Spark actually diverge.

Attributes where Redis and Apache Spark differ
AttributeRedisApache Spark
Pricing modelUnknownopen-source
PlatformsLinux, macOS, WindowsWeb
Founded2009Unknown

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

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 Redis

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

Only in Apache Spark

Nothing recorded that Redis does not also cover.

What people use each for

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

Redis

  • Cachingnot Apache Spark
  • Session managementnot Apache Spark
  • Real-time analyticsnot Apache Spark
  • Message queuingnot Apache Spark
  • Leaderboardsnot Apache Spark

Apache Spark

No use cases recorded yet. See the Apache Spark review.

Where each one falls short

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

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

Apache Spark

  • Licensed under Apache License 2.0 per spark.apache.org; as open source software it has no paid tier or vendor price to compare
  • Installation on a laptop requires pip install pyspark or a Docker image per spark.apache.org; there is no hosted single-click deployment offered by the Apache project itself

Pricing, plan by plan

Redis

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Redis review.

Apache Spark

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Apache Spark review.

Which should you pick?

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

Choose Apache Spark if

  • You want to start without paying.
Apache Spark review

Questions people ask

Is Redis or Apache Spark better?
Neither clearly leads. Redis starts at Free and Apache Spark at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Redis or Apache Spark?
Redis starts at Free and Apache Spark at Free.
Does Redis or Apache Spark run on more platforms?
Redis runs on Linux, macOS, Windows. Apache Spark runs on Web.
Can I use Redis for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Redis best used for?
Redis is most often used for caching, session management, real-time analytics, message queuing. Of those, caching and session management are not what Apache Spark is typically brought in for.
What can Redis do that Apache Spark cannot?
Redis covers In-memory data store, Data structures, Pub/Sub messaging, Lua scripting.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

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
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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