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Technology · head to head

Redis vs SST

Redis logo

Redis

Technology

The real-time data platform

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
SST logo

SST

Cloud

Build full-stack apps on your own infrastructure

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; SST primarily optimized for AWS with Cloudflare support
  • They diverge on capability: Redis covers In-memory data store, SST covers Single config file.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Redis and SST actually diverge.

Attributes where Redis and SST differ
AttributeRedisSST
PlatformsLinux, macOS, WindowsAWS, Cloudflare, Node.js
CategoryTechnologyCloud
Founded2009Unknown

Identical on both: starting price (Free), pricing model (Unknown), 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 Redis

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

Only in SST

  • Single config file
  • Resource linking
  • Local development
  • Multi-cloud support
  • Multiple deployment stages
  • VPC tunneling

What people use each for

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

Redis

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

SST

  • Deploying Next.js frontends with serverless backendsnot Redis
  • Managing databases and storage alongside application codenot Redis
  • Creating staging environments for feature testingnot Redis

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

SST

  • Primarily optimized for AWS with Cloudflare support
  • Learning curve for developers unfamiliar with infrastructure concepts
  • Limited documentation for some advanced use cases

Pricing, plan by plan

Redis

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Redis review.

SST

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the SST 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 SST if

  • You need single config file.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on AWS, Cloudflare, Node.js.
  • You also want resource linking.
SST review

Questions people ask

Is Redis or SST better?
Neither clearly leads. Redis starts at Free and SST at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Redis or SST?
Redis starts at Free and SST at Free.
Does Redis or SST run on more platforms?
Redis runs on Linux, macOS, Windows. SST runs on AWS, Cloudflare, Node.js.
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 SST is typically brought in for.
What can Redis do that SST cannot?
Redis covers In-memory data store, Data structures, Pub/Sub messaging, Lua scripting. SST covers Single config file, Resource linking, Local development, Multi-cloud support.

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
SST: Is SST free?

Yes, SST is open source and free. You only pay for cloud resources from AWS and other providers.

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
SST: What cloud providers does SST support?

SST supports over 150 providers through built-in AWS and Cloudflare components, plus Pulumi and Terraform providers.

Source
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