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Technology · head to head

Redis vs Turso

Redis logo

Redis

Technology

The real-time data platform

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: Redis licensing changed from BSD to AGPL in 2025, impacting open-source usage; Turso pro tier costs $416.58 monthly, a significant jump from Scaler plan

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Redis and Turso actually diverge.

Attributes where Redis and Turso differ
AttributeRedisTurso
Pricing modelUnknownfreemium
PlatformsLinux, macOS, WindowsWeb
CategoryTechnologyDatabases
Founded2009Unknown

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 Redis

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

Only in Turso

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 Turso
  • Session managementnot Turso
  • Real-time analyticsnot Turso
  • Message queuingnot Turso
  • Leaderboardsnot Turso

Turso

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

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

Redis

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Redis review.

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 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 Turso if

  • You want to start without paying.
Turso review

Questions people ask

Is Redis or Turso better?
Neither clearly leads. Redis 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, Redis or Turso?
Redis starts at Free and Turso at Free.
Does Redis or Turso run on more platforms?
Redis runs on Linux, macOS, Windows. Turso 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 Turso is typically brought in for.
What can Redis do that Turso 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
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
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
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
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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