Is MySQL better than Redis in 2026?

It depends on your needs. Both rated 4.4/5 by users. MySQL excels at the most widely deployed open-source relational database, powering wordpress, drupal, and most php apps., while Redis focuses on in-memory data structure store for caching, pub/sub, and latency-sensitive workloads.. MySQL starts at $2000/mo; Redis starts at $7/mo.

Which is cheaper, MySQL or Redis?

MySQL starts at $2000/mo; Redis starts at $7/mo. MySQL has a free plan, and Redis also offers a free tier.

Can I migrate from MySQL to Redis?

Most users can switch between these tools. Redis supports data import from MySQL. Plan 1-3 days for migration depending on data volume and team size.

What are the key differences between MySQL and Redis?

MySQL uniquely offers ACID Transactions (InnoDB), Full-Text Search, JSON Support. Redis uniquely offers In-Memory Storage, Persistent Storage (RDB/AOF), Pub/Sub Messaging. Both share 1 features including Replication. MySQL starts at $2000/mo; Redis starts at $7/mo. Founded in 1995 and 2009 respectively.

When was this MySQL vs Redis comparison last updated?

This comparison was last updated on May 13, 2026. We review and refresh our comparisons regularly to reflect the latest pricing, features, and ratings from MySQL and Redis.

Home›Databases›Compare›MySQL vs Redis

Updated May 13, 2026 · Independent Analysis

MySQLvsRedis

Capability Overview

MySQLvs Redis

★ 4.4/5-0.1 vs Redis

Only in MySQL

✦ ACID Transactions (InnoDB)
✦ Full-Text Search
✦ JSON Support

✓ Free planFrom $2000/mo(pricier)1B+ users · est. 1995

View Full Review Try MySQL Free

Redisvs MySQL

★ 4.5/5+0.1 vs MySQL

Only in Redis

✦ In-Memory Storage
✦ Persistent Storage (RDB/AOF)
✦ Pub/Sub Messaging

✓ Free planFrom $7/mo(cheaper)10M+ users · est. 2009

View Full Review Try Redis Free

Pricing Features Pros & Cons At a Glance FAQ Related

Pricing Intelligence

Redis saves you $1993/user/movs MySQL

MySQL Plans

Free tier available

Community0

Free

• GPL license
• Full SQL
• Community support

EnterpriseBest Value

$2000/yr

• Commercial license
• Oracle support
• Advanced security

Full MySQL Pricing Breakdown →

Redis Plans

Free tier available

Open Source0

Open Source

• Full Redis
• RSAL license
• Community support

Redis CloudBest Value

$7/mo

• Managed Redis
• Free 30MB tier
• 99.999% SLA

Full Redis Pricing Breakdown →

Feature Matrix

6 differences found across 10 standardized features

Feature

MySQL

Redis

ACID Transactions

✓

✗

Horizontal Scaling

✗

✓

Vector Search

✗

✓

Time Series

✗

✓

Multi-Model

✗

✓

Serverless

✓

✗

Total (raw)

Pros & Cons Face-Off

Evaluative strengths and weaknesses — not feature lists

MySQL

Pros

+Most widely deployed database — abundant expertise and tooling
+Battle-tested for 30 years on the web
+HeatWave adds analytics and ML without ETL
+Available managed on AWS RDS, Azure, GCP

Cons

−PostgreSQL has surpassed it in features for new projects
−Oracle ownership creates open-source licensing concerns

Redis

Pros

+Sub-millisecond latency — fastest data store for caching
+Universal — supported by every framework and language
+Rich data structures for real-time use cases
+Redis Stack adds search, JSON, and vector capabilities

Cons

−License changed to RSAL — Valkey is the open-source BSD fork
−In-memory storage makes large datasets expensive

At a Glance

User Rating

4.4/5vs4.5/5

MySQL

Redis

▲

Starting Price

$2000/movs$7/mo

MySQL

▲

Redis

Feature Count

16 featuresvs16 features

MySQL

Redis

User Base

1vs10.0M

MySQL

Redis

▲

Frequently Asked Questions

Related Comparisons

MySQL vs PostgreSQL →MySQL vs Snowflake →MySQL vs CockroachDB →Redis vs TiDB →Redis vs SurrealDB →Redis vs Oracle Database 23ai →MySQL Alternatives →Redis Alternatives →

Authored by Oleh KemExpert verified·Updated May 13, 2026·Our methodology