Home/Compare/chroma vs redis

Comparison

chroma vs redis

Verdict

Pick chroma if chroma is an open-source data infrastructure for AI designed to support vector, hybrid, and full-text search capabilities with high performance; pick redis if redis is an in-memory database designed as a versatile cache and data structure store with advanced features such as JSON operations and vector searches, making it suitable for real-time applications.

Markdown twin · chroma alternatives · redis alternatives

GraphCanon updated today

chroma logo

chroma

chroma-core/chroma

29kpushed Jul 10, 2026
vs
redis logo

redis

redis/redis

75kpushed Jul 10, 2026

Trust & integrity

Signalchromaredis
Maintenance
Very active (0d since push)
As of today · github_public_v1
Very active (0d since push)
As of today · github_public_v1
Provenance
Not a fork · Organization account
As of today · github_public_v1
Not a fork · Organization account
As of today · github_public_v1
Security (OSV)
8 low (8 low)
As of today · osv@v1
No lockfile
As of today · none

Tagline

chroma
Search infrastructure for AI
redis
Redis is a preferred cache, data structure server, and document & vector query engine for real-time applications.

Stars

chroma
29k
redis
75k

Forks

chroma
2.4k
redis
25k

Open issues

chroma
728
redis
2.9k

Language

chroma
Rust
redis
C

Adopt for

chroma
Chroma is an open-source data infrastructure for AI designed to support vector, hybrid, and full-text search capabilities with high performance.
redis
Redis is an in-memory database designed as a versatile cache and data structure store with advanced features such as JSON operations and vector searches, making it suitable for real-time applications.

Persona

chroma
-
redis
-

Runtime

chroma
-
redis
-

License

chroma
Chroma is released under the Apache 2.0 license.
redis
Other

Last pushed

chroma
Jul 10, 2026
redis
Jul 10, 2026

Categories

chroma
Data & Retrieval, Vector Databases
redis
Vector Databases, Data & Retrieval

Trust and health

Open issues (now)

chroma
728
redis
2.9k

Security scan

chroma
8 low (8 low)
redis
No lockfile

Full report

Choose chroma if…

  • chroma is primarily Rust; redis is C.
  • License: chroma is Apache-2.0, redis is Other.
  • Pricing: The open-source version is free to use and modify; the hosted service (Chroma Cloud) has a freemium model offering $5 of initial credits..
  • Requirements: Min 1 GB RAM.
  • Tags unique to chroma: full-text-search, agents, rust, rust-lang.
  • - When you require a high-performance data infrastructure that can handle complex query needs for AI applications. - If your project necessitates fast, cost-effective, and scalable serverless services

When NOT to use chroma

  • - In scenarios where a more mature or enterprise-grade solution is required, as Chroma might be rapidly evolving and not yet fully stabilized.
  • - If your project requires extensive customization at the lower levels that the relatively new tool might not support comprehensively yet
  • - When the specific need for an AI application does not benefit from vector, hybrid, or full-text search capabilities that Chroma excels in.

Choose redis if…

  • redis is primarily C; chroma is Rust.
  • License: redis is Other, chroma is Apache-2.0.
  • Tags unique to redis: cache, json, nosql, in-memory.
  • You need high-speed access to frequently used data due to Redis's in-memory nature.

When NOT to use redis

  • Your project has limited memory resources since Redis relies on in-memory storage, which could lead to high costs or operational challenges with large datasets.
  • You prioritize persistence over speed; while Redis offers persistence options, its primary design is for real-time access and not robust disk-based backup solutions like traditional SQL databases.
  • Your application workload does not benefit from the fast read/write capabilities and rich data structure support offered by Redis, possibly implying that a less specialized database would suffice.

Explore

Sources

Every stat on this page traces to a dated GitHub sync, license file, enrichment field, or trust scan.

GitHub stars on cards: chroma 29k · redis 75k (synced Jul 11, 2026).

Common questions

What is the difference between chroma and redis?
chroma: Search infrastructure for AI. redis: Redis is a preferred cache, data structure server, and document & vector query engine for real-time applications.. See the comparison table for live GitHub stats and shared categories.
When should I choose chroma over redis?
Choose chroma over redis when chroma is primarily Rust; redis is C; License: chroma is Apache-2.0, redis is Other; Pricing: The open-source version is free to use and modify; the hosted service (Chroma Cloud) has a freemium model offering $5 of initial credits.; Requirements: Min 1 GB RAM; Tags unique to chroma: full-text-search, agents, rust, rust-lang; - When you require a high-performance data infrastructure that can handle complex query needs for AI applications. - If your project necessitates fast, cost-effective, and scalable serverless services.
When should I choose redis over chroma?
Choose redis over chroma when redis is primarily C; chroma is Rust; License: redis is Other, chroma is Apache-2.0; Tags unique to redis: cache, json, nosql, in-memory; You need high-speed access to frequently used data due to Redis's in-memory nature.
When should I avoid chroma?
- In scenarios where a more mature or enterprise-grade solution is required, as Chroma might be rapidly evolving and not yet fully stabilized. - If your project requires extensive customization at the lower levels that the relatively new tool might not support comprehensively yet - When the specific need for an AI application does not benefit from vector, hybrid, or full-text search capabilities that Chroma excels in.
When should I avoid redis?
Your project has limited memory resources since Redis relies on in-memory storage, which could lead to high costs or operational challenges with large datasets. You prioritize persistence over speed; while Redis offers persistence options, its primary design is for real-time access and not robust disk-based backup solutions like traditional SQL databases. Your application workload does not benefit from the fast read/write capabilities and rich data structure support offered by Redis, possibly implying that a less specialized database would suffice.
Is chroma or redis more popular on GitHub?
redis has more GitHub stars (75,394 vs 28,763). Stars measure visibility, not whether either tool fits your constraints.
Are chroma and redis open source?
Yes - both are open-source projects on GitHub (chroma: Apache-2.0, redis: Other).
Where can I find alternatives to chroma or redis?
GraphCanon lists graph-backed alternatives at chroma alternatives and redis alternatives (chroma markdown twin, redis markdown twin), ranked by typed relationship edges rather than popularity votes.
Is there a machine-readable version of this comparison?
Yes. The markdown twin at this comparison mirrors this page for agents and LLM crawlers, with the same stats table and FAQ answers.
Which is better maintained, chroma or redis?
chroma: Very active. redis: Very active. Compare maintenance labels, days since push, and release cadence in the trust section below - stars alone do not measure maintenance.
Where are the full trust reports for chroma and redis?
GraphCanon publishes per-repo trust reports with dated maintenance, provenance, and scan summaries: chroma trust report; redis trust report.