Side by side
Aiven for Valkey vs Apache Traffic Server
Both stand on caching software. Which one you can start free with, which one lets you read the code, and what each costs once you pay.
Free plan APILinuxWeb
Aiven for Valkey offers managed Valkey with several administration paths and real-time workload features. The free tier has substantial service limits, so check plan resources and included options against your requirements.
Visit Aiven for Valkey Free plan Open source APILinuxMac+1
Apache Traffic Server combines caching, proxying, and layer 7 load balancing in a self-hosted server. Its deployment options and plug-in APIs suit organizations that need to tailor proxy behavior.
Visit Apache Traffic ServerThe facts
| Aiven for Valkey | Apache Traffic Server | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Open source | Not published | Yes |
| Runs on | API, Linux, Web | API, Linux, Mac, Self-hosted |
| Lowest paid plan | Developer: $15 a month | Free or on request |
| Plans published | 6 | 1 |
| Maker | Not published | Not published |
| Website | aiven.io | trafficserver.apache.org |
| On caching software | #3 of 27 | #1 of 27 |
Aiven for Valkey: what it does well
- Supports caching, queues, sessions, RAG, and analytics.
- Manageable through Console, CLI, API, or Terraform.
- Valkey Search supports vector and full-text queries.
- Advertises automatic failover and backups every 12 hours.
What to know first
- Free tier has 1 CPU and 1 GB RAM.
- Free tier has no integrations or connection pooling.
- Free tier excludes VPCs and static IPs.
- Free tier has no 99.99% SLA or support services.
Apache Traffic Server: what it does well
- Free and open source under Apache License 2.0.
- Supports HTTP/1.1 and HTTP/2.
- Offers proxy, reverse proxy, and cache hierarchy deployments.
- Plug-in APIs support custom behavior.
- Includes SSL termination and client access controls.
What to know first
- Self-hosted deployment requires managing the installation.
- The listed stable release is 10.2.0; 9.2.15 is the LTS release.
Alternatives to Aiven for Valkey Alternatives to Apache Traffic Server The whole list

