Side by side
Amazon ElastiCache 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 APILinuxMac+2
ElastiCache offers serverless and node-based deployment choices alongside multiple caching engines and AWS integrations. Check the serverless data-tiering limit and the applicable billing model before selecting a setup.
Visit Amazon ElastiCache
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
| Amazon ElastiCache | Apache Traffic Server | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Open source | No | Yes |
| Runs on | API, Linux, Mac, Web, Windows | API, Linux, Mac, Self-hosted |
| Lowest paid plan | See the plans | Free or on request |
| Plans published | 5 | 1 |
| Maker | Not published | Not published |
| Website | aws.amazon.com | trafficserver.apache.org |
| On caching software | #4 of 27 | #1 of 27 |
Amazon ElastiCache: what it does well
- Supports Valkey, Memcached and Redis OSS.
- Serverless option scales with compute, memory and network use.
- Replicates serverless cache data across multiple Availability Zones.
- CloudWatch includes more than 40 operational metrics at no additional charge.
- Valkey serverless starts at $6/mo.
What to know first
- Data tiering is unavailable with ElastiCache Serverless.
- On-demand node pricing depends on node type and count.
- Redis OSS Extended Support can carry an 80% or 160% premium.
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 Amazon ElastiCache Alternatives to Apache Traffic Server The whole list