# Valkey

> BSD-3-Clause forever-OSS Redis-protocol KV after the license fork

**Category:** Databases  
**Pricing:** open-source  
**URL:** https://valkey.io  
**GitHub:** https://github.com/valkey-io/valkey  
**Added:** 2026-09-04

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## The Hook

Valkey is the Redis-protocol store you pick when forever-OSS is the requirement, not a speed claim.

## What's Good

BSD-3-Clause. Linux Foundation project after the Redis license change. Drop-in Redis protocol clients and data structures. Self-host is the free path — no Cloud SKU invented here.

## The Catch

Forever-OSS Redis-protocol fork lane, not Redis but faster. Redis gem is already live — this is the license/governance fork, not a performance twin. Do not invent managed free tiers.

## Verdict

BSD-3 forever-OSS Redis protocol. Fork lane, not a speed upgrade.