Best Key-Value Databases in 2026
Updated
In short: Amazon DynamoDB is ranked #1 of 30 as of 4 October 2026, ahead of Aerospike Database and Google Cloud Bigtable. The best-ranked option with a free plan is Aerospike Database. The lowest first paid tier on this page is Google Cloud Bigtable at $0.03/mo.
Key-value databases store and retrieve application data using keys, and their fit depends on the storage and operating requirements of your workload. Compared on clustering support, deployment model, persistence modes, and supported protocols, these options also differ in maximum value size, TTL support, and multi-region support. Amazon DynamoDB, Aerospike Database, and Google Cloud Bigtable are among the entries. Compare the listed capabilities with your application’s access patterns and infrastructure needs, and consider free-plan availability and paid-from pricing as additional factors.
30 key-value databases ranked on what their makers publish — plans and prices, free tiers, platforms and the facts on their own pages.
#1 Amazon DynamoDB Top pick · 8.1 Free plan · Free
#2 Aerospike Database Runner-up · 7.7 Free plan · Free
#3 Google Cloud Bigtable Also great · 7.7 $0.03/mo
- Free planFree trial AndroidapiiOSLinuxmacOSWebWindows
- Free plan
- Yes
- Deployment model
- cloud
- Maximum value size
- 0.4 MB
- Persistence modes
- disk
- TTL support
- Yes
RecognisedDocumentedFree planFree trialPlatforms - Free planFree trial apiLinuxself-hostedWeb
- Free plan
- Yes
- Deployment model
- hybrid
- Maximum value size
- 8 MB
- Persistence modes
- both
- TTL support
- Yes
RecognisedDocumentedFree planFree trialPlatforms - Free trial apiWeb
- Free plan
- No
- Deployment model
- cloud
- Maximum value size
- 100 MB
- Persistence modes
- both
- TTL support
- Yes
RecognisedDocumentedFree planFree trialPlatforms$0.03/mofirst paid tier About Google Cloud BigtableVisit site - Free planFree trial apiWeb
- Free plan
- Yes
- Deployment model
- cloud
- Maximum value size
- 100 MB
- Persistence modes
- both
- TTL support
- Yes
RecognisedDocumentedFree planFree trialPlatforms$0.20/mofirst paid tier About Upstash RedisVisit site - Free plan apiLinuxmacOSself-hostedWebWindows
- Free plan
- Yes
- Deployment model
- self_hosted
- Persistence modes
- both
- TTL support
- Yes
RecognisedDocumentedFree planFree trialPlatforms - Free plan apiiOSLinuxmacOSself-hostedWindowsRecognisedDocumentedFree planFree trialPlatforms
- Free plan apiLinuxmacOSself-hostedWindows
- Deployment model
- self_hosted
- Persistence modes
- disk
- TTL support
- Yes
RecognisedDocumentedFree planFree trialPlatformsFree About TiKVVisit site - Free plan apiLinuxmacOSself-hostedWindows
- Deployment model
- self_hosted
- Persistence modes
- both
- TTL support
- Yes
RecognisedDocumentedFree planFree trialPlatformsFree About etcdVisit site - Free plan apiLinuxself-hosted
- Free plan
- Yes
- Deployment model
- self_hosted
- Persistence modes
- both
- TTL support
- Yes
RecognisedDocumentedFree planFree trialPlatforms - Free plan LinuxmacOSself-hostedWebWindows
- Free plan
- Yes
RecognisedDocumentedFree planFree trialPlatforms - Free plan Linuxself-hostedWindows
- Deployment model
- self_hosted
RecognisedDocumentedFree planFree trialPlatforms - Free plan LinuxWeb
- Free plan
- Yes
- Paid from
- 5 /mo
- Deployment model
- cloud
- Maximum value size
- 25 MB
- Persistence modes
- both
- TTL support
- Yes
RecognisedDocumentedFree planFree trialPlatforms$5/mofirst paid tier About Cloudflare Workers KVVisit site - Free plan apiLinuxself-hostedRecognisedDocumentedFree planFree trialPlatforms
- self-hosted
- Free plan
- Yes
- Paid from
- 0.01 /mo
- Deployment model
- hybrid
- TTL support
- Yes
RecognisedDocumentedFree planFree trialPlatforms - LinuxmacOS
- Deployment model
- self_hosted
- Persistence modes
- disk
- TTL support
- Yes
RecognisedDocumentedFree planFree trialPlatforms - apiLinuxmacOSself-hostedWindows
- Deployment model
- self_hosted
- Persistence modes
- both
RecognisedDocumentedFree planFree trialPlatforms - apiLinuxmacOSself-hosted
- Deployment model
- self_hosted
- Persistence modes
- both
- TTL support
- Yes
RecognisedDocumentedFree planFree trialPlatforms - LinuxmacOS
- Deployment model
- self_hosted
- Persistence modes
- both
- TTL support
- Yes
RecognisedDocumentedFree planFree trialPlatforms - Linux
- Free plan
- Yes
- Deployment model
- self_hosted
- Persistence modes
- both
- TTL support
- Yes
RecognisedDocumentedFree planFree trialPlatforms - WindowsmacOSLinux
- Deployment model
- self_hosted
- Persistence modes
- both
- TTL support
- Yes
RecognisedDocumentedFree planFree trialPlatforms - WindowsmacOSLinux
- Deployment model
- self_hosted
- Persistence modes
- both
RecognisedDocumentedFree planFree trialPlatforms -
- Free plan
- Yes
- Deployment model
- hybrid
- Maximum value size
- 256 MB
- Persistence modes
- both
RecognisedDocumentedFree planFree trialPlatforms - Web
- Deployment model
- hybrid
- Maximum value size
- 10 MB
- Persistence modes
- both
- TTL support
- Yes
RecognisedDocumentedFree planFree trialPlatforms - Web
- Free plan
- No
- Deployment model
- cloud
- Persistence modes
- both
- TTL support
- Yes
RecognisedDocumentedFree planFree trialPlatforms -
- Deployment model
- self_hosted
- Persistence modes
- disk
RecognisedDocumentedFree planFree trialPlatforms
Is your platform on this list?
Numbered spots on this list can be sponsored. They are labelled, and the editorial order and scores never change for payment.
Questions about this list
Which key-value database is ranked first on The Geeks Club?
Amazon DynamoDB is ranked #1 of 30 with a score of 8.1. Aerospike Database is second and Google Cloud Bigtable third.
How many of these have a free plan?
12 of the 25 on this page publish a free plan on their own pricing pages.
Which is the cheapest paid option?
On this page, Google Cloud Bigtable has the lowest first paid tier we found: $0.03/mo.
How is this list ranked?
Ranked on how quickly a newcomer can get going: documentation depth, a free tier or trial, and the platforms it runs on. Paid placements never change a rank.