Why We're Moving from Redis to Valkey at Keplars

Debojyoti Singha· View GitHub Repository·Apr 19, 2026

At Keplars, performance and reliability are not optional.

They are core to how we build our email infrastructure.

Over the past few months, we've been re-evaluating parts of our stack to ensure we're aligned with long-term scalability, performance, and openness. One of those decisions was around our in-memory data layer.

We've decided to migrate from Redis to Valkey.

This wasn't a reactive decision. It was a deliberate step based on performance, architecture, and long-term ecosystem alignment.

The Context

Redis has been a foundational technology for years.

It's fast, reliable, and deeply integrated into modern systems.

However, recent changes around licensing and governance have shifted how teams evaluate its long-term fit, especially for infrastructure-heavy products.

At the same time, Valkey has emerged as a strong alternative.

What is Valkey?

Valkey is a fully open-source fork of Redis, released under the BSD 3-Clause license and backed by a growing open-source community.

It maintains compatibility with Redis APIs, which makes migration straightforward, while introducing improvements in performance and system efficiency.

Why We're Choosing Valkey

  1. Multi-threaded Architecture
    One of the biggest limitations of Redis is its single-threaded execution model for command processing.

Valkey introduces multi-threaded I/O and execution capabilities, allowing better utilization of modern multi-core systems.

For a system like Keplars, where throughput and concurrency matter, this directly translates to:

  • Higher parallel processing capacity
  • Better CPU utilization
  • Improved scalability under load
  1. Better Memory Efficiency
    Memory management plays a critical role in systems handling high-volume, real-time workloads.

Valkey brings improvements in how memory is handled internally, resulting in:

  • More efficient memory usage
  • Reduced overhead under heavy workloads
  • Better predictability in performance

This is especially important for us as we scale email events, delivery states, and real-time tracking data.

  1. Open Licensing & Long-Term Flexibility
    Redis has transitioned to a more restrictive, commercial-friendly license model.

While it remains usable, the shift introduces considerations around:

  • Vendor lock-in
  • Contribution model changes
  • Long-term ecosystem control

Valkey, on the other hand, is:

  • Fully open-source (BSD 3-Clause)
  • Community-driven
  • Self-host friendly without restrictions

For Keplars, this aligns better with how we think about infrastructure: open, flexible, and not dependent on licensing constraints.

  1. Higher Throughput, Lower Latency

Performance benchmarks show that Valkey can achieve:

  • Up to ~230% higher throughput
  • Lower latency under concurrent workloads

For an email infrastructure platform, this matters directly:

  • Faster event processing
  • More reliable delivery pipelines
  • Better real-time analytics

This allows us to maintain responsiveness even as usage scales.

What This Means for Keplars

This migration is not just a backend change. It directly impacts the experience we provide:

  • More consistent performance under load
  • Faster processing of email events
  • Better scalability as we grow
  • Stronger alignment with open infrastructure

Most importantly, it ensures that we are building on a foundation that is both technically robust and future-proof.

Final Thoughts

Redis has played a significant role in shaping modern infrastructure, and it continues to be a strong technology.

But as systems evolve, so do the requirements around performance, scalability, and openness.

Valkey represents a direction that aligns closely with how we want to build Keplars:

  • High-performance
  • Transparent
  • Community-driven
  • Built for long-term scale

We're excited about this shift and what it enables going forward.