Redis, Valkey and Memcached: latest stable versions in 2026
One page, kept current, for the question "what version am I actually on?". The self-hosted release numbers are the easy part; the trap is that AWS, Google, and Redis Inc. each run their own version tracks that do not line up with the open-source releases. Both tables below are dated and sourced.
Self-hosted / open-source releases
These are the versions you get when you build from source, pull the official Docker image, or install from a distribution that tracks upstream.
| Engine | Latest stable | Released | License | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Redis (open source) | 8.10 | 29 Jul 2026 | AGPLv3 / SSPLv1 / RSALv2 | github.com/redis/redis |
| Valkey | 9.1 | 19 May 2026 | BSD-3-Clause | valkey.io |
| Memcached | 1.6.45 | 9 Jul 2026 | BSD-3-Clause | memcached wiki |
Redis has been tri-licensed (AGPLv3 or the source-available SSPLv1 / RSALv2) since Redis 8.0 on 1 May 2025. Every Redis release through 7.2.4 stays BSD. See the full license timeline.
Managed-service versions (they do not match upstream)
This is where teams get caught. The cloud services lag or freeze the open-source numbers, and Redis Cloud keeps an entirely separate version scheme. If a dashboard shows "Redis 8.6" or "7.1", that is expected, not a downgrade.
| Service | Engine + version | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| AWS ElastiCache (Valkey) | Valkey 9.1 | Default engine for new clusters. Valkey 9.1 support announced June 2026. |
| AWS ElastiCache (Redis OSS) | Redis OSS 7.1 | Frozen at the last BSD release. No Redis 8.x. AWS steers new clusters to Valkey. |
| AWS ElastiCache (Memcached) | Memcached 1.6.x | Separate Memcached engine, distinct from the Valkey / Redis OSS engines. |
| GCP Memorystore for Valkey | Valkey 9.0 | Default and GA since March 2026. Valkey 9.1 available in Preview; 7.2 / 8.0 also selectable. |
| GCP Memorystore for Redis | Redis 7.x | Legacy track, kept for existing customers. New builds are steered to the Valkey service. |
| Redis Cloud (Redis Inc.) | Redis 8.6 | Latest GA on Redis Cloud's own version track; Redis 8.2 is the LTS line. Not the same numbering as open-source Redis. |
| Azure Managed Redis | Redis Enterprise | No managed Valkey on Azure. Microsoft licenses Redis Enterprise from Redis Inc. |
Sources: AWS ElastiCache Valkey 9.1, Memorystore for Valkey 9.0 GA, Redis Cloud version management. Checked August 2026.
Why the version numbers do not line up
The 2024 license change split the ecosystem into tracks that now advance independently. AWS froze the ElastiCache Redis OSS engine at 7.1, the last BSD release, rather than ship Redis 8.x under SSPL/AGPL, and pointed new clusters at Valkey. Google keeps a legacy Memorystore for Redis on the 7.x line while pushing new work to Memorystore for Valkey. Redis Inc. runs Redis Cloud on its own commercial version scheme, where "8.6 GA" and "8.2 LTS" are the current selectable lines even though the open-source project has moved on to 8.10.
The practical rule: read the open-source release number (Redis 8.10, Valkey 9.1, Memcached 1.6.45) as the state of the upstream project, and read your provider's dashboard as a separate, usually older, track. For a like-for-like engine comparison rather than a version list, see Redis vs Memcached or the three-way Redis vs Memcached vs Valkey.
FAQ
What is the latest stable version of Redis in 2026?
The latest stable open-source release is Redis 8.10, which reached general availability on 29 July 2026. It is tri-licensed under AGPLv3, SSPLv1, or RSALv2, the licensing model Redis has shipped since Redis 8.0 (1 May 2025). Note that Redis Cloud, Redis Inc.'s managed service, runs a separate version track and tops out at Redis 8.6 GA; the open-source 8.10 number and the managed-service number are not the same line.
What is the latest version of Valkey?
Valkey 9.1 is the current stable release, published on 19 May 2026 under the permissive BSD-3-Clause license. The 8.1.x line (most recently 8.1.8, 2 June 2026) still receives maintenance releases. Valkey is the Linux Foundation fork of Redis 7.2.4 and is the default engine on new AWS ElastiCache and Google Memorystore instances.
What is the latest version of Memcached?
Memcached 1.6.45, released 9 July 2026, is the current stable release, licensed BSD-3-Clause. The 1.6.x series is the active maintenance line; the July 2026 releases (1.6.43, 1.6.44, 1.6.45 in quick succession) were a run of crash and security fixes.
Why does AWS ElastiCache show an older Redis version than 8.10?
AWS froze the ElastiCache Redis OSS engine at version 7.1, the last BSD-licensed Redis release, and did not adopt Redis 8.x after the license change. New ElastiCache clusters default to Valkey instead, which is at 9.1. So on ElastiCache the newest open-source line you can run is Valkey 9.1, not Redis 8.10; choosing the Redis OSS engine gets you the four-year-old 7.1 release on a maintenance track.
Is the Redis Cloud version the same as the open-source Redis version?
No. Redis Cloud and Redis Enterprise use their own version numbering, distinct from the Redis Open Source line. As of 2026 the latest GA version selectable on Redis Cloud is Redis 8.6, with Redis 8.2 as the long-term-support line; the open-source project is separately at 8.10. Do not read the open-source release number as the managed-service number.