Skip to content
Memcached logo

Memcached

Unclaimed

High-performance distributed memory caching system

Visit Website
Reviews onG2
17 reviews tracked

The Bottom Line

Entry price

Paid plans only

Biggest pro

Extremely fast

Biggest con

No persistence

TL;DR - Memcached

  • Memcached is a free, open-source, high-performance, distributed memory object caching system.
  • It functions as an in-memory key-value store for small data chunks, primarily to speed up dynamic web applications by reducing database load.
  • Memcached allows applications to utilize a shared virtual pool of memory across multiple servers, improving cache efficiency and scalability.
Pricing: open_source
Best for: Enterprises & pros
4.7/5 across review platforms

What is Memcached?

Editorial review
Memcached is a free, open-source, high-performance, distributed memory object caching system. It speeds up dynamic web applications by alleviating database load through caching data and objects in RAM.

Pros & Cons

Pros

  • Extremely fast
  • Simple to use
  • Battle-tested at scale
  • Low memory overhead

Cons

  • No persistence
  • No built-in replication
  • Limited data structures

Ratings Across the Web

4.7(17 reviews)

Ratings aggregated from independent review platforms. Learn more

Key Features

In-memory cachingDistributed architectureSimple key-value storageMulti-threaded performanceBinary and text protocol

Pricing Plans

Open Source

Free

  • BSD licensed
  • High-performance caching
  • Multi-threaded architecture
  • Production ready

Reviews

4.7/5

Across 17 verified user reviews on G2

Add your hands-on experience to help the next buyer.

Best Memcached Alternatives

Top alternatives based on features, pricing, and user needs.

Most buyers shortlist 2 or 3 tools before committing. Pull a side-by-side comparison or browse the full alternatives shortlist below.

Explore More

Memcached FAQ

How does Memcached address the issue of cache consistency across multiple web servers?

Memcached allows all servers to access a single virtual pool of memory. This ensures that a given data item is consistently stored and retrieved from the same location across the entire web cluster, simplifying cache management.

What is the primary benefit of using Memcached in a distributed web application environment compared to independent node caching?

In a distributed environment, Memcached enables a significantly larger usable cache size by pooling memory from all nodes. This contrasts with independent node caching, where the total cache size is limited to the sum of individual node caches, which can be wasteful.

Can Memcached be deployed on dedicated machines, or is it restricted to using memory from existing web servers?

Memcached is flexible in its deployment. While it can utilize memory from web servers, many users opt for dedicated machines specifically configured to function as Memcached servers.

What kind of data can be stored in Memcached?

Memcached is an in-memory key-value store designed for small chunks of arbitrary data. This includes strings, objects, and results from database calls, API calls, or page rendering.

When was Memcached originally developed and for what purpose?

Memcached was originally developed by Brad Fitzpatrick for LiveJournal in 2003. Its initial purpose was to speed up dynamic web applications by alleviating database load.

Guides & Articles