TL;DR
Both Upstash and Redis Cloud offer secure, managed Redis services. Upstash is serverless-first with HTTP REST API access (great for edge functions). Redis Cloud offers more enterprise features like Active-Active geo-distribution. Both encrypt data in transit and at rest. Upstash is simpler to secure, Redis Cloud offers more advanced security options.
Security Feature Comparison
| Feature | Upstash | Redis Cloud |
|---|---|---|
| TLS Encryption | Yes (required) | Yes (configurable) |
| At-Rest Encryption | Yes | Yes |
| Authentication | Token-based | Password + ACL |
| IP Whitelist | Yes (Pro plans) | Yes |
| VPC Peering | Yes (Enterprise) | Yes |
| REST API | Yes (primary) | No (Redis protocol) |
| SOC 2 | Yes | Yes |
Connection Security
Upstash
Upstash offers two connection methods:
- REST API: HTTPS-based access, ideal for serverless and edge functions
- Redis protocol: Traditional TLS-encrypted Redis connections
Edge Advantage: Upstash's REST API works in environments where persistent connections aren't possible (Cloudflare Workers, Vercel Edge). This also simplifies security since it uses standard HTTPS.
Redis Cloud
Redis Cloud uses the standard Redis protocol:
- TLS connections: Encrypted connections with certificate verification
- Redis ACL: Fine-grained command and key access control
- Multiple databases: Separate namespaces within a cluster
Access Control
| Access Control | Upstash | Redis Cloud |
|---|---|---|
| Per-Key Permissions | No | Yes (ACL) |
| Read-Only Tokens | Yes | Yes (via ACL) |
| Command Restrictions | Limited | Full ACL support |
| Multiple Users | Via multiple databases | Yes (native) |
Redis Cloud's ACL (Access Control List) system allows fine-grained permissions, including which commands each user can run and which keys they can access. Upstash has simpler access control focused on read-only vs read-write tokens.
Network Security
Upstash Network Options
- Public endpoint with TLS (default)
- IP allowlist on Pro plans
- VPC peering on Enterprise plans
- Global edge distribution (data closer to users)
Redis Cloud Network Options
- Public endpoint with optional TLS
- IP restrictions
- VPC peering with AWS, GCP, Azure
- Private endpoints for internal access only
- Active-Active geo-distribution
Important: Both services expose connection credentials. Keep tokens and passwords in environment variables, never in frontend code. Redis data is often session or cache data that can be sensitive.
Compliance
| Compliance | Upstash | Redis Cloud |
|---|---|---|
| SOC 2 Type II | Yes | Yes |
| HIPAA | Contact for BAA | Yes (BAA available) |
| GDPR | Yes | Yes |
| PCI DSS | Limited | Yes |
Redis Cloud has more mature enterprise compliance offerings due to Redis Labs' longer history in the enterprise market.
Which Should You Choose?
Choose Upstash If:
You're building serverless applications, need edge function compatibility, prefer simpler configuration, or want a generous free tier for development. Upstash's REST API is uniquely suited for modern edge deployments.
Choose Redis Cloud If:
You need advanced ACL permissions, require enterprise compliance features, want Active-Active geo-replication, or are already invested in the Redis enterprise ecosystem.
Is Redis data secure for sensitive information?
Both services encrypt data in transit and at rest. However, Redis is typically used for caching and sessions, not primary data storage. Avoid storing highly sensitive data (passwords, credit cards) in Redis even with encryption.
Can Upstash be used with Vercel Edge Functions?
Yes, Upstash's REST API is specifically designed for edge environments where traditional TCP connections aren't available. It's one of the few Redis services that works natively with Cloudflare Workers, Vercel Edge, and similar platforms.
Should I rotate Redis credentials regularly?
Yes, treat Redis credentials like any other secret. Both platforms support generating new credentials. Upstash makes this easy through their dashboard with multiple tokens per database.