Best Event Streaming Platforms in 2026
Updated
In short: Aiven for Apache Kafka is ranked #1 of 23 as of 4 October 2026, ahead of Apache Pulsar and Confluent Cloud. The best-ranked option with a free plan is Apache Pulsar. The lowest first paid tier on this page is Amazon Managed Streaming for Apache Kafka at $0.11/mo.
For systems that move event data between connected applications, compare the integration, delivery, and processing features that matter to your workflows. RisingWave, Aiven for Apache Kafka, and Apache Pulsar head the ranking, followed by Confluent Cloud and Redpanda. Check the listed connectors and supported client languages alongside deployment model and delivery guarantee. Maximum retention can help you compare how long event data is kept, while schema registry and stream processing are additional capabilities to review. Free-plan availability and paid-from pricing provide cost reference points. The entries are ordered as a ranked best-of list; use the listed criteria to assess them against your integration and retention needs.
23 event streaming platforms ranked on what their makers publish — plans and prices, free tiers, platforms and the facts on their own pages.
Event Streaming Platforms in tiers by the score this site gives them, S at the top. 2 of the 23 on this page have an Android app.
- 4 DataStax Astra StreamingFree 6.9
- 5 RisingWave$0.23/mo 6.7
- 6 Redpanda 6.5
- 7 Keen Product AnalyticsAndroid$149/mo 6.4
- 8 LightstreamerAndroid 6.4
- 9 Amazon Managed Streaming for Apache Kafka$0.11/mo 6.3
- 10 Amazon Kinesis Data Streams 6.1
- 11 StreamNative$73/mo 6.1
- 12 Apache RocketMQ 6.0
- 13 Hadron 6.0
- 14 Instaclustr Managed PostgreSQL 6.0
- 15 Google Cloud Managed Service for Apache Kafka 5.9
- 16 Solace PubSub+ Event Broker 5.9
- 17 Wisembly€79/mo 5.9
- 18 Pravega 5.8
- 19 Alibaba Cloud Message Queue for Apache Kafka 5.7
- 20 AutoMQ 5.7
- 21 Oracle Cloud Infrastructure Streaming 5.7
- 22 StreamHouse 5.6
- 23 Apache Kafka 5.5
Is your app 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 event streaming platform is ranked first on Everything Xiaomi?
Aiven for Apache Kafka is ranked #1 of 23 with a score of 7.1. Apache Pulsar is second and Confluent Cloud third.
How many of these have a free plan?
4 of the 23 on this page publish a free plan on their own pricing pages.
Which is the cheapest paid option?
On this page, Amazon Managed Streaming for Apache Kafka has the lowest first paid tier we found: $0.11/mo.
How is this list ranked?
Ranked on what each maker publishes: documentation depth, a free tier and the platforms it runs on. Paid placements never change a rank.