Apache Kafka
6.0#15 in event streaming platformsFree planFree planAPISelf-hosted
VisitApache Kafka vs Confluent Cloud
Confluent Cloud
7.1#3 in schema registry softwareFrom $385 a monthFree planWebAPILinux
VisitWhat both publish
| Fact | Apache Kafka | Confluent Cloud |
|---|---|---|
| Founded | 1999 | 2014 |
| Integrations | Kafka Connect integrates with hundreds of event sources and sinks; the homepage names Postgres, JMS, Elasticsearch, and AWS S3 as examples. | Confluent Cloud offers pre-built and fully managed Kafka connectors for sources and sinks such as databases, data lakes, and data warehouses. |
| Security | The project describes Kafka as secure; the ASF directs vulnerability reports to its security page. | The page names RBAC, self-managed encryption keys, client-side field-level encryption, and audit logs among its security features. |
Apache Kafka plans
- Apache KafkaFree
Confluent Cloud plans
- BasicFree
- Standard$385 a month
- Enterprise$895 a month
- Confluent CloudFree
Pick Apache Kafka if…
You want what its maker publishes above — check its page for the details.
Pick Confluent Cloud if…
Confluent Cloud suits teams building real-time streaming, event-driven, analytics, or AI/ML workflows. Its options include managed connectors, stream processing, and cross-cluster data sharing.