Confluent vs. Apache Kafka

Confluent vs. Apache Kafka®

Confluent vs. Apache Kafka®

In this post we will compare Apache Kafka® and the Confluent Kafka Platform, describing what they have in common and what sets them apart.  

What is Confluent Kafka and Apache Kafka?

Apache Kafka is a free, open source message broker that provides high throughput, high availability, and low latency.  Apache Kafka can be used either on its own or with addons from Confluent. Throughout this post we will compare and contrast the two approaches to building and managing Kafka clusters looking at various factors such as cost, features, and ease of use.  Since cost is typically the deciding factor, we will start there.

We built this calculator to help teams get a quick estimate of how much they can save (or not) by using a managed Apache Kafka service instead of Confluent Kafka.   You’ll notice that for teams with low message volume, Confluent can be the economical choice.  Then, as message volume increases, managed Apache Kafka becomes much more economical.

Cost comparison:
Confluent vs. Managed Apache Kafka® by Dattell

One of the primary differentiators between Confluent Kafka and Apache Kafka is cost.  We built this calculator to help teams get a quick estimate of how much they can save (or not) by using Dattell’s Managed Apache Kafka service instead of Confluent Kafka. 

Enter your monthly license/support fees and select your message volume range to see the cost difference for Confluent vs fully supported Apache Kafka.  This form is anonymous. We do not collect any of the data you enter.

$
Enter the current amount spent per month on licensing and support.
Enter your average message volume in MB/sec.
(([monthlyfees1]*12)-[dattellcost1])
$
Note that this value is an approximation. Actual savings could be much larger depending on a number of variables, such as whether your Kafka implementation is third party hosted. Also note, these prices reflect Dattell's managed Kafka service. Other providers will offer different pricing models.

Cost comparison:
Confluent vs. Managed Kafka by Dattell

Enter your monthly license/support fees and select your message volume range to see how much you can save on your Kafka implementation.  This form is anonymous. We do not collect any of the data inputted.

$
Enter the current amount spent per month on licensing and support.
Enter your average message volume in MB/sec.
([monthlyfees2]*12)-[dattellcost2]
$
Note that this value is an approximation. Actual savings could be much larger depending on a number of variables, such as whether your Kafka implementation is third party hosted. Also note, these prices reflect Dattell's managed Kafka service. Other providers will offer different pricing models.

Cost comparison:
Confluent vs.
Managed Kafka by Dattell

This form is anonymous. We do not collect any of the data entered.

$
Enter the current amount spent per month on licensing and support.
Enter your average message volume in MB/sec.
([monthlyfees3]*12)-[dattellcost3]
$
Note that this value is an approximation. Actual savings could be much larger depending on a number of variables, such as whether your Kafka implementation is third party hosted. Also note, these prices reflect Dattell's managed Kafka service. Other providers will offer different pricing models.

Dattell includes Kafka SME hours with every support plan

Another important differentiator is that we include SME hours with every support plan.  You will work with a consistent Kafka SME to support your implementation, including: 

  • Broker configuration
  • Latency reduction
  • Producer configuration
  • Consumer configuration
  • Security—SSL/TLS, ACL
  • Upgrades
  • Bug fixes
  • Performance testing
  • Scaling
  • User training

How does licensing work for Confluent Kafka and Apache Kafka?

Because Apache Kafka is licensed under the Apache 2.0 license, there is no cost to use it.  Additionally, there are no limitations on using Apache Kafka to build commercial products.  

Confluent Kafka has licensing limitations.  And for access to their enterprise platform and features, additional fees are applied. 

Kafka vs Confluent Table

Is Apache Kafka free?

Apache Kafka is free and open source. It is available under Apache 2.0.

Is Confluent Kafka free?

The Confluent Kafka Platform is free to download and use under the Confluent Community License.  Unlike Apache Kafka which is available under the Apache 2.0 license, the Confluent Community License is not open source and has restrictions.  

Despite these added limitations, some companies prefer to use the Confluent Kafka Platform because it offers additional features not available with the core Apache Kafka product.  Examples of technology included in the Confluent Community License are pre-built connectors, ksqlDB, REST Proxy, and Schema Registry.  

Beyond the free to use Confluent Community License technology, Confluent also has a fee-based enterprise license that includes additional pre-built connectors and other tools.  More information can be found here, https://www.confluent.io/confluent-community-license-faq/.

Confluent Platform Ideal for Small Data Volumes

The primary driver for many companies using Confluent is the plug-n-play nature of their platform.  They make spinning up a cluster easy.  Their offering can be ideal for initial tests or for companies with low data volumes. 

There are fees to use their cloud and limitations on version and customization controls, but with small data volumes those constraints are often economical.

Apache Kafka Better for Streaming Large Volumes

Apache Kafka infrastructure will yield better and more economical results for companies streaming large amounts of data.  The ability to custom optimize your clusters, retain version control, and preserve ownership over your data become more important as data volumes increase. 

Confluent and similar hosted options also get expensive as you scale.  Look for a flat fee pricing model instead to avoid large jumps in fees as you scale.

Below is a table showing how Apache Kafka managed in your environment provides a more comprehensive service that does more to preserve uptime and eliminate data loss than does Confluent’s one-size-fits-all approach.

Apache Kafka by Dattell vs Confluent Kafka

Whether Confluent Kafka or Apache Kafka is the right choice for you will depend on your use case.  Consider the pros and cons of each, the experience level of your team, and your expectations for scaling over the next three years.

Managed Apache Kafka®
A Confluent Alternative

The same SLAs without the price tag.

  • 99.99% uptime guarantee
  • 15-minute response times
  • We handle migration end-to-end and train your team
Managed Apache Kafka®
A Confluent Alternative

The same SLAs without the price tag.

  • 99.99% uptime guarantee
  • 15-minute response times
  • We handle migration end-to-end and train your team
Managed Apache Kafka®

A Confluent Alternative

The same SLAs without the price tag.

  • 99.99% uptime guarantee
  • 15-minute response times
  • We handle migration end-to-end and train your team

Fully Managed Apache Kafka®

Fully Managed Apache Kafka®

Fully Managed Apache Kafka®

Visit our Apache Kafka® managed services page for more details on our Kafka support.

Learn about Managed Apache Kafka® by Dattell
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