Try our new research platform with insights from 80,000+ expert users

Apache Kafka vs PubSub+ Platform comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive SummaryUpdated on Dec 17, 2024

Review summaries and opinions

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:
 

ROI

Sentiment score
7.3
Apache Kafka offers quick ROI with cost savings, valuable insights, and ease of use despite configuration challenges.
Sentiment score
7.0
PubSub+ Platform aids digital transformation with increased productivity and cost savings, though some report higher operational costs.
 

Customer Service

Sentiment score
5.8
Apache Kafka support varies between community forums, paid services, self-support, with satisfaction depending on service type and user experiences.
Sentiment score
7.5
Users praise PubSub+ Platform's responsive and knowledgeable support, with senior leadership involvement and prompt technical resolutions.
The Apache community provides support for the open-source version.
 

Scalability Issues

Sentiment score
7.8
Apache Kafka offers high scalability and seamless integration, managing large data volumes efficiently across industries, even with some manual management.
Sentiment score
6.9
PubSub+ Platform efficiently scales and integrates across clouds, handling enterprise messaging; improvements needed in topic management and operations.
Customers have not faced issues with user growth or data streaming needs.
 

Stability Issues

Sentiment score
7.7
Apache Kafka is generally stable, with ratings of 7-9, though evolving APIs and configuration challenges can affect performance.
Sentiment score
8.2
Users praise PubSub+ for its stability, reliability, and performance under increased loads, citing minimal maintenance and high availability.
 

Room For Improvement

Apache Kafka needs UI, integration, deployment, monitoring, performance, and documentation improvements, plus simpler authentication and stability enhancements.
PubSub+ Platform needs better integration, observability, open-source options, and cost reduction to improve usability and adoption.
The performance angle is critical, and while it works in milliseconds, the goal is to move towards microseconds.
We are always trying to find the best configs, which is a challenge.
 

Setup Cost

Apache Kafka is cost-effective but managed services and on-premises enterprise versions can incur significant costs.
Enterprise buyers value PubSub+ Platform for its transparent, flexible pricing and licensing, with adjustable costs based on usage projections.
The open-source version of Apache Kafka results in minimal costs, mainly linked to accessing documentation and limited support.
 

Valuable Features

Apache Kafka excels in scalability, reliability, and integration, offering robust analytics, data processing, and event-driven operations support.
PubSub+ Platform offers seamless message routing and real-time event distribution with flexible management, supporting various protocols and networks.
It allows the use of data in motion, allowing data to propagate from one source to another while it is in motion.
 

Categories and Ranking

Apache Kafka
Ranking in Streaming Analytics
7th
Average Rating
8.2
Reviews Sentiment
7.0
Number of Reviews
86
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
PubSub+ Platform
Ranking in Streaming Analytics
11th
Average Rating
8.6
Reviews Sentiment
7.1
Number of Reviews
16
Ranking in other categories
Message Queue (MQ) Software (6th), Message Oriented Middleware (MOM) (2nd), Event Monitoring (9th)
 

Mindshare comparison

As of February 2025, in the Streaming Analytics category, the mindshare of Apache Kafka is 2.3%, up from 2.0% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of PubSub+ Platform is 2.9%, down from 3.1% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Streaming Analytics
 

Featured Reviews

Snehasish Das - PeerSpot reviewer
Data streaming transforms real-time data movement with impressive scalability
I worked with Apache Kafka for customers in the financial industry and OTT platforms. They use Kafka particularly for data streaming. Companies offering movie and entertainment as a service, similar to Netflix, use Kafka Apache Kafka offers unique data streaming. It allows the use of data in…
BhanuChidigam - PeerSpot reviewer
Performs well, high availability, and helpful support
We use approximately four people for the maintenance of the solution. My advice to others is this solution has high throughput and is used for many stock exchanges. For business critical use cases, such as processing financial transactions at a quick speed, I would recommend this solution. I rate PubSub+ Event Broker an eight out of ten.
report
Use our free recommendation engine to learn which Streaming Analytics solutions are best for your needs.
838,640 professionals have used our research since 2012.
 

Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Financial Services Firm
31%
Computer Software Company
12%
Manufacturing Company
6%
Retailer
5%
Financial Services Firm
36%
Computer Software Company
12%
Retailer
8%
Manufacturing Company
7%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
 

Questions from the Community

What are the differences between Apache Kafka and IBM MQ?
Apache Kafka is open source and can be used for free. It has very good log management and has a way to store the data used for analytics. Apache Kafka is very good if you have a high number of user...
What do you like most about Apache Kafka?
Apache Kafka is an open-source solution that can be used for messaging or event processing.
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Apache Kafka?
The open-source version of Apache Kafka results in minimal costs, mainly linked to accessing documentation and limited support. Enterprises usually opt for the more cost-effective open-source edition.
What do you like most about PubSub+ Event Broker?
The most valuable feature of PubSub+ Event Broker is the scaling integration. Prior to using the solution, it was done manually with a file, and it can be done instantly live.
What needs improvement with PubSub+ Event Broker?
The solution could be improved by enhancing the message pooling size for persistent messages to handle both small and large messages effectively. Additionally, providing a comprehensive dashboard t...
 

Also Known As

No data available
PubSub+ Event Broker, PubSub+ Event Portal
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

Uber, Netflix, Activision, Spotify, Slack, Pinterest
FxPro, TP ICAP, Barclays, Airtel, American Express, Cobalt, Legal & General, LSE Group, Akuna Capital, Azure Information Technology, Brand.net, Canadian Securities Exchange, Core Transport Technologies, Crédit Agricole, Fluent Trade Technologies, Harris Corporation, Korea Exchange, Live E!, Mercuria Energy, Myspace, NYSE Technologies, Pico, RBC Capital Markets, Standard Chartered Bank, Unibet 
Find out what your peers are saying about Apache Kafka vs. PubSub+ Platform and other solutions. Updated: January 2025.
838,640 professionals have used our research since 2012.