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Databases · head to head

Apache Kafka vs Hasura

Apache Kafka logo

Apache Kafka

Databases

Open-source distributed event streaming platform

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Hasura logo

Hasura

APIs

GraphQL engine that instantly creates production-ready GraphQL API from databases

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Apache Kafka operationally heavy to self-host: brokers, storage, rebalancing and upgrades are a standing job, which is why managed Kafka is a large market; Hasura active model definition: model/command accessed more than 1,000 times monthly
  • They diverge on capability: Apache Kafka covers Durable commit log, Hasura covers GraphQL API.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Apache Kafka and Hasura actually diverge.

Attributes where Apache Kafka and Hasura differ
AttributeApache KafkaHasura
Pricing modelOpen source, no licence fee; managed services billed separatelyfreemium
PlatformsLinux, Windows, macOS, Self-hosted, DockerWeb
CategoryDatabasesAPIs
FoundedUnknown2017

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Apache Kafka

  • Durable commit log
  • Horizontal scale
  • Kafka Connect
  • Kafka Streams
  • Replication
  • Low latency

Only in Hasura

  • GraphQL API
  • Real-time subscriptions
  • Access control
  • PostgreSQL
  • MySQL
  • Webhooks
  • REST APIs
  • Cloud support

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Apache Kafka

  • Moving events between services without point-to-point couplingnot Hasura
  • Feeding analytics and warehouses from operational systems in near real timenot Hasura
  • Replaying history to rebuild state after a consumer bugnot Hasura
  • Buffering bursty producers ahead of slower downstream systemsnot Hasura

Hasura

  • Automatic GraphQL API generation from existing databasesnot Apache Kafka
  • Real-time data subscriptions for modern applicationsnot Apache Kafka
  • Backend infrastructure for web and mobile applicationsnot Apache Kafka
  • Event-triggered webhooks for database changesnot Apache Kafka

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Apache Kafka

  • Operationally heavy to self-host: brokers, storage, rebalancing and upgrades are a standing job, which is why managed Kafka is a large market
  • Overkill for straightforward job queues, where a simpler broker is easier to run and reason about
  • Ordering guarantees hold per partition, not per topic, and getting partitioning wrong is a common and expensive design mistake
  • The ecosystem is fragmented across the Apache project and vendor distributions, so documentation and tooling advice often assume a particular distribution

Hasura

  • Active model definition: model/command accessed more than 1,000 times monthly
  • Private DDN requires Base or Advanced plan

Pricing, plan by plan

Apache Kafka

Free
  • Apache KafkaFree
    • Full platform
    • Kafka Connect
    • Kafka Streams

Hasura

Free
  • DDN FreeFree
    • Unlimited models
    • 1 supergraph developer
    • 15-minute observability retention
  • DDN Base$5/month
    • Per active model billing
    • Unlimited developers
    • 30-day observability retention
  • DDN Advanced$30/month
    • Per active model billing
    • Federated collaboration
    • Multi-repo CI/CD

Which should you pick?

Choose Apache Kafka if

  • You need durable commit log.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, Windows, macOS, Self-hosted, Docker.
  • You also want horizontal scale.
Apache Kafka review

Choose Hasura if

  • You need graphql api.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want real-time subscriptions.
Hasura review

Questions people ask

Is Apache Kafka or Hasura better?
Neither clearly leads. Apache Kafka starts at Free and Hasura at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Apache Kafka or Hasura?
Apache Kafka starts at Free and Hasura at Free.
Does Apache Kafka or Hasura run on more platforms?
Apache Kafka runs on Linux, Windows, macOS, Self-hosted, Docker. Hasura runs on Web.
Can I use Apache Kafka for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Apache Kafka best used for?
Apache Kafka is most often used for moving events between services without point-to-point coupling, feeding analytics and warehouses from operational systems in near real time, replaying history to rebuild state after a consumer bug, buffering bursty producers ahead of slower downstream systems. Of those, moving events between services without point-to-point coupling and feeding analytics and warehouses from operational systems in near real time are not what Hasura is typically brought in for.
What can Apache Kafka do that Hasura cannot?
Apache Kafka covers Durable commit log, Horizontal scale, Kafka Connect, Kafka Streams. Hasura covers GraphQL API, Real-time subscriptions, Access control, PostgreSQL.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Apache Kafka: Is Apache Kafka free?

Yes. Kafka is open source under the Apache License v2 with no licence fee. Costs come from the infrastructure you run it on, or from a managed service such as Confluent Cloud.

Hasura: How much does Hasura cost?

Hasura DDN Free is free. DDN Base starts at $5/active model/month, and DDN Advanced starts at $30/active model/month.

Source
Apache Kafka: How is Kafka different from a message queue?

A queue usually removes a message once it is consumed. Kafka keeps an ordered, durable log, so consumers track their own position and history can be replayed — which is what makes rebuilding state after a bug possible.

Hasura: What is an active model in Hasura pricing?

An active model is defined as any model or command accessed more than 1,000 times monthly.

Source
Apache Kafka: Who uses Kafka?

The project reports use by more than 80% of the Fortune 100, with over 5 million lifetime downloads.

Hasura: Is there a free version of Hasura?

Yes, Hasura DDN Free is always free and includes unlimited models, 1 supergraph developer, and 15-minute observability retention.

Source
Apache Kafka: Do I need to run Kafka myself?

No. Self-hosting is the operationally expensive option; managed services such as Confluent Cloud run the brokers for you and bill on throughput and storage instead.

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