Softwr

Databases · head to head

Apache Kafka vs NATS

Apache Kafka logo

Apache Kafka

Databases

Open-source distributed event streaming platform

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
NATS logo

NATS

Databases

High-performance messaging system for cloud-native applications

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; NATS core NATS has no persistence at all, so messages are lost if no subscriber is listening
  • They diverge on capability: Apache Kafka covers Durable commit log, NATS covers Very low latency.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Apache Kafka and NATS differ
AttributeApache KafkaNATS
Pricing modelOpen source, no licence fee; managed services billed separatelyOpen source, no licence fee
PlatformsLinux, Windows, macOS, Self-hosted, DockerLinux, macOS, Windows, Docker, Kubernetes

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

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 NATS

  • Very low latency
  • JetStream
  • Single binary
  • Request-reply

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 NATS
  • Feeding analytics and warehouses from operational systems in near real timenot NATS
  • Replaying history to rebuild state after a consumer bugnot NATS
  • Buffering bursty producers ahead of slower downstream systemsnot NATS

NATS

  • Service-to-service messaging where latency is the binding constraintnot Apache Kafka
  • Edge and IoT messaging where a lightweight broker mattersnot Apache Kafka
  • Replacing a heavier broker when the workload does not need its guaranteesnot 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

NATS

  • Core NATS has no persistence at all, so messages are lost if no subscriber is listening
  • JetStream adds the durability but also the operational complexity NATS is chosen to avoid
  • A much smaller ecosystem than Kafka or RabbitMQ, with fewer connectors and integrations
  • Fewer people know it, so hiring and existing organisational knowledge favour the alternatives

Pricing, plan by plan

Apache Kafka

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

NATS

Free
  • NATSFree
    • Full functionality
    • No usage limits
    • Community support

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 NATS if

  • You need very low latency.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, macOS, Windows, Docker, Kubernetes.
  • You also want jetstream.
NATS review

Questions people ask

Is Apache Kafka or NATS better?
Neither clearly leads. Apache Kafka starts at Free and NATS at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Apache Kafka or NATS?
Apache Kafka starts at Free and NATS at Free.
Does Apache Kafka or NATS run on more platforms?
Apache Kafka runs on Linux, Windows, macOS, Self-hosted, Docker. NATS runs on Linux, macOS, Windows, Docker, Kubernetes.
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 NATS is typically brought in for.
What can Apache Kafka do that NATS cannot?
Apache Kafka covers Durable commit log, Horizontal scale, Kafka Connect, Kafka Streams. NATS covers Very low latency, JetStream, Single binary, Request-reply.

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.

NATS: Is NATS free?

Yes, open source and CNCF-graduated. Synadia sells a managed service.

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.

NATS: Does NATS persist messages?

Core NATS does not — it is fire-and-forget. JetStream adds persistence, streaming and replay when you need them.

Apache Kafka: Who uses Kafka?

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

NATS: NATS or Kafka?

NATS is far lighter and lower latency, and much simpler to run. Kafka is the answer when you need a durable replayable log and a large connector ecosystem.

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.

Share

Related pages

More on Apache Kafka

More on NATS

Keep looking

Other head to heads