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Technology · head to head

Confluent Cloud vs GNAT Pro

Confluent Cloud logo

Confluent Cloud

Technology

The data streaming platform built on Apache Kafka, delivered as a fully managed cloud service

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Full reviewWebsite
GNAT Pro logo

GNAT Pro

Developer Tools

Software development environments and toolchains for Ada, C/C++ and Rust

From
On request
Free plan
No
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Confluent Cloud has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Confluent Cloud requires understanding of eCKU (Elastic Confluent Unit) billing; GNAT Pro no pricing published on website; requires contacting AdaCore directly for quotes
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 29 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Confluent Cloud and GNAT Pro actually diverge.

Attributes where Confluent Cloud and GNAT Pro differ
AttributeConfluent CloudGNAT Pro
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelusage-basedquote
Free tierYesNo
CategoryTechnologyDeveloper Tools

Identical on both: platforms (Web), user rating (Not yet rated).

What people use each for

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

Confluent Cloud

  • Apache Kafka event streaming and processingnot GNAT Pro
  • Real-time data pipeline architecturenot GNAT Pro
  • Multi-cloud event broker deploymentnot GNAT Pro
  • Stream processing and analyticsnot GNAT Pro
  • Microservices data synchronizationnot GNAT Pro

GNAT Pro

  • Building certified avionics software meeting DO-178B/C standardsnot Confluent Cloud
  • Developing automotive embedded systems with ISO-26262 compliancenot Confluent Cloud
  • Integrating Ada, C/C++, and Rust components in single codebasenot Confluent Cloud
  • Managing software supply chain vulnerabilities and SBOMsnot Confluent Cloud
  • Supporting long-lived software systems spanning decadesnot Confluent Cloud

Where each one falls short

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

Confluent Cloud

  • Requires understanding of eCKU (Elastic Confluent Unit) billing
  • Data in/egress costs add $0.014-$0.050 per GB
  • Storage costs of $0.03-$0.08 per GB-month
  • Minimum commitment recommended for cost optimization

GNAT Pro

  • No pricing published on website; requires contacting AdaCore directly for quotes
  • Vendor indicates per-user, per-year subscription model but does not disclose specific costs

Pricing, plan by plan

Confluent Cloud

Free
  • BasicFree
    • Free first eCKU
    • Then $0.14 per eCKU-hour
    • 99.5% uptime
  • Standard$385/month
    • $0.75 per eCKU-hour
    • 99.99% uptime with 2+ eCKUs
    • Infinite storage
  • Enterprise$895/month
    • $1.75-$2.25 per eCKU-hour
    • Private networking
    • GBps+ scaling
  • Freight$2300/month
    • $2.25 per eCKU-hour
    • Specialty logging tier
    • Highest throughput requirements

GNAT Pro

On request

No published plan breakdown. See the GNAT Pro review.

Which should you pick?

Choose Confluent Cloud if

  • You want to start without paying.
Confluent Cloud review

Choose GNAT Pro if

Nothing in the data separates GNAT Pro from Confluent Cloud on the points above - pick on price and on how each one feels to use.

GNAT Pro review

Questions people ask

Is Confluent Cloud or GNAT Pro better?
Neither clearly leads. Confluent Cloud starts at Free and GNAT Pro at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Confluent Cloud or GNAT Pro?
Confluent Cloud has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Confluent Cloud and On request for GNAT Pro.
Does Confluent Cloud or GNAT Pro run on more platforms?
Both run on Web, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
Can I use Confluent Cloud for free?
Yes. Confluent Cloud has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. GNAT Pro starts at On request.
What is Confluent Cloud best used for?
Confluent Cloud is most often used for apache kafka event streaming and processing, real-time data pipeline architecture, multi-cloud event broker deployment, stream processing and analytics. Of those, apache kafka event streaming and processing and real-time data pipeline architecture are not what GNAT Pro is typically brought in for.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Confluent Cloud: How much does Confluent Cloud cost?

Confluent Cloud pricing starts free on Basic tier with $0.14 per eCKU-hour, Standard at $0.75 per eCKU-hour (~$385/month base), Enterprise at $1.75-$2.25 per eCKU-hour (~$895/month base), and Freight specialty tier at $2.25 per eCKU-hour (~$2300/month).

Source
GNAT Pro: How much does GNAT Pro cost?

GNAT Pro pricing is not published on the website. Customers must request a pricing quote by contacting AdaCore directly or speaking with a GNAT Pro expert.

Source
Confluent Cloud: Is there a free tier for Confluent Cloud?

Yes, the Basic tier is free with one eCKU credit included. Additional usage is billed at $0.14 per eCKU-hour, plus data transfer and storage fees apply.

Source
GNAT Pro: What is GNAT Pro licensing model?

GNAT Pro is sold on a per-user, per-year basis with no license locks. Customers can request pricing for their specific needs.

Source
Confluent Cloud: What additional fees does Confluent Cloud charge?

Beyond eCKU hours, Confluent charges data in/egress at $0.014-$0.050 per GB and storage at $0.03-$0.08 per GB-month. Costs vary by tier and region.

Source
Confluent Cloud: Does Confluent offer discounts for higher usage?

Yes, volume discounts are negotiated upfront based on annual consumption estimates. Annual commitments allow flexible cross-product allocation with guaranteed cost savings.

Source
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