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APIs · head to head

Hasura vs RabbitMQ

Hasura logo

Hasura

APIs

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

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
RabbitMQ logo

RabbitMQ

Databases

Open-source message broker supporting AMQP and other protocols

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Hasura active model definition: model/command accessed more than 1,000 times monthly; RabbitMQ not built for replay: once consumed, a message is gone, which is exactly what Kafka exists to change
  • They diverge on capability: Hasura covers GraphQL API, RabbitMQ covers Flexible routing.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Hasura and RabbitMQ actually diverge.

Attributes where Hasura and RabbitMQ differ
AttributeHasuraRabbitMQ
Pricing modelfreemiumOpen source, no licence fee; managed services billed separately
PlatformsWebLinux, macOS, Windows, Docker, Kubernetes
CategoryAPIsDatabases
Founded2017Unknown

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 Hasura

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

Only in RabbitMQ

  • Flexible routing
  • Multiple protocols
  • Management UI
  • Clustering and mirroring

What people use each for

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

Hasura

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

RabbitMQ

  • Distributing background jobs to a pool of workers with retriesnot Hasura
  • Decoupling services that need delivery rather than a replayable historynot Hasura
  • Routing messages by pattern to different consumers from one publishernot Hasura

Where each one falls short

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

Hasura

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

RabbitMQ

  • Not built for replay: once consumed, a message is gone, which is exactly what Kafka exists to change
  • Throughput ceilings are lower than a log-based platform under very heavy streaming loads
  • Queues that build up degrade broker performance, so consumer lag is an operational problem rather than just a backlog
  • Clustering and partition behaviour has historically been a source of hard-to-diagnose problems

Pricing, plan by plan

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

RabbitMQ

Free
  • RabbitMQFree
    • Full functionality
    • Self-hosted
    • No usage limits

Which should you pick?

Choose Hasura if

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

Choose RabbitMQ if

  • You need flexible routing.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, macOS, Windows, Docker, Kubernetes.
  • You also want multiple protocols.
RabbitMQ review

Questions people ask

Is Hasura or RabbitMQ better?
Neither clearly leads. Hasura starts at Free and RabbitMQ at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Hasura or RabbitMQ?
Hasura starts at Free and RabbitMQ at Free.
Does Hasura or RabbitMQ run on more platforms?
Hasura runs on Web. RabbitMQ runs on Linux, macOS, Windows, Docker, Kubernetes.
Can I use Hasura for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Hasura best used for?
Hasura is most often used for automatic graphql api generation from existing databases, real-time data subscriptions for modern applications, backend infrastructure for web and mobile applications, event-triggered webhooks for database changes. Of those, automatic graphql api generation from existing databases and real-time data subscriptions for modern applications are not what RabbitMQ is typically brought in for.
What can Hasura do that RabbitMQ cannot?
Hasura covers GraphQL API, Real-time subscriptions, Access control, PostgreSQL. RabbitMQ covers Flexible routing, Multiple protocols, Management UI, Clustering and mirroring.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

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
RabbitMQ: Is RabbitMQ free?

Yes, open source with no licence fee. Broadcom sells commercial support.

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
RabbitMQ: RabbitMQ or Kafka?

RabbitMQ is a message broker: simpler to run and better at flexible routing and work queues. Kafka is a replayable event log built for very high throughput streaming, and much heavier to operate.

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
RabbitMQ: Can RabbitMQ replay messages?

Not in the way Kafka can. Messages are removed once acknowledged, so rebuilding state from history is not the model.

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