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Compare Apache Kafka and Google Cloud Pub/Sub

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At a Glance
Apache Kafka
Apache Kafka
Star Rating
(122)4.5 out of 5
Market Segments
Enterprise (47.9% of reviews)
Information
Entry-Level Pricing
No pricing available
Learn more about Apache Kafka
Google Cloud Pub/Sub
Google Cloud Pub/Sub
Star Rating
(44)4.5 out of 5
Market Segments
Small-Business (37.5% of reviews)
Information
Entry-Level Pricing
No pricing available
Learn more about Google Cloud Pub/Sub
AI Generated Summary
AI-generated. Powered by real user reviews.
  • Users report that Google Cloud Pub/Sub excels in real-time processing with a score of 9.1, making it a preferred choice for applications requiring immediate data handling. In contrast, Apache Kafka, while still strong, has a slightly lower score of 8.1 in latency, which may affect time-sensitive applications.
  • Reviewers mention that Google Cloud Pub/Sub offers superior cloud-based messaging capabilities, scoring 9.2, which is particularly beneficial for businesses looking for a fully managed service. Apache Kafka, with a score of 8.4, may require more hands-on management, which could be a drawback for some users.
  • G2 users highlight that Google Cloud Pub/Sub has a more user-friendly setup process, scoring 8.8 compared to Apache Kafka's 7.8. This ease of setup can significantly reduce the time to deployment for teams with limited resources.
  • Users on G2 indicate that both products perform well in asynchronous messaging, each scoring 9.0. However, reviewers mention that Google Cloud Pub/Sub's integration with other Google Cloud services enhances its functionality, making it a more seamless option for users already within that ecosystem.
  • Reviewers mention that while both platforms have strong data integration capabilities, Google Cloud Pub/Sub scores 8.9 compared to Apache Kafka's 8.4. This suggests that Pub/Sub may offer a more straightforward experience when connecting with various data sources.
  • Users say that Google Cloud Pub/Sub's quality of support, rated at 8.3, is generally perceived as better than Apache Kafka's 7.7. This can be crucial for businesses that require reliable assistance during implementation and ongoing use.
Featured Products
Pricing
Entry-Level Pricing
Apache Kafka
No pricing available
Google Cloud Pub/Sub
No pricing available
Free Trial
Apache Kafka
No trial information available
Google Cloud Pub/Sub
No trial information available
Ratings
Meets Requirements
9.0
87
9.2
34
Ease of Use
8.6
87
8.5
35
Ease of Setup
7.9
25
8.9
15
Ease of Admin
7.7
22
8.6
12
Quality of Support
7.8
78
8.3
31
Has the product been a good partner in doing business?
8.3
18
8.8
11
Product Direction (% positive)
8.8
84
8.6
34
Features by Category
Event Stream ProcessingHide 5 FeaturesShow 5 Features
8.8
154
Not enough data
Data
8.9
30
Not enough data
8.7
32
Not enough data
8.9
32
Not enough data
9.1
32
Not enough data
Analytics
8.3
28
Not enough data
8.4
436
8.6
119
Functionality
9.0
49
9.1
13
8.5
46
8.5
11
8.4
42
9.2
13
8.1
46
7.4
12
Integration
8.8
48
9.0
12
8.4
44
9.0
12
8.1
43
8.6
11
Management
8.2
39
8.2
12
8.0
39
8.6
11
8.3
40
8.8
12
Not enough data
Not enough data
Building Reports
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Platform
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Categories
Categories
Shared Categories
Apache Kafka
Apache Kafka
Google Cloud Pub/Sub
Google Cloud Pub/Sub
Apache Kafka and Google Cloud Pub/Sub are categorized as Message Queue (MQ) and Stream Analytics
Unique Categories
Apache Kafka
Apache Kafka is categorized as Event Stream Processing
Google Cloud Pub/Sub
Google Cloud Pub/Sub has no unique categories
Reviews
Reviewers' Company Size
Apache Kafka
Apache Kafka
Small-Business(50 or fewer emp.)
19.7%
Mid-Market(51-1000 emp.)
32.5%
Enterprise(> 1000 emp.)
47.9%
Google Cloud Pub/Sub
Google Cloud Pub/Sub
Small-Business(50 or fewer emp.)
37.5%
Mid-Market(51-1000 emp.)
30.0%
Enterprise(> 1000 emp.)
32.5%
Reviewers' Industry
Apache Kafka
Apache Kafka
Computer Software
23.9%
Information Technology and Services
17.9%
Financial Services
8.5%
Banking
6.0%
Retail
4.3%
Other
39.3%
Google Cloud Pub/Sub
Google Cloud Pub/Sub
Computer Software
27.5%
Marketing and Advertising
10.0%
Education Management
10.0%
Information Technology and Services
7.5%
Retail
5.0%
Other
40.0%
Most Helpful Reviews
Apache Kafka
Apache Kafka
Most Helpful Favorable Review
Verified User
G
Verified User in Information Technology and Services

Multiple subscribers is better option which is not available in many messaging services. It combines messaging, storage, stream processing,etc

Most Helpful Critical Review
Sahil M.
SM
Sahil M.
Verified User in Real Estate

The official sink and source connectors, from debezium have issues with some advanced data types, especially arrays and son, when reading from postgres WAL files.

Google Cloud Pub/Sub
Google Cloud Pub/Sub
Most Helpful Favorable Review
Verified User
G
Verified User in Information Technology and Services

The most amazing thing about Cloud Pub/Sub is that it solves a very hard problem in a very easy way.

Most Helpful Critical Review
Verified User in Medical Practice
GM
Verified User in Medical Practice

Can be difficult to use once started with the program. It’s very concise and concrete.

Alternatives
Apache Kafka
Apache Kafka Alternatives
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IBM MQ
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Amazon Kinesis Data Streams
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Google Cloud Pub/Sub
Google Cloud Pub/Sub Alternatives
MuleSoft Anypoint Platform
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IBM MQ
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Amazon Kinesis Data Streams
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Add Amazon Kinesis Data Streams
Discussions
Apache Kafka
Apache Kafka Discussions
What is Apache Kafka used for?
2 comments
Rahul S.
RS
I am using Apache Kafka for event Processing. We use it to capture the new events generated by our application in our database. Currently, Kafka streams is...Read more
What is the maximum limit of the number of partitions in a Kafka topic?
1 comment
Chirag T.
CT
The answer is closely related to the version of the Kafka broker that you are running. A reasonably up to date cluster can hold up to 4,000 partitions per...Read more
What is Apache Kafka used for?
1 comment
Darshika V.
DV
It used this Mnemonic to remember what kafka is and what it is used for - S - Stream Data in Real-Time: Handles and processes live data (e.g., Uber car...Read more
Google Cloud Pub/Sub
Google Cloud Pub/Sub Discussions
Monty the Mongoose crying
Google Cloud Pub/Sub has no discussions with answers